Girls basketball: Scouting Maine West

CENTRAL SUBURBAN NORTHMaine WestCoach: Derril Kipp (34th season)

Last year's record: 17-12, 8-2

Graduated players: Brittany Collins, Erin Ross, Paulina Kulikowska, Kelly Adamek, Abbey Herling, Julia Huinker

Returning players: Monica Liwag (5-8 Jr. G), Michelle Fox (5-11 Sr. F), Briana Cortese (5-7, Sr. G), Kati Roycroft (5-8 Sr. G), Kayla Pociejewski (5-8 Jr. G)

Newcomers: Allison Pearson (5-7 Fr. G), Megan Hennelly (5-6 Sr. F), Vaidika Patel (5-6 Jr G), Jordan Hart (5-11 Jr G), Richa Patel (5-7 Jr G), Rachel Kölling (5-8 Jr. G), Colleen Rice (5-9 Jr. G), Jamie Travis (5-10 Jr. F), Dorothy Calba (5-8 Jr. F), Eliza Palarz (5-11 Jr. F), Catherine Johnson (5-9 Jr. F), Megan Centella (5-11 Jr. F), Jessica Riedl (6-0 Jr. F), Destiny Onyeise (5-11 Fr. F), Carly Hart (5-6 Jr G)

Newcomers: For the first time in his 34 seasons as the Maine West coach, the Warriors will not have a returning starter. How young are the Warriors? They have four freshman on the opening-season roster, Kipp can never recall having more than one. The Hall of Fame coach with 769 wins and 26 CSL North titles hopes to see steady progress throughout the season. "We'll be hard to scout because nobody knows what we have and we don't either," Kipp said. "It's going to be interesting to see how we mature. We have no experience, no size and for a lot of kids it's really their first chance to really play." Last year the size came from all-area forwards Brittany Collins (all-time Warriors scoring leader with 2,055 points) and Julia Huinker. "We relied a lot on Brittany inside last year and on our size with her and Julia," Kipp said. "Now without size we have to be more aggressive. We played with six seniors for most of the time last season. We have a lot of young kids now who have to learn to play with the speed of the game, and that's tough for younger kids, especially when they're playing with inexperienced kids." Liwag and Pociejewski, also talented softball players, each had career-highs of 12 points last season. "We have to search for points," Kipp added. "But I think there is hope for the future. We have some good talent but it's inexperienced and young." The warriors have never been worse than second in the CSL North under Kipp. "It's going to be a learning experience all the way around," Kipp said. "We'll find out who will score for us. We have a chance to do well at conference and get better as the season goes on."