The Hawks have battled injury in the month heading into the season, but should have one of the most talented teams.

Sophomore Jessica Stutzman, who started most of last season, is out with compartment syndrome.  Rebekah Thomas is struggling with a strained MCL and point guard Hilary Weaver is coming back from a broken finger.  On top of that two-time All-Ohioan Jena Stutzman was playing volleyball into November.

Hiland played a preseason scrimmage with just four varsity players before the season started.

Regardless, the Hawks should be heading places.

Even though we lost Stutzman we're still deep," said coach Dave Schlabach, who is two seasons removed from back-to-back state titles.  "We're going to play nine kids and we'll play nine every quarter.

"We've got five seniors and some letterwinners.  We have the kids that know what it takes, it's just a matter of getting more scorers."

The Hawks know they have one scorer.  Jena Stutzman (18.0 ppg, 59 3-pointers), entering her senior season, will be the premier player in the area.  She was a key contributor her freshman season when Hiland won the state title in 2005.  In 2006, she buried a state record five 3-pointers in the Hawks championship game victory.  And last year she continued to post big offensive numbers.  She will likely be the Hawks' all-time leading scorer before heading off to Kent State.

The question is whether the Hawks, who rely on sound defense and quickness, can find that second scorer.

Post Kristi Yoder (6.9 ppg, 5.3 rpg) had a monstrous summer and came on strong at the end of last season.  Junior Karli Mast (7.4 ppg) showed moments last season as a slasher and shooter.  And Weaver (5.0 ppg, 3.9 apg), who started at the point as a freshman all last season, could provide some sparks.

"We don't have any scorers, proven at least, other than Jena," Schlabach said.  "We've got the kids that can do it, but it's a matter of consistently doing it."

Also returning are seniors Gabby Fowler, Layla Miller and Rebekah Thomas and sophomores Katelyn Stuckey and Mykeila Mast.

They have the players needed to do what they do year in, year out.  Hiland has won 12 straight Inter-Valley Conference titles, which includes an 85-game winning streak.  They've played at the regional level the past four season.

But at the end of the yellow brick road will stand one of the biggest tests in the state in Columbus Africentric, the team the Hawks will face in the regional finals if they make it that far.  The winner of that game has won the last three state titles, with Africentric rolling everyone in the tournament a season ago en route to their title.

"In Div. IV Africentric stands out in a league of its own," Schlabach said.  "Everybody else is trying to figure out ways to compete with them.  They've lost a couple players, but the ones they have back are even better."

On top of the prospective matchup with the Nubians, the Hawks will see county rival West Holmes and WCAL contender Northwestern.

Then at the annual Classic in the Country they'll face Columbus Brookhaven and Hathaway Brown, both contenders in Div. I and II, respectively.

"Even though we know the types of teams that are out there it's still a matter of continuing to develop skills," Schlabach said.  "We know what kind of games we need to prepare for."