ROSSFORD — Ever since the graduation of Ohio’s Division II Player of the Year Sammi Mikonowicz in 2020, the Rossford girls basketball program has struggled to find itself in the Northern Buckeye Conference championship race.
Even a winning season has been hard to come by. Now, Mikonowicz is a 5-foot-10 standout senior guard who starts for the University of Toledo.
Meanwhile, Rossford coach Toby Ledesma (51-88) enters his seventh season with seven letter winners, five returning starters, and higher expectations this year.
“We hope to be in the middle of the pack in the NBC,” Ledesma said. “There are a lot of good programs in our league. Anybody can beat anyone on any given night.
“If we can limit turnovers and hit some outside shots we can be competitive. I think we will have good depth and scoring balance this season. Also, I feel like we are solid in the post.
“We need to be able to handle pressure and also defend around the perimeter to be successful.”
Ledesma and Mikonowicz led Rossford to a district championship and a regional tournament appearance in 2020, but last year the Bulldogs were 4-19 overall and 1-13 in the NBC.
The Bulldogs have been so young the past two years that every player on the roster is a returning letter winner.
Returning with plenty of varsity experience, in some cases multiple years as starters, are 5-7 junior guard Scarlett Williams, 5-8 junior forward Madison Kutscher, 5-9 senior guard Mia De Bortoli, 5-10 senior center Haley Hogan and 5-7 junior center Sadie St. Mary.
That is the same starting lineup the Bulldogs had last year, when players weren’t sitting out because of injuries, with St. Mary and Williams in the backcourt and Hogan at center.
Williams averaged 13 points and five rebounds on her way to becoming a first team All-NBC and honorable mention District 7 selection. Kutscher averaged five points and seven rebounds, earning HM All-NBC and District 7 honors.
St. Mary is coming off an injury from last year, but add to the mix 5-8 junior center Jadyn Durfey, who Ledesma says “has been really solid this preseason.”
Ledesma says the Bulldogs will play a ball control offense, but will “mix it up defensively.”
Other experienced players returning are 5-4 senior guard Celeste Hughes. 5-0 senior guard Mallory Bartley, 5-6 junior forward Brooklyn Hilt, 5-0 sophomore guard Amelia Castilleja, and 5-4 sophomore forward Nicole Grix.
