WB6 Girls Basketball Banquet brings hope and cheers

With the fall season wrapping up, the start of the winter sports season is right around the corner. That began with the Western Big 6 Girls Basketball Coaches Tip-Off Banquet on Tuesday night at the Quad City Botanical Center.

United Township (26-6, 13-1 in 2023-24)

The defending WB6 champions lost star center Lorena Awou to graduation, along with nine seniors, and look to fill that massive void with several underclassmen.

"We're replacing about 95% of our varsity minutes last year," third-year head coach Chase Pavelonis said. "Lynelle Awou is our only varsity returner who had major minutes for us last year. The other 14 are brand new to the varsity level."

In addition, the Panthers will play their home games in a renovated Panther Den that was updated over the offseason with new bleachers installed.

United Township opens its season against Dunlap at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 19, in The Panther Den.

Rock Island Alleman (30-5, 10-4)

The Alleman Pioneers advanced the furthest out of all the local Quad-City Illinois-based teams last season, reaching the Class 2A super-sectionals with then-seniors Clair Hulke and Audrey Erickson leading the way. Hulke and Erickson were among four seniors on last year's squad.

"We will have a new look this year," fifth-year head coach Steve Ford said. "We have two girls back in Adalynn Voss and Megan Hulke, who are going to take on new roles. The junior class will have to figure out what their roles are going to be as well."

Alleman starts the year participating in the Macomb Classic, a pre-Thanksgiving tournament, which takes place from Monday, Nov. 18, to Saturday, Nov. 23.

Rock Island (9-20, 3-11)

Rock Island Lady Rocks head coach Henry Hall is in his 28th season, and his squad is led by a group of juniors and two seniors.

"We're going to be led by two seniors, Amyah Jackson and Layla Rice," Hall said. "I feel like they have accepted their roles so well when we started, and a lot of our team is made up of juniors who are super close, like very close, which makes up most of our team, and it gives us great chemistry."

Rock Island begins their season against Peoria at 6:30 p.m., Wednesday, Nov. 20, at home.

Moline (5-24, 2-12)

After a disappointing five-win season, the Moline Maroons welcomed first-year head coach Katelyn McNamara, who took Davenport Assumption to the Iowa high school state tournament three separate times.

"We have had a good first couple weeks of practice, and the girls are working really hard," McNamara said. "We have a lot of competitors on our team, and they like to get the ball out and go very athletic. At times, we are trying to hone that in and still be effective in the half court too."

"Coach Mac" is ready for her Maroons to start the season after being officially announced as Moline's head coach eight months ago.

"Being hired back in March and working with these girls from March until now, I think we're all just ready to go and ready to start playing games, ready to start competing," McNamara said. "It's been a long off season where we've had a lot of good commitments from girls, and we have seen a lot of great things. I think they are excited and ready to go, so am I."

Moline starts the season with a trip to Burlington Central High School Invitational, from Nov. 18 to 23.

Geneseo (7-23, 1-13)

The Geneseo Maple Leafs lost their leading scorer from last season in senior Addison Snodgrass to a season-ending ACL tear on the girls soccer team in the spring.

"We're hoping to have her back maybe to the end, toward the end of January, but her health and her well-being going on after her senior year is more important," Geneseo head coach Scott Hardison said. "We have a group of three other seniors that have played for us for four years, and this will be their third year on varsity. They know how we want to play, and I promise you, we will come out and we will play hard all the time."

Geneseo begins with a pre-Thanksgiving tournament beginning Monday, Nov. 18, until Saturday, Nov. 23. The first game is against Newman Central Catholic at 7:30 p.m. Monday.