Washington County Hoopers
Throughout this off-season, the Prep Girls Hoops staff will be taking a close look at some of the top underclassmen across all of Ohio’s 88 counties. Washington County is Ohio’s oldest, as Marietta was the state’s first settlement. Named after…
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Continue ReadingThroughout this off-season, the Prep Girls Hoops staff will be taking a close look at some of the top underclassmen across all of Ohio’s 88 counties.
Washington County is Ohio’s oldest, as Marietta was the state’s first settlement. Named after President George Washington, Washington County features 6 HS girls basketball programs, including traditionally strong small-school state powers Waterford and Fort Frye.
Let’s take a look at a number of talented underclassmen from Washington County.
Olivia Alloway – Warren – 5’10 Guard – Class of 2021
Alloway is one of the taller guards in the region and she uses that height to block and alter a number of shots. Her long arms allow her to play the passing lanes and get deflections at a high rate. She is a very good 3-point shooter, possessing a high/quick release. She has the frame to add muscle if she wants to contribute at the next level. Olivia was Warren’s leading scorer at nearly 12 PPG during the 2018-2019 season.
Marietta’s Morgan Altenberger has the physical tools to be one of Southeast Ohio’s top wings. (Photo Credit: Parkersburg News and Sentinel)Morgan Altenberger – Marietta – 5’9 Guard – Class of 2021
Athletic guard who shows flashes of being a very good scorer. She is at her best driving hard to her right hand or in catch-and-shoot 3-point situations off of penetration. Altenberger is constantly attacking defenses and typically gets rewarded with a number of FT attempts each game – she is a very good FT shooter at nearly 80%. Morgan is a good rebounder who will make teams pay if they try keeping her off of the glass with smaller defenders. She gambles a lot defensively and gets a number of steals off of the ball – although her on-ball defense needs to continue to improve.
Hannah Archer – Fort Frye – 5’4 Guard – Class of 2022
Fort Frye seems to always have good guard play and it is very possible that the next star at that position for the Cadets will be Hannah Archer. Known as a gym rat in area circles, Archer is one of the more skilled freshmen to come though Washington County in a number of years. She has a very quick first step, handles the ball well and shoots a very high percentage from anywhere on the court. Hannah had some high-scoring efforts this year and ended up earning All-District honors from the OPSWA.
Molly Grayson – Warren – 5’3 Guard – Class of 2020
Although Grayson is rarely taller than any of her opponents, she plays with a fire and passion that have helped her play much bigger than her stature would suggest she could. Molly is a strong lead guard who averaged 11 points, nearly 5 assists and 2 steals this year for the Warriors. Grayson is a tough kid, who has no problem finishing through contact in the paint. Her jumper takes a little bit of time to get off, but is effective when she is left open.
Hannah Kroft – Marietta – 6’1 Post – Class of 2020
A walking double-double who averaged 15 PPG and 11.5 RPG on the season, Kroft is a big and strong post presence who scores at will around the basket. Hannah is not afraid to catch the ball at the mid-range spots and square up and make plays – she is relatively quick for her size in a half-court setting, but struggles at times in an up-tempo game. She is an outstanding rebounder with a very physical approach.
Karlee Ross – Fort Frye – 5’7 Wing – Class of 2021
Ross is a great rebounder who plays much bigger than her size. She is an excellent athlete and does particularly well when she is playing as an “undersized 4”. Few players are better passers around the paint than Karlee – who is always creating for her teammates. Although she doesn’t necessarily jump off of the court to the casual observer, when Ross plays well – Fort Frye usually wins.
Cara Taylor played well down the stretch for Waterford as they won 20 games again. (Photo Credit: Marietta Times)Cara Taylor – Waterford – 5’2 Guard – Class of 2022
Waterford has had their share of huge victories on the statewide level over the past decade. With a player like Cara Taylor in their program for 3 more years – they can probably expect a lot more where that came from. Taylor – the quick lead guard – averaged over 8 PPG, 2 APG and 3 SPG for the Wildcats, who finished with a sterling record of 20-4 on the season. For her efforts, Cara was named to the OPSWAW All-Ohio Special Mention team in DIV.
Kyna Waderker – Belpre – 6’0 Post – Class of 2020
Unlike her counterpart on this list – Hannah Kroft – Waderker is a post of the finesse variety, using her energy and athleticism to give opponents fits – few teams have a big that is capable of running with her for 32 minutes. Kyna’s speed helps her get easy buckets in transition, whether from breakaway lay-ups or early post-ups. She had a very good junior season, averaging 15 PPG, 9.8 RPG and 1 BPG. Waderker will routinely score 2 or 3 baskets in a game off of offensive rebounds.