2019 – 20 League Preview: Ohio Cardinal Conference

The Ohio Cardinal Conference is an athletic conference spanning schools from Richland, Holmes, Ashland, Wayne and Knox Counties. The high schools comprising the league include Ashland, Lexington, Madison, Mansfield Senior, Mount Vernon, West Holmes, Wooster. <strong> </strong> <strong>5 Players to Watch:</strong> <strong>(schools are as of last year – unless PGH is 100% certain that a player has enrolled elsewhere)</strong> Daisha Brown – Wooster Macyn Siegenthaler – Wooster Katie Sprang – West Holmes Avery Coleman – Lexington Chesney Davis – Madison &nbsp; <strong>4 Thoughts:</strong> Wooster has won back-to-back conference championships – essentially rolling through the OCC the past two seasons. Led by Daisha Brown, who is as dynamic as any player in the league in the transition game, Mike Baus’ team has to be the early favorite again to bring home the crown. The hope for the Generals is that Macyn Siegenthaler is healthy for her senior season, after missing her junior year due to an injury sustained in the first game. Siegenthaler averaged 21 PPG as a sophomore – earning All-Ohio honors. Mansfield Madison has been full of youth the past few seasons. Now it is time to see if the experience will pay off in the form of wins. Chesney Davis, Leah Boggs and Kari Eckenwiler are all back for the Rams – who have high hopes for this winter. Lexington returns one of the top rebounders in the area from last season in junior Avery Coleman. Coleman is a double-double threat each time she takes the court, but Lexington’s true potential may lie in the hands of guard Gabby Stover. The sister of last year’s Mr. Football award-winner Cade Stover, Gabby is recovering from a knee injury. Her team needs her if they want to finish in the league’s top 3. West Holmes lost some key contributors in Taylor Miller and Regan Wilcox, but they do return a host of key components with Katie Sprang, Alicia Alexander, Katrina Rolince, Claire Reynolds and Sage Miller back for another season. Expect the Knights to be near the top of the standings when big games are played at the end of the year. <strong> </strong> <strong>3 Big Games: </strong> Wooster @ Akron Hoban on November 26^th Wooster @ West Holmes on December 21^st Lexington @ Madison on December 28^th <strong> </strong> <strong>2 Fun Facts: </strong> Lexington’s new bench boss is certainly familiar with the program. Jessica Brokaw was a 2004 graduate of LHS, where she was a 4-year contributor on the court for the Minutemen. While at Lexington, Brokaw was a 3-year captain and lead guard on the school’s first state Final 4 team. Lexington was 82-18 in her four years as a player. West Holmes’ non-league schedule includes Minerva, Triway, Danville, Indian Valley, Zanesville, Garaway, Philo and Loudonville. There are definitely some good teams in that group – however, one could argue that it is the easiest non-league schedule that the Knights have had in decades. Noticeably absent from the slate – their long-time cross-country rival, the Hiland Hawks. After last year’s 75-20 final score, in which the Hawks were victorious – the two teams will no-longer play. &nbsp; <strong>1 League Champion Prediction:</strong> Wooster