Team - West Point , Current Record - 2-6 , Head Coach - Dashmon Daneil
The Lowdown: This West Point girls team is better than last year. Their record hasn't indicated too much improvement but they are scoring about 10-15 points better than last year which should eventually equal to more wins. They are also getting the benefit of New Hope going really south this year but in return they are facing a much better Saltillo squad. The playoffs for 5A also changed where the top 3 get in this year, so with New Hope REALLY down this year, they will have a good shot at making this watered-down playoffs.
Team - New Hope , Current Record - 2-8, Head Coach - Laura Lee Holman
The Lowdown: Talk about a complete 180 from last year. This is a team that won 30+ games and got to the 5A Semifinals last year and lost. They lost basically everybody from last year and it is showing in their struggles early on. With Saltillo bringing some more heat and Oxford having all their players they lost last year back, they may struggle just to scrap their way into the playoffs.
Team - Saltillo , Current Record - 8-3, Head Coach - Cassie Farris
The Lowdown: This is an experienced group this year looking to make noise in 5A after getting thrown around by Oxford and New Hope last year. With the Lady Trojans being real down and a revamped playoffs allowing three teams from each region, they stand a shot to earn a home playoff game this year usually awarded to the team that won the district tournament. This team stands a threat to win the 2-5A Region Title this year. Their good record though is three wins against Mooreville and three wins against 1A competition so we will see soon what they are made of. Given the other opponent's records though, this is the threat for 2-5A this year.
Team - Oxford, Current Record - 8-2, Head Coach - Shayne Linzy
The Lowdown: Oxford has a lot of depth this year thanks to an injury-plagued season last year that allows the Lady Chargers to play the brand of ball they like to play at: fast. Oxford's 8-2 record is stronger than Saltillo's 8-2 record because of their competition: MRA which has a couple Dandy Dozen players on the team Oxford has beaten, and a road win against 6A Hernando. This team is the favorite to get away with 2-5A this year.
With the girls out of the way, here are the boys. Like last year, 2-5A will be a war to get out of. Two teams are currently undefeated and another has a Dandy Dozen player on their squad.
Team - West Point, Current Record - 5-5, Head Coach - Brad Cox
The Lowdown: The Green Wave made strides last year being able to host the 5A North Half Tournament before getting knocked out by Callaway. The team lost a few players but they will compete in the ever-competitive 2-5A region. They do have a tall task in defeating two teams that have yet to lose and New Hope who has a D1-caliber player on their team. This year is just bad timing to lose a few players with every other team looking better than last year.
Team - New Hope, Current Record - 7-3, Head Coach - Drew McBrayer
The Lowdown: With their Dandy Dozen player, they have played some tough opponents early on and will go play out of state opponents before starting region play. This team failed to make the playoffs last year getting booted by Oxford after having defeated the Chargers twice during the regular season. With the new playoff format, they will have to get beat twice and anyone of the four teams can have that happen to them this year.
Team - Saltillo, Current Record - 11-1, Head Coach - Craig Lauderdale
The Lowdown: I personally saw this team against Jackson Prep during the Public vs. Private Challenge Oxford hosted and they are certainly getting things going in the right direction. This group has eight upperclassmen on the squad and five being seniors. It would be quite the shocker if they were the team left out of the playoffs after the region tournament. They still have to tussle with traditional powers New Hope and Oxford and not to mention reigning champion West Point.
Team - Oxford, Current Record - 10-0, Head Coach - Drew Tyler
The Lowdown: Oxford is another veteran team that has seen it all. This by far the best shooting team Oxford may ever have. They are on their second best start in school history at 10-0, their best start was in 2001 when the Chargers went 11-0. That team went on to win their second state title. Oxford already has two wins from the state of Florida under their belt and about to head to Washington DC for another two against big time competition. This team will be battle tested for the rigorous region play where never in any 4-year stretch did Oxford not win its region tournament. Oxford has lost three straight championships to West Point (twice) and New Hope.
There is not a straight up favorite to win it all. Each team presents their own problems and can easily take the region. West Point because of what they lost is the underdogs to win it all, but it is really anybody's region.