Fairmont Firebirds: Girls basketball preview

Team: Kettering Fairmont Firebirds

Division: I

League/conference and division: Greater Western Ohio Conference National East.

Head coach: Lacy Drake; fifth season at Fairmont; 62-39 career record.

Assistant coaches: Zach Yike, Amy Kincer, Katie Thalheimer, Jenn Lammlein, Bridget Shampton, Jessica Beatty.

2016-17 record, overall/conference: 12-12, 6-6

2016-17 highlights: Finished the regular season with a five-game winning streak before losing to Tecumseh in a sectional final.

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Key returners:

• Madeline Westbeld, 6-2, so., G/F; 10.9 ppg, 7.6 rpg, 2.1 bpg ; first team GWOC National East.

• Madison Bartley, 6-3, so., F/C; 9.0 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 1.9 bpg; second team GWOC National East.

Transfer: Mali Morgan-Elliott, 6-0, jr., F, from CJ/Wayne; 6.0 ppg, 3.5 rpg, special mentional GWOC National East.

About the Firebirds: There are five players being recruited by NCAA D-I programs. We play an incredibly tough nonconference schedule. Westbeld is the younger sister of former Fairmont standout and Notre Dame senior start Kathryn Westbeld.

Fairmont girls basketball schedule

7:30 p.m. unless otherwise noted

Nov. 25 vs. Berlin Hiland at Lakota West, 1:10 p.m.

Nov. 26 vs. Pickerington Central at Lakota West, 4:20 p.m.

Nov. 30 at Carroll

Dec. 2 at Tippecanoe

Dec. 6 Wayne

Dec. 9 Centerville

Dec. 13 at Springboro

Dec. 16 at Northmont, 1 p.m.

Dec. 20 Trotwood-Madison

Jan. 3 Beavercreek

Jan. 10 Lebanon

Jan. 13 vs. Solon at Berlin Hiland, 3 p.m

Jan. 14 vs. Westerville South at Berlin Hiland, 1:40 p.m.

Jan. 17 at Springfield

Jan. 20 Lakota East, 7 p.m.

Jan. 24 at Miamisburg

Jan. 27 at Wayne, 1 p.m.

Jan. 31 Xenia

Feb. 3 at Centerville

Feb. 5 Bellbrook

Feb. 7 Springfield

Feb. 10 at Beavercreek

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