Photo Provided PICTURED IS the 2020-21 Buckeye Local girls basketball team. Front row, from left, are Emily Valuska, Kassidy George, Demetria Christian, Landyn Walker, Emily Valuska, Adrianna Blazeski, Haylee Dockery, Allison Trekal, Hannah Crain and Samantha Anrkom. Standing, from left, are Coach Kovalsky, Nyja Short, Pam Kandrach, Kalia Hundley, Rylee Glover, Carly Long, Mariah Pelley, Lizzie Stock, Brynn McHeever, Slayleigh Hornyak, Alexis Rager and Janyah Withers.

CONNORVILLE — The Jeff Stone era is about to begin at Buckeye Local.

Of course, Stone, who took over for Tom Figurski, will be facing obstacles in his first year as the Lady Panthers head coach that neither he nor anyone else could have imagined a year ago.

Call it what you want, but the 2020-21 season has taken on a whole new look and not just because of the coaching change at Buckeye Local.

Figurski was on the bench in Connorville over the past seven years with great success leading the Lady Panthers. Now, that command has been turned over to Stone.

Stone comes on with much unknown and his job got a little tougher in the preseason.

“Due to the fact that we had a two-week layoff because of COVID, we may be behind some of the other teams,” Stone pointed out just a few days after a district-wide quarantine ended.

Stone served five years as an assistant at Edison before being elevated to the head coaching position at the school in 2017.

Stone noted that his roster coming into the season includes three seniors, seven juniors, seven sophomores and five freshmen which speaks well for development in the future.

“We do have a good mixture of ladies,” he added. “We aren’t heavy at any grade level.”

Stone is encouraged by his team’s resilience since returning from the down time and how little effect it has had on its attitude once it returned.

“I feel, since we have returned to practice, everyone has stepped up while trying to make up for lost time.”

Stone was quick to say, “we have a total of 22 committed players and I believe we will have success this season”.

To say that Stone is returning with a great deal of graduation loss would be very far from the truth. Buckeye had just one senior on the team a year ago. Graduation claimed just Brooke Roski.

Stone’s roster featuring the three seniors includes Hannah Crain (5-8), Megan Valuska (5-7) and Landyn Walker (5-6).

“The seniors have stepped up to help and I am relying on them immensely,” he said referring to his senior trio. “Megan Valuska, Landyn Walker and Hannah Crain are our seniors and will be the leaders of the team. They have plenty of experience playing at the varsity level.”

His seven-player junior contingent includes a special player in 5Demetria Christian (5-5). She is a very experienced player that has provided for the Lady Panthers the past two years.

Juniors that will also provide experience and many minutes on the floor are Adrianna Blazeski (5-3), Haylee Dockery (5-8), Kassidy George (5-5), Mariah Pelkey (5-8), Allison Trekal (5-6) and 5 ft. 5 Carly Englert (5-5).

Stone’s sophomore group is led by Emily Valuska (5-6). She has already found a spot on the varsity roster.

Among the other sophomores are Rylee Glover (5-5), Makayla Higgins (5-5), Kalia Hundley (5-4),Kaydence Kinyo (5-6), Carly Long (5-7) and Janyah Withers (5-9).

While the majority of the sophomores may open the season on the jayvee roster, each could position herself at the next level.

Stone’s five freshmen who will open on the jayvee squad are Samantha Ankrom, Shayleigh Hornyak, Pamela Kandrach, Brynn Mcheever and Lissie Stock.

Stone will be assisted by former Buckeye South standout Ed Kovalsky.