Brief previews of 2008-09 Pantagraph-area girls basketball teams.

Clinton Maroons

Head coach: Jerry Wayne, 5th season

Last year: 2-23. Lost first round of regionals to Fieldcrest

FYI: The recipe to the Maroons success starts with an attitude shift, Wayne said. This year, coach Wayne adjusted his team's expectations to where every game they will expect to compete and put themselves in a position to win. The Maroons only graduated one senior and return a young but experienced roster featuring a pair of seniors.

CPCI Timberwolves

Head coach: Terry Siebert, 2nd season

Last year: 8-22 overall record, 1-7 in Sangamon Valley Conference (eighth), lost in Class 1A regional semifinal game

FYI: Taylor Redeker, a 5-5 sophomore, is CPCI's top returning scorer at 10.3 points and was an all-SVC player as a freshman. Junior Haley Dodd returns after battling back pain last season. Other letterwinners are seniors Kaylea Heideman and Molly Siebert and junior Lauren Bauer.

Dwight Trojans

Head coach: Jeff Froelich, 11th season

Last year: 18-14, 7-4 in Interstate 8 (third). Won Class 1A Cissna Park Regional.

FYI: The Trojans will work with just seven rostered players, but they are all letterwinners from last season. Among those are five seniors, including senior forward Carly Perschnick. She had 238 rebounds (7.7 per game average) last season, which ranks fifth on the school charts. Senior Kolby Hoffman, who averaged 2.8 steals per game, returns to the Lady Trojans' backcourt.

Illini Central Cougars

Head coach: Donnie Bowman, 2nd season

Last year: 6-20 overall, 1-5 in Sangamo Conference (tied for sixth). Reached Class 1A regional semifinal.

FYI: The Cougars are looking to improve after losing only two seniors to graduation. Sophomore Brea Kalhammer averaged a team-high 11.1 points last season, and senior Kendra Koeppen grabbed a team-leading 7.0 rebounds.

Iroquois West Raiders

Head coach: Hanns Meyer, 13th season

Last year: 7-21. Lost in regional finals to Gardner South Wilmington

FYI: The Raiders return three of the top four scorers from a year ago. With the team's offensive nucleus returning the Raiders will have to work toward playing stingy team defense. Meyer believes that if the team improves on the defensive end and establishes an inside game the Raiders should be successful.

Lincoln Railsplitters

Head coach: Brian Suiter, 1st season

Last year: 5-22, 2-13 in Central State Eight Conference (eighth). Reached Class 3A regional semifinal.

FYI: The Railers will rely heavily on their six returning senior letterwinners. The top veterans include Heidi Moore, Katelyn Harmsen, Amy Kelley, Kelly Brooks and junior Katrina Schreiner.

Mount Pulaski Hilltoppers

Head coach: Eric Leever, 1st season

Last year: 7-15 overall, 1-9 Tomahawk Conference. Lost to Springfield Lutheran in semifinals of Class 1A Springfield Lutheran Regional.

FYI: The Hilltoppers have a lot of offense to replace with the losses of Ashley Southerlan (12.8 points per game) and Mindy Spear (11.9 ppg) to graduation. Leever takes over a team with just one senior, three juniors and five freshmen.

Paxton-Buckley-Loda Panthers

Head coach: Travis Duley, 3rd season

Last year: 16-14. Lost to St. Joseph-Ogden in Class 2A Paxton Regional semifinals.

FYI: The Panthers graduated their all-time leading scorer in Jenna Seibring, but coach Duley is optimistic because of his athletic junior class. Experience might be an issue to begin the season but once the Panthers overcome that obstacle, Duley expects his team to be competitive.

Roanoke-Benson/Lowpoint-Washburn Rockets

Head coach: Jessica Reardon, 2nd season

Last year: 11-14, lost to Flanagan in the regional semi-finals

FYI: With the return of Kelsey Sauder, the Rockets' leading scorer and rebounder, and Hannah Knepp, the team's leader in assists and second leading scorer, Roanoke-Benson/Lowpoint-Washburn will look to compete for the Tri-County Conference championship.

Streator Bulldogs

Head coach: Ken Carlson, 7th season

Last year: 3-24 overall, 0-10 in NCIC Reagan (last). Lost to Morris in Class 3A regional semifinal.

FYI: The Bulldogs experienced a rough 2007-08 season, but 10 letterwinners return from that team, including four starters. Also, the sophomore team finished last season 18-5, so good things could be on the horizon at Pops Dale Gymnasium.

Tri-Point Chargers

Head coach: Mark Hadley, 1st season

Last year: 15-13, 5-3 Sangamon Valley (fourth place). Lost in Class 1A Ridgeview Regional semifinal.

FYI: The Chargers will have to grow up fast. Livvy Phillips is the only senior on the team. She is joined by fellow returning letterwinner Jana Meister. First-year coach Mark Hadley will have to work two other juniors and seven freshmen and sophomores around those two.