Tall, talented West Branch girls basketball set for more success under coach Walt DeShields
BELOIT — Featuring a roster loaded with size and talent, the West Branch girls basketball team is expected to be one of the top Division II squads in northeastern Ohio this winter.
The Warriors return nine letter winners from last year’s injury-riddled 13-12 team that still managed to record the school’s 29th consecutive winning season and advanced to the district semifinals.
“I think some of the adversity we went through last year (with injuries), some ups and downs that we had, has made this year’s team stronger,” said West Branch coach Walt DeShields. “We have high expectations, but we also know we’ve got to take it one day at a time, one game at a time because they’ve seen the other side of that. I think they are doing that and really enjoying the moment.”
In his 19th season as Warriors coach, DeShields has guided two of West Branch’s four state-qualifying teams to Columbus. This season, the state tourney is in Dayton.
“The expectations are very high, as always,” said DeShields, who has compiled a 334-113 record at West Branch for a .741 winning percentage. “After a successful offseason and our experience coming back, it will come down to improving each day, communicating as a team and competing every day.
"When we set our goals, a lot of it is relationships and teammates, improving and working together, but certainly we put the EBC (title) up there every year and we put up there to get to Dayton. That’s every team, if you don’t want to get to Dayton, then why are you competing?”
Of West Branch’s nine returning letter winners, four measure 6-foot, 6-1, 6-2 and 6-2, so the Warriors will be one of the tallest teams in the area.
“One key will be how the team develops physical and mental toughness, which will determine our success this season,” explained DeShields.
Leading the returning numeral-winners is 6-2 senior point guard Sophia Gregory, a Youngstown State signee who averaged 15.2 points and 9.6 rebounds last season while repeating as a first-team All-Eastern Buckeye Conference selection. Gregory missed much of the regular season with an injury last season but the Warriors won nine of their last 11 games after she returned.
West Branch’s talent certainly doesn’t end there, as the remaining eight letter winners include 6-2 senior center Livvie Showalter (eight points, seven rebounds), 6-2 senior Mikalyn Woods (3.5 points, 4.2 rebounds), 5-5 senior guard Chloe Dennison (7 points, 2.5 rebounds), 5-4 junior guard Mati Hawk, 5-9 junior forward Carter Shepherd, 5-4 sophomore guard Alli Kanagy, 6-0 sophomore center Tallie Muniz and 5-9 sophomore forward Hallie Vie Burton.
“We have five seniors this year and a lot of experience coming back,” observed DeShields. “We had a great offseason and went all over the place. We went to the University of Tennessee, Ohio State, off to Cedar Point, and of course, down to Sherrodsville and the Huggins Camp. There was a lot of good bonding in the summer, and we saw that we have something special this year and you know we just have to stay healthy.”
Promising newcomers include talented 5-8 freshman guard Audrey Eaton, 5-9 senior forward Brynn Smith, 5-5 junior guard Presley Egli and 5-5 freshman guard Ellie Tucker.
Eaton is so talented that she has earned a starting spot on the veteran-laden West Branch team as a freshman. DeShields said Eaton reminds him of former West Branch All-Ohio guard Melinda Trimmer.
“It will be interesting to see how our offense develops,” DeShield said. “We averaged only 44.7 points per game last season. We are looking for some girls to take on bigger offensive roles and to also use our defense to create scoring opportunities for us on offense."
Speaking of defense, DeShields says it’s important for the Warriors to improve in that area.
“Our defense has been the cornerstone of our program,” he said. “We held opponents to 39.8 points per game last season. We feel defense wins championships, so the girls are working hard to improve defensively as a team.”
A season after four of the EBC's six teams — Marlington, West Branch, Salem and Carrollton — reached the district tournament last winter, DeShields said the conference will be very strong again.
“The Eastern Buckeye Conference is always very competitive,” he said. “All the teams are very well coached and return many good players. I think our group is very hungry to try and win the league title. It’s never easy. You’ve got to play well on the road and get your home games and win some close battles. Sometimes the ball has to bounce your way, and this group is certainly hungry to win the league title.”
With the goal of facing the best competition possible to prepare his team for what he hopes will be a long postseason run, DeShields has once again loaded up the Warriors’ nonleague slate. The Warriors will play Louisville, Youngstown Ursuline, East Liverpool, Olmsted Falls, Canfield, Boardman, Struthers, Austintown Fitch, Norton, Howland and Girard in independent games.
“Our schedule really has some tough opponents on it, and we’re looking forward to those games,” he said. “It’s not like you circle this game or that game. We try and circle every game because with West Branch and our tradition in girls basketball, a lot of people circle us, and I told the girls everybody’s going to bring their A game after you — not only because of the team we have, but because of our teams in the past.”
Serving on the West Branch coaching staff are varsity assistant Bob Shepherd, volunteer varsity assistant Mike Butcher, junior varsity coach Lou Sellaroli, eighth-grade coach Tony Lucente and seventh-grade coach Chris Adams.
2023-24 SCHEDULE
Dec. 9 at Carrollton
Dec. 13 Salem
Dec. 16 Louisville
Dec. 20 at Youngstown Ursuline
Dec. 23 at East Liverpool
Dec. 28 Olmsted Falls
Dec. 30 Canfield
Jan. 3 at Minerva
Jan. 6 Boardman
Jan. 10 at Marlington
Jan. 17 Alliance
Jan. 24 Carrollton
Jan. 27 at Struthers
Jan. 31 at Salem
Feb. 3 Austintown Fitch
Feb. 5 at Norton
Feb. 10 at Howland
Feb. 14 Girard
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: West Branch girls basketball primed for more success in 2023-24 season
