This is one in a series of previews of area high school basketball programs starting play this monthRIMERSBURG — Last year, Union's girls basketball team got a taste of the District 9 playoffs for the first time in four seasons.The Damsels fell to Elk County Catholic in a quarterfinal playoff and ended the season with an 11-12 record.Union wants to make getting to the postseason a habit and not something accomplished every few years.Head coach Ally Kepple saw a lot of promise in her team's first few practices and hopes her players can pick that momentum back up now that winter sports have resumed.“The players spent the first couple of days getting used to the masks, but other than that, practices went smoothly,” she said. “It felt like everything was clicking ... it was awesome. The kids are so anxious to start playing games!“We want to go deeper in the playoffs.”The cornerstone of Union's chances of a successful season will once again be Dominika Logue, a 5-foot-10 junior who can play both point guard and forward.Last season, Logue averaged 16.9 points, 8.1 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 4.2 steals per game while playing both positions.Kepple believes the team will benefit most if Logue can remain in the frontcourt this season. For that to happen, sophomore Kennedy Vogle must shoulder responsibilities at point guard.“She ran the point most of the time last year,” Kepple said of Vogle. “For her to play the way she did, as a freshman, I thought she did well.”Kepple's squad had no seniors a year ago, which could pay big dividends this season.Guards Keira Croyle and Hailey Kriebel; and forwards Maggie Minick and Abby Gruver — all juniors — lead Logue's supporting cast.“(Gruver) is as tall as Dominika and will help out with rebounding,” said Kepple. “Hailey and Maggie are good rebounders, too.”The Damsels open play by hosting North Clarion Monday.

After a one-year hiatus, Eric Mortimer is back at the helm for the Golden Knights.He coached the team for three years (2016-19) and was brought back last summer after Brent Saylor's one season yielded an 8-13 record.Mortimer aims to get the Knights back to playoff form; they haven't made the postseason since going 17-10 in the 2015-16 campaign, which included a trip to the state playoffs.The team's two returning starters are Caden Rainey and Karter Vogle. Both can play either guard position while Vogle can also move to forward.Last season, they averaged 11.4 points, 3.2 assists and 12.5 points, 4.2 rebounds, respectively.“They're both good shooters, are really athletic and quick,” Mortimer said of the duo. “It's a big help to the team to have them back. Caden is like our floor general.“After those two, we have nine other kids and all of them are going to help us out,” he added.Many of Union's players also played football last fall.“They showed up to our first practice in football shape,” said Mortimer, “but there's a difference between football shape and basketball shape. Then we get a few practices in before everything stopped. I saw the kids again in practice (Monday) and the lost time had them back to football shape.“It's going to take a while before we're truly ready, but our first game is (Tuesday) at Moniteau.”The next step for Union is simply getting back to the District 9 playoffs.“As long as we keep improving, it's just a matter of time.”

<b>Girls</b><i>Seniors:</i> Cassie Austin 5-2 G, Missy Goodman 5-1 G<i>Juniors:</i> Kennedy Andrae 5-3 G, Keira Croyle 5-6 G, Abby Gruver 5-10 F, Hailey Kriebel 5-8 G-F, Dominika Logue 5-10 G-F, Mollee McCullough 5-2 G, Maggie Minick 5-6 F<i>Sophomores:</i> Katie Gezik 5-6 F, Grace Kindel 5-3 G, Hailey Theuret 5-3 G, Kennedy Vogle 5-3 G<i>Freshmen:</i> Hannah Buchanan 5-9 F, Allie Conner 5-4 G, Kolsin Davis 5-1 G, Cheyenne Dowling 5-7 F, Gracie Gallagher 5-6 G, Ava Strauser 5-8 G, Harleigh Strauser 5-9 F<b>Boys</b><i>Seniors:</i> Brock Jordan 6-4 F-C, Karter Vogle 6-0 G-F<i>Juniors:</i> Joey Morrison 6-0 G-F, Caden Rainey 5-10 G, Carter Terwint 6-2 F-C, Logan Terwint 5-9 G, Aiden Weaver 6-2 C<i>Sophomores:</i> Jacob Bowser 5-11 G-F, Bailey Crissman 6-5 F-C, Payton Johnston 5-10 G, Skyler Roxbury 6-1 G-F<i>Freshmen:</i> Hayden Smith 6-1 G-F