Freshman making an impact in girls’ basketball, basketball in general really, in the OVAC is nothing new. Each season, one or two players breakout and play above their years, making an impact for their respective teams.
In 2020-21, it was Cameron’s duo of Ashlyn Van Tassell and Kenzie Clutter helping the Dragons reach their first trip to the state championship in West Virginia. Across the water at River High School, Pilots frosh Kelsey Harlan had a solid debut running the point for the Pilots. They weren’t alone.
But this season seems different. This season, especially on the West Virginia side of the river, ninth graders are not only starting, but starring, for their respective teams.
Teams like Linsly and Wheeling Park both feature a pair of talented “newcomers” in their starting lineups. Others, like John Marshall, are receiving yeoman-like work from one ninth grader itching to make an impact.
But what’s the deal? Why are so many freshmen not only capable, but ready to make an impact on the varsity floor, most of whom are still too young to earn their learner’s permit.
“For Park, Linsly, and us, a lot of these girls either played with or against each other,” said Brock Melko, the head coach of John Marshall and the recipient of the services of one Kaitlyn Blake. A sub-6-foot post, Blake is averaging 15 and eight for the Monarchs.
“But the amount of games these girls have played in the offseason and the time they’ve put in, all those games, it’s helped them all to prepare to make an immediate impact.
Blake spent the 20-21 offseason playing for the Ohio Valley Lady Dragons, as did Linsly starter Haylen Cook. Fellow Cadets’ rookie Zaniah Zellous spent her offseason playing with the W.Va. Thunder, as did Wheeling Park starting guard Alexis Bordas.
Another impactful freshman, the Patriots’ LaLa Woods, spent last season with the WPA Bruins. These young ladies turned in their respective middle school uniforms for the final time last winter, then really got down to business for travel season.
Travel season is nothing new, but for the players showcasing their talents for some of the elite programs, the number of games and level of competition these girls face on a weekly basis is unmatched. When you face off against some of the top talent in the country on a weekly basis, a regular season high school schedule is not intimidating, even when most of the players are a few years older and more seasoned.
“When you look at where those kids are on the AAU circuit, and the teams they go up against, they play for great organizations and against very good competition,” Wheeling Park head coach Ryan Young said. “A lot of the top players locally, they’ve either played with or against each other. So, it’s not as big of a shock to them to face off against some of the best players on other teams. It really helps with their confidence.”
Having an Impact
Linsly and John Marshall are slated to play Tuesday, where AAU teammates Cook, and Blake will face off against one another. Blake and her Monarchs teammates already battled against Bordas, Woods, and the Patriots earlier this season and will do so again in the return bout.
These players know each other well, as most played together on the same W.V. Elite travel team growing up before each went their separate ways when moving up in competition and difficulty.
Linsly head coach Rebecca Upton believes that competitive spirit, borne first as teammates on the AAU circuit and now as opponents, has helped fuel this talented group of 2025s.
“This group got started early together and it ended up being something they enjoyed doing together,” Upton said. “Our two are friends with the group that is in the same class. Haylen and Z are always talking about Lala and Lex, and everyone else. It helps that the kids stick with it, the parents get invested and help develop those skills earlier. With the girls, that’s a big part of it.
“Getting into travel and on some of those premier teams and logging those minutes, those experiences, it definitely grows from there.”
What Upton obtained when the 2025 class rolled into its freshman season is a multi-level scoring guard capable of running the point against the toughest of pressures in Cook. Her counterpart Zellous is a 6-footer with a big wingspan and an even bigger vertical leap. It’s not uncommon to find Zellous leaping and getting rim in the gym before practice. She plans to one day dunk and those who’ve seen her workout have a hard time doubting that dream.
What’s fun for Upton is watching how Z develops in pairing with Cadets’ senior leader Carleigh Grimm, a fellow 6-footer who already established herself as a top-notch player. The two are still growing in their relationship and how each plays off one another. But it’s already a solid pairing with room to grow.
“Those two are so different, but it’s kind of fun to watch on a daily basis in how they are learning to play with each other,” Upton admitted. “It’s been good for Carleigh because she has someone to challenge her in practice which she hasn’t had in three years, and it’s good for Z because Carleigh is more physical during practice and makes her work. The relationship will continue to grow.
“And Haylen is probably one of the most competitive people I’ve ever met. She’s super fun and I have her in gym class, when we run the mile, she has to win every time. That’s just her personality. She’s competitive. She loves to play.”
Blake, meanwhile, played her way into a starting role at John Marshall utilizing her quickness and footwork in a spot where she may be giving up a few inches to some of her older counterparts. But that hasn’t stopped her from having an immediate impact.
“I think maybe her biggest asset is her footwork,” Melko said. “She does a lot of her damage under the basket and, just looking at her, she’s not the biggest. She’s sometimes at a size disadvantage in the post, but with her footwork, it sets her apart.”
Blake knows how to move in the post, both with and without the ball. She can catch and finish quickly, or work around taller, less fleet-footed defenders for baskets and put-backs.
Young’s tandem has made the biggest splash and headlines thus far. Bordas owns a 50-point, 10-three pointer effort against Parkersburg South and both she and Woods, who nears a double-double nightly in points and assists, are a big reason why the Pats are off to a solid start this season.
Making Room
All three coaches are fortunate that egos and me-first attitudes haven’t worked their way into their respective lockerrooms. These teams want to win, and whether that’s a senior or a freshman, or somewhere in between, putting the ball in the hoop or making a big play, so be it.
“We’ve been adjusting our team concept very heavily the last few years. It’s not about who scores the points, but the team’s success,” Upton admitted. “You can be a big part of this team’s success without having to be the main scorer. There’s a lot of roles and jobs that need to be done.
“We need people to score, clearly, but I value the other 95 percent of the game just as much.”
Upton actually has three new starters, including sophomore Brooklyn Edge, who missed most of last season with an injury. She’s pairing those three with two seniors, Grimm and Haley Heitz, in the starting lineup. The mixture is definitely working.
It’s a similar story down in Glen Dale, where the Lady Monarchs are back to .500 after a rough start against some big competition, winning four of their last five. Obviously, Blake has played a role in that, but she’s not alone. The Monarchs also have a couple talented seniors in Catherine Hunnell and Landyn Helms who are equally capable of scoring and making big plays.
The who isn’t the key component here, but more of the what.
“We talked early on in the year about I don’t care who does the scoring, and neither do the girls,” Melko said. “Whether it’s Kaitlyn or Catherine or Landyn, they all want to do what’s best for the team. We haven’t had any issues.”
There are a few talented 2026s waiting in the wings locally who will no doubt have a similar impact next season. But for now, these coaches, and others like them, can sit back and enjoy the product of countless hours of conditioning, prep work, weekend tournaments, and high-level competition.
These ladies love the game of basketball, and it shows.
