GROVE CITY - Roger Flynn has seen just about everything in his 25 years of coaching girls basketball at Grove City High School.

But this year, Flynn, who has a career record of 505-179, will have a new problem to tackle this season: a lack of players.

"It's kind of a little bit of a different challenge this year," Flynn said. "I can't really pinpoint a year like this one. We normally have more varsity experience than we have."

Grove City, coming off a 14-11 season, is dangerously thin. One of the Eagles' prime reserves this season will be a senior who hasn't played basketball since the eighth grade.

But the players who do have experience give Flynn reason for optimism.

Senior guard Alissa Chutz and junior point guard Julie Molloy give Grove City a solid and athletic nucleus.

Chutz, who uses her quickness and athleticism to slash her way to the basket, led the team with 11.4 points per game last season.

Molloy pitched in 9.1 points per contest to go along with her tremendous ball-handling and passing skills.

Flynn will need both to create more scoring opportunities for themselves.

"We need our guards to score more this year," Flynn said. "I don't think our strength will be inside. It's going to be with our guards."

Molloy was a gym rat in the off-season, playing AAU basketball. She's gotten taller, stronger and quicker.

"She's better than she was," Flynn said. "She will certainly be one of our key players. We are going to rely on her an awful lot."

Last year, Grove City relied on post player Sarah Noone an awful lot and was cruising until the senior ruptured her Achilles' tendon, ending her season and career.

Grove City was never the same after that injury.But what came out of it was more playing time for up-and-comers Jenna Kelly and Sheila Ogden.That could pay dividends this season as Kelly and Ogden will be relied upon to be an inside presence for the Eagles.Grove City also will look for senior Ashley McKnight, a standout soccer player who provided Flynn with valuable minutes on the basketball court last season, to play strong defense and add some scoring pop.Flynn said he believes his starting five can carry the team."Hopefully, we will have a winning season and qualify for the playoffs," said Flynn, who has had just one non-winning season in his time as Grove City's coach.But the key to the Eagles' season might be how the bench stacks up.Grove City will rely on an untested group of senior Christa Campbell and sophomores Katie Zinkham, Stephanie Blakley and Ashlee Shoop.None have varsity experience. Campbell hasn't played since junior high."They are all brand new to the varsity game, to the speed of it, the competition of it," Flynn said. "They are very inexperienced, but they are working hard. We're just hoping they can develop quickly."Despite the lack of depth, Flynn still plans on playing an up-tempo, aggressive style.But this year, with the reorganization of District 10 that eliminated the Mercer County Athletic Conference, league games come much quicker on the schedule.Flynn doesn't have the luxury of more than a month of non-league games to get his team ready. League games start in the middle of December.And they will be tough ones with teams like Slippery Rock, Hickory and Franklin in the league now.Flynn also was dismayed by the average off-season his team had.That means Flynn will put a big focus on defense early until the offense can catch up."Defense will be a point of emphasis," Flynn said. "Our lack of off-season play, our defense is going to have to carry us for awhile."

2004-05 Girls ScheduleDec. 3-4-KISER TOURNAMENT; Dec. 6-at Erie Central, 6 p.m.; Dec. 9-at Shenango, 6 p.m.; Dec. 13-EAST, 6 p.m.; Dec. 15-at Brookville, 6 p.m.; Dec. 18-at Cameron County, 1 p.m.; Dec. 20-at Hickory, 6 p.m.; Dec. 30-at Mercer, 6 p.m.Jan. 6-at Meadville, 6 p.m.; Jan. 10-FRANKLIN, 6 p.m.; Jan. 13-TITUSVILLE, 6 p.m.; Jan. 15-WILMINGTON, 1 p.m.; Jan. 17-at Slippery Rock, 6 p.m.; Jan. 19-at West Middlesex, 6 p.m.; Jan. 24-HICKORY, 6 p.m.; Jan. 27-at Oil City, 6:30 p.m.; Jan. 29-at Allderdice, noon; Jan. 31-MEADVILLE, 6 p.m.Feb. 3-at Franklin, 6 p.m.; Feb. 7-at Titusville, 6 p.m.; Feb. 10-SLIPPERY ROCK, 6 p.m.; Feb. 12-SHARPSVILLE, 1 p.m.