KARNS CITY — Coming off their seventh District 9 championship in the past 12 years, the Karns City girls team hope to make another run.

And they certainly have the personnel to do it.

The Gremlins will look to seniors Haley Callihan and Tausha Bowser and junior Allyson Kepple to carry the load and help incorporate the younger players, some with experience and some without, into the program.

"We have a good mix of girls back," said Gremlins coach Dave Kerschbaumer. "Those three are back, which will give some of the other girls time to develop."

Callihan, a 5-foot-9 forward, averaged 13.1 points and 11 rebounds per game last season and was a Butler Eagle All-Star second-team selection for the second consecutive year.

Kepple, a 5-5 guard, averaged 10 points and five assists per game and also was also a member of the second team.

"They've been the leaders the past two years," said Kerschbaumer. "Haley did a good job moving inside last year. She was a guard but moved and averaged a double-double. She's still growing and becoming more comfortable.

"She's taken to it well. Last year, she was a little awkward in the beginning. It was her first time playing with her back to the basket. With Ashley Campbell in there, that should open things up inside for her.

"For Ally, the sky's the limit. She has a good work ethic," Kerschbaumer added.

Bowser, a 5-7 guard, averaged nearly six points per game, but her contributions went beyond that.

"Tausha does a lot of things that don't show up in the scoring column," said Kerschbaumer. "When we wanted to try and stop someone, like (Moniteau's) Alyssa Deal, we'd put her on them.

"She has the annoyance factor. Coaches say she's quick, a pest. She understands her role.,"he added.

Campbell, a 5-10 sophomore forward, also will crack the starting five, while senior Kailyn Weibel, juniors Kylee Rankin, Michelle Sweeney, Karyssa Callender and Audra Buechele and 5-10 sophomore Julia Zaludek will see significant playing time.

The new-look Keystone Shortway Athletic Conference will have two divisions. Teams within their own division will play twice and once against the other division squads.

Nineteen of the possible 24 scheduled games will be conference matchups. Teams that play in tip-off and holiday tournaments have only one nonconference game remaining.

"Union and Clarion-Limestone are in our division and are two great teams. Union lost some players, but they always seem to replace them. Moniteau and Keystone are on the other side and they should be in there, and Brookville has a couple of good girls back."

Expect the Gremlins to be among those top squads. Last year's team, which defeated Brookville (49-42) and Moniteau (47-42) to win the District 9 title.