By SPENCER BATES
With the 2025-26 girls high school basketball season fast approaching, roster continuity has been the major theme to emerge.
Local teams are set to see the return of massive contributors on the court, rolling their experience, standards and culture into another season in which the goal remains simple: continue to build.
With that in mind, here is everything you need to know and what to expect from our local teams this year:
SALAMANCA
Last season, the Salamanca girls basketball team secured its first Section 6 title in over a decade.
Finishing the regular season on a five-game win streak the Warriors secured the No. 2 seed in the Section 6 Class B2 bracket. But coach Joe Hinman’s group was far from satisfied.
They had grabbed the No. 3 seed in B2 the season prior and managed one win in the postseason before falling in a hard-fought battle to eventual bracket winners Portville. Salamanca had its fill of short-lived postseasons and shifted into another gear, winning three postseason games by an average of 23 points to claim the B2 title. They then moved on to face Newfane in the crossover game, in which a hot start gave them the boost needed to see the result over the line.
The dream postseason run for the Warriors eventually came to a close in the New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA) Far-West Regional, in which they fell to Hornell. But with the Section 6 Class B title in tow, the season was an extreme success.
However, what that means for this year’s team is that the expectations rise and pressure mounts.
“It’s been over a decade, and I think the team last year really set the expectations,” Hinman said. “We know this year, those expectations are even higher. The standard is set for our team, our program, and we’ve got to make sure everyone’s on board. I think the teams that we play will (have us) circled on their schedule, because everyone wants to go for the champs. So we got to work hard to defend our court and make sure we’re trying to play as best as we possibly can against our tougher schedule this year.”
Pictured are the members of the 2025-26 Salamanca girls basketball team. (Photo Provided)
Mikaela Tennity, Madisyn Lafferty and Skyla Dowdy were the veteran presences for the Warriors. Having seen their high school playing careers come to a close at the conclusion of last season’s playoff run, Hinman knows there are significant holes to fill in terms of leadership.
“With Madison, it was her leadership and her ability to get on the glass, her effort was unmatched,” Hinman said. “Skyla wasn’t the biggest player, but she was going to be the most active at all times on both sides of the floor. So we’ll miss that. And Mikaela got some good minutes down the stretch and was able to contribute. But I think we have a good team this year. We got some younger players that will step into some bigger roles and hopefully fill shoes or hard shoes to fill.”
Fortunately enough for Hinman, those were the only three seniors he lost from his championship-winning squad, meaning there will be no shortage of experience at his disposal this upcoming campaign. As to who he anticipates will be the ones to take up those leadership positions, look no further than Makenzie Crouse, Kynleigh Wass, Maliyah Foster — three of Salamanca’s top-five scorers last season.
“We’re going to really rely heavily on those three, Makenzie, Maliyah and Kynleigh, to really set the tone for us,” Hinman said. “Those three have put in the work over the years, and we’re really looking forward to how they play this here. Kynleigh at the point, Kenzie will be tough underneath and Maliyah is a great 3-point shooter. So those three will have a huge impact on how we operate this season.”
Wass and Foster are two that Hinman recognized specifically for how big they came up last season, both as freshmen. So not only will they be seen as leaders for the team this year but for the following two years as well for the Warriors.
“Those two may have put in the most work in the off season, trying to perfect their craft,” Hinman said. “They’re underclassmen, so to have them get that taste (of the varsity level) last year (was crucial). We’re just terribly excited for what they’re going to bring the next two years. We’re very fortunate to have those two on our side. There’s definitely a bright future for us.”
Hinman knows the metaphorical target is on his team’s back. This means that there will be no off days. The Warriors will get each and every team’s best shot, and while that is certainly a challenge, it will only make the team better in the long run.
“It’s going to be tougher this year because when you win a section championship, everyone wants a piece of you next year. We had good teams calling, wanting to get on our schedule and you got to schedule those tougher teams to get better. We’re not just going to settle for one section championship. We want to get back to where we were, Buffalo State is a special place and the expectations just go up for us each year. We’re trying to build this culture and keep building it.”
Salamanca is set to begin its title defense on Dec. 2 at home against Randolph at 7:30 p.m.
PORTVILLE
Also returning significant faces to the team on the back of some postseason success is Portville.
The Panthers reached the Section 6 Class B2 Semifinals but fell just two-points shy in a tight contest with Eden from setting up a postseason rematch with Salamanca for the chance at a back-to-back B2 crown. But prior to their impressive postseason run, the regular season was a rollercoaster. Their record bounced all over the place and ultimately led to them being named the No. 8 seed out of 10 in B2.
But what’s one extra game to a team like Portville, whose players, according to coach Inga Welty, understand the tradition of successful postseason runs and know what it takes to keep a season alive.
“(Portville) sports in general, they’re pretty successful no matter which sport they’re participating in,” Welty said. “I think that comes from tradition and the idea of not wanting to disappoint the prior years. Teammates want to uphold (the standards) and not be the team that isn’t successful.”
Portville girls basketball head coach Inga Welty gives the Panthers one final pep talk during the final seconds of their 2024-25 matchup with Wilson in the Class B2 Semifinals. (Hunter O. Lyle)
On that team were five seniors and while that may be a decent amount of experience to lose, the big hitters for Welty’s team in Ali Haynes and Emma Rhinehart are set to make their return to the floor.
“It’s exciting because of the progression they made last year,” Welty said. “We had three seniors that played a lot the year before (they took the reins). Now it’s their turn, and I felt like as the year progressed, both of them gained some confidence. Those two have a nice two-man game going between them, which is wonderful, and I think their confidence level from the summer and coming into their senior year (will be high). … I think they’ll just feed off each other.”
But their point contributions are not all Rhinehart and Haynes provide the team, they also stand out as leaders. This is all the more important considering the smaller roster numbers the Panthers have this season.
“As far as leaders go, they are both class officers, both are involved in Student Council, they’re both in (National Honor Society), they’re the kids that younger kids look up to,” Welty said. “When you take someone like an Ali Haynes or an Emma, and you throw them in with three freshmen … it’s going to make them more confident they’re going to progress. They’re going to be leaders that make your toe the line, but also pat you on the back. … Freshmen are going to follow the lead of kids like Emma and Ali, just because of their character, their work ethic, and their overall mentality.”
Quality over quantity, Welty admitted, would be a fair assessment of her roster this year. With a number of players not returning to the floor, she is having to rely on underclassmen to have substantial minutes. But these players are not simply space-fillers. Welty has the utmost confidence in these younger athletes.
“I think people might underestimate us,” Welty said. “I think this group can be really special just because of the work ethic and the drive that they have, and I think that’s going to go a long way for us if we stay healthy.”
Still, no matter how much faith she has in her youthful roster, Welty understands that with so many players getting their first taste of varsity basketball, they cannot be thinking too far into the future. Therefore, the focus is more day-to-day.
“We’re just going to take it one game at a time,” Welty said. “We’re going to feel like we’re behind the 8-ball when we have our first set of tournament games because we haven’t been together. We’ll only have eight practices before we have our first game. It’ll be a trial by fire. Everybody else is going to have 13, 14, 15 practices. We won’t have that opportunity. But we’ll keep a positive attitude and do what we usually do: set high expectations. And the goal is to always reach them.”
The Panthers tip-off their season on Dec. 5 at home against Cuba at 6 p.m.
ALLEGANY-LIMESTONE
Another team that had a rollercoaster of a 2024-25 season was the Gators.
After dropping each of its first five games of the campaign, and seven of its first eight, Allegany-Limestone looked to be fighting an uphill battle. But luckily, head coach Andrea Darrow was able to get a positive response after the early-season struggles and wound up finishing third in the CCAA Div. I.
The Gators earned the No. 5 seed in the Section 6 Class B2 Playoffs, but suffered an, albeit narrow, loss in its first game against Wilson.
But the theme of continuity follows A-L into this season as well, and Darrow is more positive than ever that her team will be able to make some noise. After graduating just two seniors last season, the Gators are returning a significant amount of experience and leadership.
“I’m returning several girls that have seen a lot of time on the court,” Darrow said. “And with the addition of our JV girls, who had a very successful season last year, I’m really excited for what these girls can do when we come together as one team.”
Emerson Ortego shoots a contested jumper during the Gators’ one-point loss to Ellicottville last season. (Hunter O. Lyle)
But while it was only two seniors that graduated from the team after last year, they were not insignificant players. Addie Fisher and Abby Peck made their presences known on a routine basis both on and off the court. The big question now being who will take up those roles.
“On the court, they were a huge part of our defense, they generally guarded the girls on the other team that were the bigger threats,” Darrow said. “So we’ve got to find who’s going to step up into those positions this year.”
Of course, with the team’s two leading scorers from last season in Mya Hayes and Maddie Kahm set to return, they are the most likely to take up those reins. Although it will have to be Hayes setting the example, at least in the early goings of the year, as Kahm recovers from an injury.
“Mya has gotten so much stronger and more physical and I’m excited to see what that turns into during the season,” Darrow said. “She’s also a great leader. She’s always been the younger one of the bunch, … but she’s always been a natural leader. … Maddie, we are hopeful to have back sooner rather than later (as she is) coming off of another injury. Her scoring is huge. A lot of times other teams identify her as that (scoring threat), so now we have to get the girls to understand that they all have something to contribute, they’ve got to be ready to step up and score.”
In terms of the goals and expectations Darrow has for the team this year, in the long run she would love to see her team avenge the slim loss it suffered and go on an extended postseason run. However, she knows they can only get there if they keep their heads down and work hard in the regular season.
“We’d love to be successful in the playoffs, but even before that, be competitive all throughout the season and in our league,” Darrow said. “We have that potential.”
Allegany-Limestone will tip-off its campaign on Dec. 5 at Otto-Eldred’s season-opening tournament at 4:30 p.m.
OLEAN
The Olean girls basketball team is coming off a tough 2024-25 season.
It won just four games and wound up suffering a sizable defeat in the First Round of the Section 6 Class A2 Playoffs. However, the silver lining is that the four win total is double what the team accomplished the previous year — a trend head coach Chelsea Bowker will hope carries over into this season.
The Huskies graduated four seniors from last year’s team, but the good news is that the majority of its experienced core is making its return. The bad news is that two set-to-be starters have picked up significant injuries and will miss time.
“We’re always hopeful going into our season, but two of my, two of my former starters (picked up knee injuries),” Bowker said. “So we’re down two starters and we got a pretty slim team. But we’re looking for some young kids to step up into roles and we’re always hopeful. We’ll see how the season goes. … but it definitely looks different than what we expected after last season.”
Olean’s Alaina Hirliman (4) dishes a pass after coming around a screen set by Viktoriia Lazynska (24). (Spencer Bates)
Fortunately for Bowker, she can still rely on the veteran presences of Ava Finch, Alaina Hirliman and Viktoriia Lazyska. Each entering either their third or fourth in Bowker’s system, the trio will have even more of a load to bear as they are now being looked at to help bring along the younger players who will be filling in for the injured would-be starters.
“I’m looking forward to seeing them,” Bowker said of her veteran trio. “They’re seniors now, they know what’s expected of them. Their skills have gotten better. They played all summer with me, and they’ve definitely gotten better. And especially with two of our starters out, they’ve definitely stepped up and I’m hoping they carry those younger players into important roles.”
One of the biggest hurdles that Bowker is hoping the team can clear this year is that of compounding mistakes. Last season, it became a theme that when one thing went wrong for the Huskies, everything would slowly start to unravel. Attempting to eradicate that mentality has been the most important undertaking of the early season.
“(Changing that mindset is) going to be huge,” Bowker said. “I told them in practice, once we have one problem, we can’t let those compile on each other to make it worse.”
That of course is an immediate goal, something Bowker wants gone before the season even tips off. But what she’s looking for in the long term is simply for her team to be competitive. Of course, a couple postseason wins wouldn’t hurt either.
“Obviously, we know we didn’t have a great season last year, and trying to get to .500 this year would be a great goal for us,” Bowker said. “And maybe winning one, maybe two tournament games.”
Olean gets its season underway on Dec. 2 against Cuba at 7:30 p.m.
