RONAN BOYS BASKETBALL: Pushing the pace

One might think that moving from Class A to Class B basketball

would provide the Ronan Chiefs with an easier road throughout the

regular season. Head coach Steve Woll is not one of those

people.

One might think that moving from Class A to Class B basketball would provide the Ronan Chiefs with an easier road throughout the regular season. Head coach Steve Woll is not one of those people.

"It means nothing," Woll said. "Our schedule is still brutal. It's a dogfight every night."

The Chiefs are getting ready for their 2011-12 campaign and it seems nothing has changed except for turnover on the roster and that one letter in the alphabet.

"We still play Class A teams and we're still in a really tough conference," Woll said. "Everyone has a good squad this year. The A, B, C thing doesn't mean much."

Ronan is one of those talented squads, but will have to overcome the loss of last year's seniors to achieve success, something Woll is very confident that his players will do.

"It's something new to them," Woll said. "They're in it for the journey. I'm big into chemistry. You're only as good as your chemistry."

Fortunately for the Chiefs, their chemistry should be good. The team is littered with members of the football team who just made a deep run into the Class B playoffs in the fall, including Marcus Hungerford, Robbie Gauthier and Edmond Dupuis, among others.

"Some of these kids have played together since third and fourth grade," Woll said.

Another player who was expected to contribute was Chris Clary. Unfortunately, Clary was injured at the end of football season and will miss at least the beginning of the year, though Woll hopes to have him back soon. For now, Woll will need the rest of his lineup to fill that void.

"With a kid like that, taking him out of the mix is a huge loss. It may not be one person, but multiple people that might have to step up in his place."

Without Clary, Ronan will use the talent they have up and down the roster to take on some great teams in the area, including Florence, Eureka and Loyola. In order to get some wins to start the season, however, the Chiefs will have to rely on their strengths and play their game.

"Hard work and savvy are two of our biggest strengths," Woll said. "Hopefully, our defense will be good. Those things are our positives."

Ronan's season begins on Friday at the Tipoff Tournament against Libby and Bigfork. Those contests will provide the Chiefs with stiff tests to begin the year, but if Ronan sticks to the goals coach Woll has set for his squad, they should be prepared for them, as well as the rest of their schedule.

"Our goal is to get better every day so we're playing our best ball at the end of the season and get to divisionals, finish in the top two, then go to state," Woll said. "We'd like to win our conference, but our main thing is to get to divisionals."

RONAN BBALL

The Skinny - Ronan's first season in Class B and they're expecting no cake walk. With that mindset... remember how the Chiefs did in football?

Keys to success - Marcus Hungerford should cause some serious problems for opponents both on the offensive and defensive ends of the court.

New but familiar foe - The new rivalry between the Mission Bulldogs and the Chiefs should be something special for the valley. Make sure you catch these two teams in action this year.