SLIPPERY ROCK - Thoroughly frustrated, they walked off the General McLane High School basketball court in disbelief.

The Slippery Rock High School girls basketball team's season had been halted abruptly by a foe that was in many respects inferior. They were toppled more by scheme than by scoring.

"I don't think we were prepared for that game at all," said senior forward Emily Skoczlas of the Rockets' 46-43 loss to Warren in the first round of the playoffs last season. "I think we will be better prepared for that type of game now."

Warren slowed things down to a snail's pace. This year, teams have tried the same thing against the Rockets and have failed.

That's what having a full season to devise counterattacks will do.

Last year, Slippery Rock coach Gene Rodgers took over late in the fall and had to piece things together on the fly.

"Last year we really didn't get a chance to put a lot in," Rodgers said. "We were flying by the seat of our pants."

This year, the Rockets are just flying.

Slippery Rock is off to its best start in school history at 8-0 and has succeeded in thwarting the best-laid plans from the opposition.

"We talked a little bit about that, to get ready for slowdown and not allowing teams to sit on the ball," Rodgers said.

Teams who play Slippery Rock like to slow things down because of the penchant the Rockets have for running.

Sophomore Jence Rhoads, who is averaging 18.8 points per game against teams bent on stopping her, usually leads the way.

"With Jence, we see a lot of gimmick defenses," Rodgers said.

The gimmicks haven't worked for the most part because of Rhoads' enormous talent and her supporting cast.

Senior guard Robin Craig has been every bit as deadly as Rhoads, averaging 13.6 points per contest.

Craig has seen a lot of open looks at the basket because of Rhoads. But having a year under Rodgers' system has also helped immensely.

"It makes a whole lot of difference," Skoczlas said. "Last year, we were adjusting to him and he was adjusting to us. He knows our strengths and weaknesses now. And we know what he expects from us.

"And we're used to him yelling all the time," Skoczlas added, chuckling.

Then there is Rhoads, the ultimate X-factor.

"No one can stop her," Craig said. "When they try to stop her, the rest of us step in. They can't stop all of us. Jence takes a lot of pressure off the rest of us."

But now the pressure is on to put last year's disappointment behind them.

Slippery Rock started the season with two strong opponents at the Farrell Tournament and defeated Quad-A Upper St. Clair and host Farrell on back-to-back days.

"It was an eye-opener," Skoczlas said. "We really believe we are in a position to have a championship year this year."

Slippery Rock will have many more tests in front of it.

The Rockets play in a challenging section now in the restructured District 10, with teams like Hickory, Franklin and Sharon eager to knock them off.

"This year, we're back and we're taking all we learned last year and trying to improve on that," Craig said. "It's a tough region, though. All the games are going to be close. There are no nights off."