20-21 League Preview: Shelby County Athletic League
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The Shelby County Athletic League will once again be full of outstanding talent this season. The teams in the SCAL include Anna, Botkins, Fairlawn, Fort Loramie, Houston, Jackson Center and Russia. 5 Players to Watch Kenzie Hoelscher, 6-0 2021, Fort…
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Continue ReadingThe Shelby County Athletic League will once again be full of outstanding talent this season. The teams in the SCAL include Anna, Botkins, Fairlawn, Fort Loramie, Houston, Jackson Center and Russia.
5 Players to Watch
Kenzie Hoelscher, 6-0 2021, Fort Loramie
Lonna Heath, 5-7 2022, Fairlawn (feature photo)
Ella Doseck Ella Doseck 5'6" | PG Anna | 2021 OH , 5-7 2021, Anna
Carmen Heuker, 5-6 2022, Botkins
Dana Rose Dana Rose 6'0" | SF Fort Loramie | 2021 State OH , 6-0 2021, Fort Loramie
5 Sleepers to Watch
Lenna Rowland, 5-9 2022, Anna
Regan Clark Regan Clark 6'0" | C Sidney | 2023 OH , 6-0 2023, Jackson Center
Ashley Scott, 5-9 2021, Russia
Amber Stangel, 5-5 2021, Houston
Aleah Johnson, 5-11 2022, Botkins
3 Thoughts
I could have legit named five Fort Loramie players as the Players to Watch as they are the deepest team in Ohio. They finished unbeaten last year, and had their eyes on the state championship. With COVID shutting down the tournament last year, the Redskins are focused on picking up where they left off. Other seniors on this year’s team are Corynn Heitkamp, Caitlyn Gasson, Jadyn Puthoff, Clara Gephart and Paige Eilerman. A key junior to watch was Ava Sholtis Ava Sholtis 5'8" | CG Fort Loramie | 2022 State OH , but she is out for the year with an injury. Their depth will wear teams down and should be a major challenge.
Anna also advanced to the state final four last season with a very consistent season. Senior guard Ella Doseck Ella Doseck 5'6" | PG Anna | 2021 OH has really improved her game, as she is a great floor leader, has a very good perimeter shot and can lock down her opponent. Doseck will likely have to increase her output with the graduation of their 6-2 post Lauren Barhorst and two other all-conference seniors last year. A traditionally strong program, the Rockets will have to find some players to step up this season.
Three teams will have one major player who will be the major threat, and all will need players to step up. Botkins brings back junior guard Carmen Heuker a player who has really improved a lot this summer and played well at the PGH 250 Expo. Russia returns senior Ashley Scott, a hard nosed guard who is skilled and a good leader. Fairlawn also returns an outstanding junior in Lonna Heath, who I also saw this summer and her game has blossomed. She is a big threat from the perimeter. Time will tell who else steps up this season for those three teams.
3 Games to Watch
Fort Loramie at Anna- December 5
Minster at Fort Loramie- December 12
Russia at Botkins- December 28
2 Fun Facts
It’s always the game everyone wants to see in the area. Two time defending state champion Minster from the MAC has their annual battle with Fort Loramie. These two teams are the last two area teams to win D4 state titles, as Fort Loramie won in 2015 and Minster won 2018 and 2019. With nobody sure what the Governor will be announcing soon, as of now this game is scheduled for December 12 at Fort Loramie. The Redskins decisively won last years game on opening weekend.
Nearly half of the SCAL have claimed state titles as Anna (1981, 2011, 2013), Jackson Center (1995, 2001) and Fort Loramie (2013, 2015) are three teams in this conference who have won state championships in their history.
1 League Champion
Fort Loramie