2020-2021 Conference Preview: Federal League

The Federal League is an athletic conference spanning schools from Stark and Summit Counties. The high schools comprising the league include Canton McKinley, GlenOak, Green, Hoover, Jackson, Lake and Perry. <strong>5 Players to Watch:</strong> (schools are as of last year – unless PGH is 100% certain that a player has enrolled elsewhere) [player_tooltip player_id="92514" first="Emma" last="Dretke"] - 5’10 Guard - Jackson - Class of 2022 [player_tooltip player_id="157679" first="Breezie" last="Williams"] - 5’5 Guard - GlenOak - Class of 2022 [player_tooltip player_id="91132" first="Nakyah" last="Terrell"] - 5’6 Guard - McKinley - Class of 2021 [player_tooltip player_id="92527" first="Kiley" last="Dyrlund"] - 5’11 Wing - Lake - Class of 2022 [player_tooltip player_id="212893" first="Meredith" last="Randulic"] - 5’8 Guard - Perry - Class of 2022 <strong>4 Thoughts:</strong> Jackson won the Federal League championship last winter and they return an absolutely loaded group for the 2020-2021 season. There is big-time talent in the sophomore class, as [player_tooltip player_id="93552" first="Leena" last="Patibandla"] and [player_tooltip player_id="214493" first="Lauren" last="Pallotta"] form a special duo on the perimeter. Alayna McMullen and Ava Scroggs are both senior guard with big-game experience and college prospects of their own. Kylie Hawke is an under-sized post who rebounds and defends inside. [player_tooltip player_id="92514" first="Emma" last="Dretke"] does a bit of everything, earning All-Ohio honors in back-to-back season for the Polar Bears. Although Jackson won the Federal League - GlenOak arguably had the last laugh by advancing to the state Final 4, yet again. [player_tooltip player_id="157679" first="Breezie" last="Williams"] and [player_tooltip player_id="157681" first="Jordan" last="Weir"] have the potential to form a devastating inside-out combination, as Williams is one of the state’s top returning PG’s and Weir has something that you just can’t teach - a 6’5 frame on the block that can score with both hands. Whether or not GlenOak develops the depth that they have had for so many years recently, will determine if they are a true threat to Jackson or not. Canton McKinley is now years removed from their time on top of the entire state of Ohio. It’s no stretch though to think that Nakyah Terrel and [player_tooltip player_id="32584" first="Kyla" last="Foster"] could return them to the top of the Federal League. The super athletic 2-way guards should keep the Bulldogs in every contest - they could play spoiler for someone as the season progresses. Green is a team to watch, as they return a bulk of their production from a year ago and also added multiple transfers from local schools who could come in and contribute. [player_tooltip player_id="91116" first="Olivia" last="Payne"] is a defensive standout from the combo-guard spot - she can also score the ball in the mid-teens when needed. Alyssa Zeihler is a 4/5 prospect with an impressive frame and athleticism to match. If Green can win a big-game early in the year, they may stick around in the league discussion. <strong>3 Big Games:</strong> Hoover @ Jackson on December 2nd Jackson @ GlenOak on December 11th McKinley @ Hoover on January 6th <strong>2 Fun Facts:</strong> Although Hoover may not have the big-time names returning like Jackson and GlenOak - they do have a lot of experience coming back. Kate Haubert, Natalie Bell, Maddie Ross, Taylor Crookston, Angela Roshak, Regann Jeffries, Lauren Rose, Leena Collins, Emily Walker, Jane Eriksen and Grace Craig could all be contributors for the always-competitive Vikings. There are 6 Federal League kids ranked in the PGH Top 50 for their respective conferences (2021: [player_tooltip player_id="91132" first="Nakyah" last="Terrell"], 2022: [player_tooltip player_id="157679" first="Breezie" last="Williams"], [player_tooltip player_id="157681" first="Jordan" last="Weir"], [player_tooltip player_id="92514" first="Emma" last="Dretke"], 2023: [player_tooltip player_id="93552" first="Leena" last="Patibandla"], [player_tooltip player_id="214493" first="Lauren" last="Pallotta"]), as well as a number of watch list kids in the 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024 (unranked) classes. <strong>1 League Champion Prediction:</strong> Jackson