RIMERSBURG — Hershey or bust?

Well, let’s not get ahead of ourselves.

That’s the mantra being bandied about the Union High School gymnasium these days as the Union girls basketball team gets ready for the 2005-06 season.

Last year, the Damsels finished 27-3 and lost to Kennedy Catholic by one point in the PIAA Class A quarterfinals. Union was the final public school eliminated from the Class A girls playoffs.

With a slew of talent back this season, including leading scorer Andrea Mortimer (16 points per game), it’s hard for fans and pundits alike not to picture Union as a state title contender.

“A lot of it is keeping the girls grounded,” said Union coach Josh Meeker. “We can’t assume what we did last year is going to happen again. We’ve got to work not just as hard, but harder, because the target is on us.”

That means playing the games in December and January and leaving February and March in the future.

It won’t be an easy task. There already is a buzz in Rimersburg about the Damsels and a possible state title run this season.

But Meeker said the team is taking it all in stride.

“The expectations are high from the people on the outside,” Meeker said. “We’ve just have to set our goals. One step at a time. One game at a time. One goal at a time. If our goal is to win the league, it should be our first goal and not worry so much about Hershey.”

The talent is certainly there.

Union will play nine girls this season and all are interchangeable. The only clear-cut starters are Mortimer, a 5-foot-6 senior forward, senior guard Bethany Koch (12 points per game) and junior point guard Janele Divins

The other six will see considerable playing time.

“Those other two positions are really up in the air,” Meeker said. “The attitude we try to instill in these girls is starting doesn’t matter — it’s just getting your name called at the beginning of the game. Sometimes the girls coming off the bench will play more than the girls who started the game.”

Another thing is certain: Union will be aggressive defensively and will play an up-tempo style of ball.

It’s been the staple of Union girls basketball for years, and with the nine talented players the Damsels have, opponents had better wear running shoes to try to keep up.

Union has been adept at forcing turnovers with a devastating press and converting them into easy points.

This season, the Damsels might add another wrinkle to their already potent defense: the half-court trap.

That’s sure to make opponents groan even louder.

“We tried it a little bit last year,” Meeker said. “One of the traps you fall into is you plateau — we’re this good and we’re not going to get any better. They’re willing to say, let’s do something a little more. Let’s step up our defense even more, and I was happy to hear that.”

Kennedy Catholic used a half-court trap to beat Union in the playoffs last year.

That impression left its mark.

Now Union wants to return the favor.

The Damsels will get an early test when they play in a holiday tournament at Stafford High School in Virginia.

There, Union will face some of the best teams in that state.

“We got invited by a team we go to camp with each year,” Meeker said. “It’s a big tournament, too. We’ll get three games win or lose.”

UNION HIGH SCHOOL2005-06 Girls ScheduleDec. 2-3-at Karns City Tip-Off Tournament; Dec. 5-at Rocky Grove; Dec. 7-at Brookville; Dec. 9-VENANGO CATHOLIC; Dec. 13-CLARION; Dec. 15-REDBANK VALLEY; Dec. 20-at Moniteau; Dec. 22-at Keystone; Dec. 28-29-at Stafford (Va.) Christmas TournamentJan. 4-at Clarion-Limestone; Jan. 6-at West Forest; Jan. 10-EAST FOREST; Jan. 12-at A-C Valley; Jan. 16-MONITEAU; Jan. 18-at Cranberry; Jan. 20-NORTH CLARION; Jan. 24-KARNS CITY; Jan. 26-ROCKY GROVEFeb. 1-at Clarion; Feb. 3-CLARION-LIMESTONE; Feb. 7-at Redbank Valley