Editor's note: Each weekday, digitalburg.com will look at a different girls or boys basketball program in Johnson County until all are profiled. Coming Thursday: Leeton girls.

KNOB NOSTER, Mo. -- The Knob Noster Lady Panthers had a great season last year, finishing 20-6 on the season, and missed winning a piece of the Missouri River Valley-East Conference title by a single game. In district play, the Lady Panthers advanced to the title game before losing 60-56 to Lawson.

This year, despite some new faces on the roster, coach Michael Cohron’s goals for the team will stay the same.

“We really focus on district play,” Cohron said. “Last year was the first time that our school had ever got 20 wins, and it was also the first time that our school played in a district championship (game). So, our goal is always to hopefully win the district, and that is our push for the entire time. And that is going to be very difficult, especially since Higginsville will be in the district, and then the team that won it last year over us in triple overtime (Lawson) will also be back in there. So, it is going to be a difficult task for us, but that is always our goal.”

Although the Panthers are starting with a half-new squad, Cohron likes the way the team looks in its first days of practice.

“We are looking really good,” Cohron said. “We have had a couple of great practices here, and (are) already starting to get some of the things that we are looking to do all throughout the year in.”

The team is going to have five returning players, including sophomore guard Kindra Wellman, junior guard/post Britney Murphy, junior guard Kelly Malcolm, junior guard Kyra Williams and senior Kandis Benefield.

The rest of the lineup is a group of new faces, including sophomore post Jessica Kinsley and five freshmen: post Kelsey Beasley, guard Marisa Jordan, post Terri Oglesby, post Mickalah York and guard Amanda Byers.

“We have five freshmen that I am super excited about,” Cohron said. “And of those freshmen, Kelsey Beasley is going to be a post for us, and a possible starter for us. She has great work on the inside, and just a nice shot, is able to handle the ball, even for her size. (She) just does a great job; probably the most aggressive of that group.

“Amanda Byers is a little guard that we are looking for big things from for this year, even as a freshman. And then, you got Mickalah York that will be a player that will come off the bench for us, and give us actually quite a few minutes as a sub for the post. Another girl named Marissa Jordan, and then Terri Oglesby is another big post for us, and probably won’t see a whole lot of playing time this year, but will definitely be a contender for years and years ahead.”

Williams was the team’s second-leading scorer last year, behind teammate Christina Jones, who graduated. Cohron thinks Williams will be the team leader going into this season, and is excited about the rest of the team.

Cohron knows his team will have some challenges during the conference campaign, since both Holden and Higginsville, the other top teams in last season’s Missouri River Valley-East race, have plenty of talent.

“I think we are really going to do well,” Cohron said. “As far as conference play and stuff, I would say that Holden is probably the front-runner for that, as well, again. He (Coach Travis Fleming) didn’t lose any of his starters, so he is definitely going to be loaded. And Higginsville as well, didn’t lose a single starter, so they are going to be loaded. Both of those teams are probably set to repeat their performances of last year, which is 20-plus (wins), and just do extremely, extremely well.

“We lost two of our really amazing starters: Christina Jones, going to Western Illinois to play, and Sarah Tyler had signed with Missouri Valley to play. And then our other post that we lost was Britney Murphy’s sister, Katie. So, Britney had quite a bit of time for us last year, coming off the bench; Kelly Malcolm was a starter for us, and Kyra Williams was a starter. So, that is pretty much the only experience that we have coming back are those three players.”

Knob Noster’s first game will be in the Warsaw Tournament Nov. 30.