WC turns the page, builds around lone senior Rogers and a strong junior class.
For Aaron Davis, disappointment has a very short shelf life.
The Worthington Christian varsity girls’ basketball team finished 8-15 overall last season, its first losing season since a 5-15 finish in the 2009-10 season.
So, how long did it take Davis to get over the Warriors’ season-ending 42-29 loss to Marion Pleasant in the first round of the Division V Central District tournament?
“About 48 hours,” said Davis, who is entering his fourth season with a 44-29 record. “I was thankful for another season I got to coach and teach.
“The thing that stands out about last season was our seniors leading in a way that brought our team closer, after facing major adversity. We ended the season unified when it would have been very easy to break apart.”
The Warriors began the season without three of their leaders from the previous season, as Mandy Custer, Ellen Mousa, and Brooke Winfree had graduated. Custer, Mousa, and Winfree accounted for 43 percent of the Warriors’ scoring last season.
Winfree, a center who averaged 8.9 points and 6.4 rebounds a game last year, was a first-team all-Central Buckeye League selection, while Custer, a shooting guard who averaged 4.3 points and 3.1 rebounds a game, was an honorable mention all-league. Mousa contributed 1.8 points and 1.9 rebounds.
Despite the losses, Davis eagerly anticipates the potential of this year’s squad.
“I’m excited to see the growth of this team from start to finish,” Davis said. “The biggest strength of this team will be its togetherness.”
Isabel “Izzy” Rogers is the lone returning senior this season. As a post/forward, Rogers shot 43.8 percent from the floor. She averaged 3.0 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 2.1 assists and was named to the second team all-CBL a year ago.
“She is very tough both mentally and physically,” Davis said. “She is not afraid to compete even as an undersized post player.
“Izzy is also very smart and understands how to play the game the right way.”
Rogers said being the team’s lone senior hasn’t changed her role on the team or her approach to basketball.
“Last year I did my best to step up and lead, but as a junior, there weren’t as many eyes on me, and the expectations weren’t quite the same,” she said. “Being the only senior, I know the girls will look to me a little more, and my hope is just to be someone they can rely on, both on and off the court.
“I want to set the tone, be steady, and be the kind of teammate who makes everyone around me feel supported.”
What the Warriors lack in seniors, they make up for with a large junior class. PG/SG Abby Custer, PF/C Ali Davis, SG/SF Mylah Hegenderfer, and C Kaitlin Shinlever all return from last season.
Hegenderfer (4.5 points, 1.0 rebounds), Abby Custer (1.2 points, 1.1 rebounds), Davis (1.0 points, 1.9 rebounds), and Shinlever (0.8 points, 0.7 rebounds) all saw varsity action last season.
Sophomore Julia Walton, who played junior varsity last year, and freshmen Jackie Blank, Amira Van Arendonk, and Emmie White could see varsity time this season. Sophomores Sapphira Allison, Lauren Barron, Addison Oberbrunner, and Kate Wiley will play supporting roles this winter.
“I think this team has so much potential, and I’m really excited to watch everyone grow throughout the season,” Rogers said. “It’s been fun seeing the improvements already, but what I enjoy just as much is seeing the relationships forming and the confidence building.
“Whether someone becomes a better basketball player or just a better version of themselves, I’m grateful that I get to be a part of that process. Being alongside them as they develop both on and off the court is what I’m looking forward to most.”
“I think the biggest factor for our team is how quickly our young players can adjust to the speed and physicality of the game at the varsity level,” Davis said.
The depth and competitiveness of the Central Buckeye League will test the Warriors. Worthington Christian tied Columbus School for Girls and Ready for third with 8-8 records during the 2024-25 season. Buckeye Valley went 16-0 to capture the championship, and Whitehall (13-3) finished second. Finishing behind Worthington Christian were Bexley (7-9), Columbus Academy (7-9), Grandview (4-12,) and Franklin Heights (1-15).
The Barons captured a Division IV Central District title but lost to Carrollton 41-39 in a regional semifinal. The Rams and the Lions both lost in a Division III Central District semifinal. Due to its strong junior class and the influx of two solid freshmen players, Davis believes Columbus Academy might emerge as the team to beat in the conference.
Davis said his team’s core values will be based on toughness (James 1:2-3: Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds for you know the testing of your faith produces steadfastness) togetherness (John 15:13: Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends); and hard work.
“Success is peace of mind, which is the direct result of self-satisfaction in knowing you made the effort to become the best of which you are capable,” Davis said.