St. Ignace Saints Varsity girls basketball includes (front, from left) Stacee Schnicke-4, Sarah Schafer-32, Chantelle Cook, Jessica McGinnis, Erica Ahlich-24, Jessica Massaway-12; (back) Kelsey Cryderman-34, Jodie Langstaff-10, Coach Dorene Ingalls, Coach Doug Ingalls, Marcie Rickley-14, and Amanda Coveyou-42. Coach Dorene Ingalls' life has changed during the last eight months, but her thoughts about returning for her eighth year with the Saints stays on a positive note with the help of family and friends before the 2006 campaign.

Passion for the game of basketball, strong work ethics, and personal courage lifted the coach to return to the hardwood, but along the way she will face a huge rebuilding year with just two returning players and seven first-year varsity candidates.

Kelsey Cryderman, senior guard/forward, and Jodie Langstaff, junior forward, return for their second varsity season.

Cryderman started most of her junior season and Langstaff began her sophomore year as a role player before starting later in the schedule. Both girls will be called upon to show leadership skills to the younger girls.

First-year varsity candidates are seniors Erica Ahlich at guard and Sarah Schafer at guard/forward, juniors Stacee Schnicke at guard/forward, and Jessica Massaway at guard, and sophomores Amanda Coveyou at center/forward and Marcie Rickley at forward/center/guard.

Coveyou and Rickley played on the varsity team late in the season and during the tournaments last year, but inexperience is a factor that only time and playing together will control.

"The players will have to learn a variety of positions and our quickness will have to offset our lack of size," said Coach Ingalls.

One part of the game that Coach Ingalls won't change is the in-your-face pressure defense that will lift the fast break offense opportunities.

"We must work hard in each and every practice to get better in preparation for the strong schedule," added Ingalls.

St. Ignace will open the season at the Petoskey Tournament, face Cheboygan, Sault Ste. Marie, Rudyard, Newberry, and Rogers City in the Straits Area Conference, and play non-league games with Cedarville, Pickford, Charlevoix, Manistique, Gaylord, and Brimley.

ST. IGNACE SAINTS Girls Basketball Schedule

(JV games at 6 p.m.

unless noted) August     29 at Petoskey Tourney           (TBA)     31 at Petoskey Tourney           (TBA) September       5 at Cedarville       7 Rudyard     12 Rogers City     14 at Pickford     19 Charlevoix     21 at Sault Ste. Marie     26 Manistique     28 Cheboygan October       3 Newberry       5 at Rudyard     10 at Rogers City     12 Pickford     19 Sault Ste. Marie     24 at Gaylord     30 Cedarville November       2 at Newberry       9 Brimley     10 at Cheboygan 13-18 Districts 20-22 Regionals