The Wayne/Holmes area has produced some of the best small school basketball in Ohio for a while, and the 2023-24 season was no exception.
Loudonville was the last team standing, making it all the way to the Division IV state semifinals, led by superstar Corri Vermilya. But the Redbirds were far from the only team to prove themselves as one of the best around during the year.
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Hiland, Chippewa and Triway all won district titles. Smithville was a miracle shot away from beating the Chipps for a district title of its own. West Holmes and Tuslaw were league champs and Waynedale at its best was just as good as any of the teams just listed.
It all added up to another year filled with excellence and drama.
Player of the Year: Ashley Mullet, Hiland
Balancing the point guard position while being a team's primary scorer is one of the toughest roles in basketball. Mullet put on a clinic on how to do that all year long, balancing setting up her teammates with scoring at the highest level game after game. Mullet played basketball on a different plane than most high school players, showcasing a coach-on-the-floor basketball IQ to go along with her elite skill level.
She did all of this against arguably the toughest non-league schedule of any small school in Ohio, including facing Div. I 20-game winners like Olmsted Falls (the eventual Div. I state champ) and Ross. Mullet controlled the game no matter who was on the court opposite of her, scoring 21 points per game and hitting 45% of her 3-pointers. Hiland won 25 games and got within one win of state, and Mullet — a Ms. Basketball finalist — was the engine behind it all.
Coach of the Year: Katie Miller, Chippewa
Miller's move to Chippewa was one of the biggest coaching shakeups in the Wayne County Athletic League in a while. She made the move count during her first year, leading the Chipps to a stunning outright WCAL championship with loaded Waynedale and Smithville teams vying for conference supremacy. The Chipps didn't care who scored. They didn't care who got the credit. They cared about winning. And that's exactly what they did, going 23-5 and advancing to the regional finals despite losing four starters from its 2023 state team.
THE ALL-DAILY RECORD TEAM
Destiny Dulkoski, Tuslaw, jr.
Dulkoski's combination of skill and size made her one of the premier post players in the area. Scoring north of 20 points per game, Dulkoski led Tuslaw to a share of the league title in a very competitive PAC-7.
Alyssa Geiser, Waynedale, sr.
The do-it-all guard could impact a game in so many ways. She could hit from the outside and get the basket as a scorer, rebound at high level for a guard and distribute like a point guard, even though normally wasn't playing the position.
Naomi Keib, Smithville, sr.
Keib was the centerpiece to Smithville's best back-to-back seasons in years, earning her second straight WCAL Player of the Year award. Her combination of skill, strength, size and athleticism made Keib one of the biggest matchup problems in the area.
Grace Kostohryz, Wooster, sr.
As a senior Kostohryz reached a completely different level and the focal point of Wooster's offense. Despite playing a complementary role the rest of her basketball career, Kostohryz looked comfortable at the top option for the Generals, turning into a double-double machine.
Addesa Miller, Waynedale, sr.
A knee injury cut Miller's senior season short, but she was undoubtedly one of the most impactful players every time she touched the floor. Her shooting ability combined with her ball handling made her one of the toughest players in the area to guard, helping Waynedale compete against some of the best teams in Ohio all season.
Ashley Mullet, Hiland, sr.
The area's best pure point guard was also one of its best scorers, shooting from distance at a high level and getting to her spots at will. In a program full of great players, Mullet can rightfully claim her spot as one of the best point guards in Hawks history.
Aira Regan, Chippewa, so.
After seeing a promising freshman campaign cut short due to injury, Regan immediately announced herself as the best underclassman in the area. Her unorthodox playing style made her even tough to guard. Regan could get off a shot from anywhere, and make a shot from anywhere, while leading the Chipps to an outright WCAL title.
Caitlyn Titler, Triway, sr.
Few players in the area could control a game like Titler, who paired with fellow senior Aaliyah Wirth to make up perhaps the best one-two punch in Triway program history. Titler's ballhandling and shot-creating arsenal was as good as anyone, as the Titans rebounded from a 1-3 start to finish 22-5 and play in the regional semifinals.
Mallory Stutzman, Hiland, sr.
The 5-foot-11 Stutzman gave Hiland's opponents matchup fits. If a bigger player guarded Stutzman, she could step outside and hits 3s. If smaller player was on her, Stutzman could use her size to get good looks inside for a Hiland team that picked apart opponents in many different ways.
Keegan Uhl, West Holmes, sr.
West Holmes just found ways to win in 2023-24 and Uhl was at the center of that. The Knights probably weren't the most talented team in the Ohio Cardinal Conference on paper, but the hard-nosed Uhl led a defensive-minded team to an outright league title anyway, earning OCC Player of the Year honors in the process.
Corri Vermilya, Loudonville, sr.
Very few players have put together more impressive careers than Vermilya, and her senior season was among the most impressive in the entire state. The Ms. Basketball runner-up put up absurd numbers —26.3 points, 12.3 rebounds, 6.4 steals and 3.9 assists per game. She helped lead Loudonville to a 26-3 record, including its second state semifinal appearance in program history. Vermilya could do just about anything she wanted on a basketball court, hitting 3s from well beyond the arc or overpowering opponents to get shots near the rim.
Aaliyah Wirth, Triway, sr.
Stopping Wirth in transition proved to be a tough task for many of Triway's opponents. Her end-to-end game, along with her ability to slash to the basket was a perfect complement to Titler, helping the Titans to their first district title in program history.
Joplin Yoder, Hiland, jr.
Yoder's development took Hiland to a new level in 2023-24. Her size inside was no mystery but her work on her offensive touch paid off and the Hawks often went to Yoder during key moments. Her combination of skill and size allowed Hiland to compete against many of the bigger schools on its schedule without experiencing the kind of matchup problems some small schools face.
HONORABLE MENTION
McKenna Baney, Waynedale
Allie DeMassimo, Norwayne
Annie Henegar, Chippewa
Bre McCabe, Tuslaw
Allie McMillen, West Holmes
Elena Moyer, Chippewa
Caydence Scale, Northwestern
Madi Singer, Smithville
Sophia Spangler, Loudonville
Mya Vermilya, Loudonville
Cammi Wickens, Smithville
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