YAIAA preseason girls' basketball power rankings

The season is a week away, and the YAIAA landscape changes with the league's realignment from four to three divisions.

Division II could be the toughest with four division champs from last season now converging there. They include last season's Division I champ West York, a Class AAA school that moved up for the last two years, Division III champ Eastern York and Division II co-champs Dover and Susquehannock.

Here's how we see the 23-team YAIAA stacking up entering this season:

1. Dallastown (16-7 last year) -- The Wildcats bring back two 6-footers in University of Rhode Island-bound Amari Johnson and Katie McGowan. Add in senior point guard Debria Hendricks, a hard-nosed, on-ball defender, and Dallastown is an early favorite to reclaim the league crown it won in 2013.

2. West York (17-10) -- The Bulldogs lost to Dallastown in that league championship two years ago. Like the Wildcats, West York still has two key players from then. In the Bulldogs' case, it's senior guards Kari Lankford and Emily Wood. The Bulldogs' biggest change is the addition of new coach Darrell Wildasin, who replaces Jon Shultz.

3. Northeastern (13-11) -- While on the subject of dangerous tandems, consider the Bobcats' Payton Hauck and Jordyn Kloster. Hauck is headed to Boston University after her upcoming senior season. Kloster, second to Hauck in scoring last season and the Bobcats' top rebounder, still has another year left. Coach Bill Novak's squad is experienced and has an outside threat in senior guard Ashley Meyer.

4. York Catholic (24-5) -- The nine-time District 3 champs in Class AA are still talented with four-year starter Hannah Laslo inside and guard Anne Lehr running the perimeter. Three-year standout Marissa Ressler also returns for the Irish, who will receive a push from Delone Catholic.

5. Delone Catholic (21-6) -- Maddie Comly is the only player entering this season already with 1,000 career points to her credit. With returning sophomore Jill Novak and junior Ally Shipley, the Squirettes have an inside presence that will make them a force in Division III and Class AA.

In contention: 6. New Oxford (14-10), 7. Red Lion (17-10), 8. Central York (10-12), 9. Eastern York (14-9), 10. Gettysburg (14-9).