Last year, the Green Eagles were a #12 seed that enjoyed a magical run through the OFSAA championships en route to a silver medal. The Vikes captured antique bronze at that same championship for a very rare "CWOSSA double".
Expect both those squads to lead the charge again this year, despite some notable losses on each side --- Lindsay Lessard (WCI) and Katie Polischuk (St. John's) have taken their talents far away from Waterloo Region with Lessard suiting up at St. Francis Xavier University (Nova Scotia) this year while Polischuk will be at the University of Regina in Saskatchewan.
WCI will be returning three WCSSAA all-stars from last season, including guard Lindsay Taylor (1st team), F/C Alex Klein (2nd team) and G Julia Pavlik (2nd team).
F Anja Gorrie (6th on the depth chart last year) is slated to join the above three in the starting lineup alongside one of the most exciting junior players last year, Kaylee Anagnostopoulos, who is in grade 10 but moving up to play senior.
Add back in two other key players after both being away for one year --- Erin Helsby (6 points in WCSSAA senior final '10) and Courtney Banham, and the Vikes have a very good chance at another OFSAA "AAAA" berth.
St. John's loses Polischuk, but have some players that can still put the ball in the basket back from last year's squad (Megan Piette) and a few newcomers from the junior "AAAA" CWOSSA championship team (Megan Thompson).
They have a bit more "gelling" to do than WCI, but I have St. John's tabbed as my #2 squad.
After that, a couple of youthful WCSSAA squads that were semifinalists last year, Jacob Hespeler and Bluevale, are sandwiched in my 3 and 4 spots.
Hespeler will have Taylor Dennis and Brooklyn Wright back after being the Hawks' leading scorers last year (and WCSSAA all-stars to boot). Meanwhile, Courtney (6'0") and Candice Wright (6'2"), who tore things up on the junior circuit, are grade 10s that are expected to be moved up to senior to add depth to a squad that was CWOSSA "AAA" champs at the junior level two years ago.
Bluevale is in similar shape, with key guard Natalie Bishop and Sarah Hamm returning --- two players that, like Dennis and Wright, accounted for a solid chunk of the Knights' offense last season. The Knights will have their work cut out for them against WCI, but should be a solid favourite to lock down one of WCSSAA's 2 automatic CWOSSA "AAAA" berths.
Last year's top AAA team, North Park, will enter this year as my #5 CWOSSA team. Sure, they've lost Laura Chapple to graduation (Brock University) as well as Reo Roland, who was phenomenal in last year's CWOSSA tournament. Still, a returning group led by Allyson DeLorenzi will look to keep the Trojans near the top of the Brant standings and in contention for another CWOSSA title.
Mark's Preseason "Top 5"
1. Waterloo Collegiate - Waterloo (AAAA)
2. St. John's College - Brantford (AAAA)
3. Jacob Hespeler SS - Cambridge (AAA)
4. Bluevale Collegiate - Waterloo (AAAA)
5. North Park CVS - Brantford (AAA)
