Four starters are back, good depth is available and playoff berths look attainable.
For the Apollo-Ridge girls basketball team, there's only one thing missing: an identity.
Veteran coach Ray Bartha, who was inducted into the Armstrong County Sports Hall of Fame last April, is working on just that in the preseason.
"We have to find some kind of identity," Bartha said. "Maybe it's full-court pressing, maybe its switching defenses, that'll be my job."
The Vikings made the WPIAL Class AA playoffs last season with a 4-8 section record, 11-12 overall. The final loss was a 58-43 setback to Wilkinsburg in a preliminary-round playoff game at Yough High School.
Last season, Bartha felt Apollo-Ridge was limited in what it could do. Now, there's a good possibility the Vikings will be 11 players deep.
"We have five decent guards and six forwards," Bartha said.
Returning will be junior Ellen Reilly, a post player who came on late last season, Laiken Anderson, who set the school record for 3-point field goals last season, forward Marilee Madison and guards Laura Gartley and Jordan Gutherie. Last season, Gartley left the team around the holidays, but she is back for her senior season.
The only graduated starter from last seaon is Kelcy Altmire.
"We're going to try and run and press a little bit," Bartha said. "I'd like to change defenses away from our 'man' a little bit."
The WPIAL finalists came from Section 1-AA last season, as Greensburg Central Catholic defeated Ford City for the crown. While those two teams return a strong cast, the third and fourth playoff spots appear to be up for grabs.
"You don't know what East Allegheny got coming over from Duquesne High School, but West Shamokin and Jeannette will be bringing some good athletes back."
Bartha feels his team, at least early on, doesn't have a go-to player.
"Sometimes that's good, sometimes that's bad," he said.
The Vikings will begin the season in the Springdale Tip-off Touranment against Carlynton on Nov. 30. Less than a week later, Apollo-Ridge has to be ready for the section opener Dec. 6 at Freeport.
