JEFFERSON TWP — A new school. A new team. A new start.

Not that the old school, the old team, and the old high school life was a bad one for Abby Marshall.

But at the start of her senior year, Marshall found herself adjusting to her new world at Knoch High School, a mere hop step and jump shot away from Mars High School, a place where she had spent three seasons on the girls basketball team.

"School was definitely hard the first week," Marshall said. "I was like, 'Why did I do this? I have no friends. Nobody talks to me.'"

Marshall's father, Chris, is the founding pastor of New Life Christian Ministries and is building a church on Knoch Road. In the meantime, he conducts services every Sunday in the Knoch High School auditorium.

Building a church is something the Marshall family has wanted to do for a long time — and the time was right.

Marshall's father and mother, Nancy, came to her with their plan and left it up to her whether or not the family would make the move.

Marshall didn't want to stand in the family's way, even though it meant uprooting her life before her senior year.

"They told me they wouldn't do it if I didn't want to. They'd wait a year," Marshall said. "I told them I knew they wanted to do it for a long time, so do it."

Marshall regretted that decision during that first week this fall at Knoch, but she doesn't see it that way now.

Instead, she views it as a learning experience, a way to prepare for the unknowns of college.

"I like Mars, I don't have anything against Mars," Marshall said. "But I'm really glad I did it. At Mars, I've known everyone since kindergarten and every year it was the same. (Coming to Knoch) was exciting, because I had to talk to people. I was thinking about, 'I don't know how to make friends. I've had the same friends since the third grade.' Now I know I can make new friends."

Her new Knoch teammates welcomed her into the fold with open arms, especially seniors Lizz King and Pam Gagen.

"There are two cafeterias here and during lunch, I tried to find Pam the first week," Marshall said, laughing. "I was the new kid."

She knew King from summer basketball camps. She also knew her from some of the heated rivalry games between Knoch and Mars.

Now, Marshall is on the other side of the rivalry.

"The Mars game will be interesting," said Knoch coach Curt Vasas. "It's a rival, let alone it's in the same section, so she has to see them twice."

Vasas is certainly happy he has Marshall on his team now.

The 5-foot-11 forward already has paid big dividends for Knoch.

Vasas has used Marshall at multiple positions and has even asked her to bring the ball up the floor at times.

She is a deadly outside shooter who also can play the post.

"She's very, very versatile, and she does whatever we ask," Vasas said. "Defensively, she's really helped us. She's our leading rebounder right now. We put her on guards because she has the big reach, and she can handle the ball."

But her biggest impact may have come off the court.

She can be found after practice watching film with the coaches, and her personality has endeared her to her new teammates.

"I can't say enough about Abby Marshall," Vasas said. "Off the court, she is tremendous. She's a team player and she fit in with the girls very well."

Marshall still talks to her former Mars teammates almost every night, Planets senior forward Maggie Bullman in particular.

When the teams play Jan. 11 at Knoch and again Feb. 8 at Mars, the two will most likely be guarding one another.

That will be weird, Marshall said.

What will be even stranger for Marshall will occur in that second clash with Mars in February.

That night happens to be the Planets' senior night and Marshall will be on the other side of the court.

"It's going to be crazy," Marshall said. "I'm going to be bawling my eyes out."