As the girls basketball season tips off this week, here are previews of teams from around the Record Newspapers coverage area.

Oswego

Coach: Venita Parsons (first year).

Last season’s record: 14-18 overall, 3-12 Southwest Prairie Conference.

Returning starters: Kendall Grant, sr., F; Peyton Johnson, sr., F; Ashley Cook, sr., G; Alexis Fomby, jr., G.

Top new players: Jordyn Mensah, so., G.

Worth noting: Parsons, a 2014 Oswego East graduate and the first player in that school’s girls basketball history to score 1,000 career points, was hired in the spring as the Oswego head coach. She was previously the head freshman coach at Oswego for one season and has also coached with the Pink Elite AAU program since 2019. She takes over an Oswego varsity team that has not had a winning season since winning back-to-back regional championships in 2019 and 2020. Grant is a returning all-conference pick who averaged 16 points and 6.5 rebounds. Johnson has committed to Lindenwood for soccer. Parsons is expecting big things out of Mensah.

“This season we are looking to win some more conference games,” Parsons said. “We have an experienced team made up of mainly upperclassmen. Our team chemistry and skill development should carry us into a successful season.”

Oswego East

Coach: Abe Carretto

Last season’s record: 17-10 overall, 11-5 Southwest Prairie Conference.

Returning starters: Aubrey Lamberti, sr., F; Desiree Merritt, sr., G; Nicole Warbinski, sr., G.

Other returning players: Annabelle Williams, sr., G; Sam Herrick, sr., F.

Top new players: Ja’liya Shepard, jr., G; Hannah Lewandowski, jr., G; Inspire Fisher, jr., G/F; Avaya Kittling-Turner, jr., G; Delaney Flaegle, jr., G; Kayla Allen-Bowker, jr., F.

Worth noting: Four-year varsity point guard Maggie Lewandowski has graduated, but the Wolves return three starters led by Lamberti, the Southwest Prairie Conference MVP and Record Newspapers Player of the Year. Lamberti averaged 15 points, 7.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists. Merritt, committed to the University of St. Francis, is also back for her fourth varsity season after averaging 16 points, 4.5 rebounds and 3.0 assists as a junior. Warbinski, the third returning starter who is committed to Clarke University, averaged 4.5 points and 3.0 rebounds. Williams came off the bench last year in big games, and Shepard and Hannah Lewandowski were leaders of the JV team last year.

“We should have a very deep bench for every game,” Carretto said. “I am expecting us to compete at a high level with what I’m seeing from our captains. Everyone that has been playing with them through the summer and practice have connected well to continue a good flow in our offense. Defensively we will need to improve, so we will have to be more consistent on that end of the court to beat those good teams in the area.”

Parkview Christian

Coach: Kayla Linden.

Last season’s record: 12-14 overall.

Returning starters: Ruth Oudyn, sr., F; Abby Carlyle, jr., C; Elizabeth Bean, jr., G; Tessa New, so., G; Avah St. Laurent, so., G.

Top new players: Rhen Staudacher, fr., F; Faith Weihler, fr., G; Ava Poulos, so., G; Leah Isaak, so., G.

Worth noting: The Falcons have everyone back who gave quality minutes last year, including all five starters. Oudyn averaged nine points and eight rebounds last year, Carlyle nine points and 10 rebounds, Bean five points per game and Bean eight points. Linden said two freshmen look promising – 6-foot-1 post Staudacher and “small but mighty” backup point guard Weihler.

“We only have nine girls, but they all have basketball experience and are working well together,” Linden said. “Ruth Oudyn, Abby Carlyle, and Rhen Staudacher are going to be crucial on the boards, and all three of them can score. Tessa New, Elizabeth Bean, Avah St. Laurent, Ava Poulos and Faith Weihler love to score and can find a way to the basket. Our defensive specialists are Carlyle, St. Laurent and Leah Isaak. This team is well-rounded, and if we can stay healthy and injury-free, we should hold our own and definitely get some wins.”

Plano

Coach: Tristan Spivey (fourth year).

Last season’s record: 27-5, 12-2 (second) Kishwaukee River Conference.

Returning starters: Jadyn Long, sr., G; Chloe Rowe, jr., F.

Other returning players: Cami Nunez, jr., G; Jailyn Brown, so., F.

Top new players: Niya Viser, fr., G; Lily Kozenko, so., G; Bri Johnson, so., G; Addi Johnson, so., F; Cora Hardecopf, fr., G.

Worth noting: Plano is going to look a lot different this season without Josie Larson. The program’s all-time leading scorer rewrote the Plano record book and led the Reapers to a program-record 27 wins last season. Larson was one of seven seniors to graduate, as the Plano roster has just four players with varsity experience. Leading the returners is third-year varsity player Rowe, who averaged 6.2 points and 8.7 rebounds and already holds several Plano rebounding records, and third-year starter Long, who averaged 3.5 points, 2.6 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 1.5 steals. Nunez, one of the most athletic players in the school, will see increased minutes, and Brown returns off a strong freshman season. Viser headlines the newcomers after a standout summer, where she handled the ball for much of the offseason.

“Despite our youth, we are confident that the team’s energy, unselfishness, and commitment to getting better each day will make us a tough matchup throughout the season,” Spivey said.

Sandwich

Coach: Raymond Napientek (first year)

Last season’s record: 16-18, 6-8 Kishwaukee River Conference.

Returning starters: Bailey Frieders, sr.; Alayla Harris, jr.; Kayden Corneils, sr.

Other returning players: Alivia Kellogg, jr.; Khloe White, so.; Mikaela LeaTrea, jr.; Isla Stevens, jr.

Worth noting: First-year coach Napientek, who played in high school at St. Patrick’s in Chicago and coached basketball at Romeoville while in college, has a solid core of seven players and could run as deep as 10 with sophomores in the mix for playing time. He said that practice has shown that he can trust his guard play and that Harris will be a force in the middle. “I think she can really change games for us,” he said. He said off the bench keep an eye on sophomores Kendel Petre, Kyra Johnson, Bailey Brummel and freshman Coraline Stevens.

“Our defensive ability will be key to us making some noise in conference,” Napientek said.

Yorkville

Coach: Kim Wensits

Last season’s record: 19-11 overall, 11-5 Southwest Prairie Conference.

Returning starters: Macie Jones, sr., G.

Other returning players: Sydney McCabe, sr., G; Alayna Demas, sr., G; Elaina Newman, sr., G.

Top new players: Claire Donelson, jr., F; Hayden Hodges, jr., G; Ashlyn Peterson, jr., G; Aubrey Spychalski, jr., G; Athena Triner, so., G; Sloane Connell, so., C; Adi Phillips, fr.

Worth noting: The Foxes have a great deal of unknowns, as they graduated 77% of their scoring and return just one starter. That is Benedictine commit Jones, who actually led Yorkville in minutes played last season and averaged 5.0 points, 4.2 rebounds and 3.1 assists while shooting 82.5% from the free-throw line and 38.2% from the 3-point line. McCabe, a North Park commit, was last year’s first girl off the bench and averaged 5.8 points and 2.1 rebounds. Demas got good minutes as a role player and will look to expand on that. Spychalski and Phillips are the third sisters to come through the Foxes’ program, two of a large group of newcomers that includes 6-foot-2 sophomore Connell.

“There are some big gaps to fill, but through aggressive team play, I see a much more balanced team approach this year with numerous girls capable of scoring in double digits on any given night,” Wensits said. “We also are hoping to capitalize on our athleticism. I have six multi-sport athletes.”

Yorkville Christian

Coach: John McAdams and Jeff Schutt

Last season’s record: 20-9.

Returning starters: Payton Wallin, sr.; Paige Gillman, sr.

Other returning players: Harper Van Denend, sr.; Gabriella Allen-Thompson, jr.; Mari Rodriguez, jr.; Hannah Aquado, so.; Nia Hooper, so.

Top new players: Riley Herron, fr.; Avery Herron, so.; Kiana Ogulei, fr.; Mayah Candelario, jr.

Worth noting: McAdams, an assistant at Rosary for five seasons and at Benet for three, comes aboard to coach the Mustangs with Schutt. Yorkville Christian is coming off the first regional championship in program history. Leading the way for the Mustangs will be Wallin, who averaged 16 points as a junior and has a Division I offer from SIU-Edwardsville. Gillman brings defensive toughness and an improved skill set. Candelario is a transfer from Texas. Yorkville Christian will compete at the prestigious Montini Christmas Tournament for the first time.

“The Mustangs look to pick up where they left off when they won their first regional last year and make a deeper run in the state finals,” McAdams said. “With the return of their leading scorer (Wallin) and their best defender (Gillman) and the addition of a presence in the paint (Avery Herron) and two very talented freshmen (Riley Herron and Ogulei), the Mustangs are ready to compete.”

Editor’s note: Newark did not provide requested preview information.