2008 Bay County girls basketball preview capsules

The 2008 Bay County girls basketball preview capsules:

Covenant

• Head coach: Ty Farris, third year.
  2007: 21-8, Panhandle Christian Conference East Region champion.
  Leading returners: Jessica Paris (sr. 5-6), Haley Sheffield (sr. 5-6), Chelsea McDill (sr. 5-6), Heather Smith (jr. 5-7), Rachel Phelps (fr. 5-8).
  Others to watch: Olivia Dew (so. 5-5), Rebecca Farris (jr. 5-5), Hilliary Smith (so. 5-2), Hannah Dobernig (fr. 5-5), Julie Canfora (so.), Chrystal McDill (eighth).
  Key losses: Liz Farris, Lea McWilliams.
  Notable: The Lions can go eight deep ... they open the season plagued by injuries. Lea McWilliams will miss the entire season with a knee injury and Dobernig is recovering from a rib injury ... Covenant opened the season at home in the East-West Challenge tournament.
  Quotable: "I think the girls feel they have something to prove after leading the conerence last season in both scoring and points allowed, but falling short in the Final Four. We have an athletic, competitive and unselfish squad and they're looking to make some noise this season." - Ty Farris

Mosley

• Head coach: Steve Canfield, fifth season.
  2007: 22-6, District 2-5A champion
  Leading returners: Beth Stephens (sr. sg), Christy White (sr. pg), Octavia Langston (jr. pf).
  Others to watch: Kat Vogler (jr. pg-sg), Ashley Culverhouse (sr. pf), Mia Martello (jr. c), Rachel Simmons (jr. pg), Kierra West (jr. sf), Deanna Canfield (fr. pf), Tasha Trzaska (fr. sg).
  Key losses: Jasmen Johnson, Bry'kias Daniels, Sara Evans, Katie Peavler.
  Notable: Mosley returns three players including seniors Christy White (288 points, single-season school record of 56 3-pointers) and Beth Stephens (28 3s) and junior Octavia Langston, (co-county MVP) who led the team in scoring (291), assists (107), blocks (65), rebounds (236) and steals (78). ... new faces to the lineup are junior Kat Vogler and freshman Deanna Canfield ... Mosley opened with a 52-32 win over Port St. Joe in which Langston had 22 points, 11 rebounds and surpassed 100 career blocks. Canfield had 17 points and 10 rebounds and White 8 points.
  Quotable: "This is a focused, hard-working team. We have a lot of new varsity players and right now we are trying to find team chemistry. Our team goals are play hard, improve every game and repeat as District 2-5A champions." - Steve Canfield

Bay

• Head coach: George Hamilton, fourth season.
  2007: 16-10.
  Leading returners: Shaneka King (sr. g), Tammy Carthen (sr. g), Kristian Robertson (jr. g), Summer Pope (sr. fo.)
  Others to watch: Te'Shawnda Robinson (so. g), Auibrey Horsley (so. g), Akeelah Jackson (so. for.), Tanesha Middleton (jr. g), Jasamine harden (jr. for.), Synfreka Williamson (fr. g-for.).
  Key losses: Hannah Holt, Caprice Lee
  Notable: Bay defeated Godby in a key District 2-4A matchup on Tuesday ... the Tornadoes play in the Langston Tournament at Chipola and a Thanksgiving tournament at Choctawhatchee.
  Quotable: "Our guard play should be very good with King, Carthen, T Robinson and Robertson. With the addition of Middleton, it is very solid. We must rebound by committee and keep our turnovers low to get out of our district this year." - George Hamilton

Arnold
Information not supplied

Rutherford

• Head coach: Chris Small, third year.
  2007: 2-13.
  Leading returners: Samantha Gil (sr. g), Nicole Daniels (jr. g).
  Others to watch: Shytiara Webb, Tiana Wimes, Courtney Adams.
  Key losses: Selina Porter.
  Notable: Ben McGonagil and Robert Kelly are assistant coaches.
  Quotable: "We're talented, but we're young. Hard work and repetitions will be the key for this teams's success." - Chris Small

Bozeman

• Head coach: Monica Hagler, third year.
  2007: N/A.
  Leading returners: DeeDee Kenney (sr. pg), Morgan Gilbert (sr. c), Meloday Krans (sr. sf), Jordan Lawoxksona Smith (sr. pf).
  Others to watch: Tasha Finch (so. sf), Amanda Carden (so. pf), Sarah Smith (so. c).
  Key losses: N/A.
  Notable: The Bucks are playing with a skeleton crew, just seven players. ...Bozeman is playing two county schools this winter in Arnold and Mosley.
  Quotable: "Four of these players have been playing together since the seventh grade. We are all healthy and I'm expecting them to be very competitive this season, but it will be bittersweet in the end to see these four move on to greater things." - Monica Hagler