The women’s basketball programs at William & Mary and the Naval Academy will be very happy in the years to come with the additions of Skyla Mastronardi and Claire Bono, respectively.
But for now those teams will have to wait as both stars are still rostered on the Smithsburg Leopards, a squad that is projected to be a contender for both the region and state this winter.
Coach Todd Bono’s Leopards almost got the job done last season, but ultimately saw its dream campaign end in the semifinal round of the Maryland Public Secondary Schools Athletic Association Class 1A Tournament. Smithsburg, guided by star power and bolstered with skillful role players, is our Local.News1 team to watch in the upcoming season.
In our high school girls basketball previews, we’ll take a closer look at the Leopards, while also shining the spotlight on the other six teams from our coverage area: Waynesboro, Greencastle-Antrim, Chambersburg, Fairfield, North Hagerstown, and South Hagerstown.
This is the last of our previews for the 2025-26 winter sports season. Stay with Local.News1 all season long for scores, standings, stats, and our Game of the Week selections.
Below are team-by-team previews for the seven girls basketball teams in the Local.News1 coverage area:
Waynesboro Maidens
Coach: Tyler Stoner
Division: Mid-Penn Colonial
Last season: 13-9, 8-6 division (t-3rd place)
Top projected returners: Bre McIlquham (Sr., 5-11, G/F), Charlotte Rhodes (Sr., 5-7, G/F), Madeline Nystrom (So., 5-6, G), Aly Shockey (Sr., 5-3, G), Bailey Kirkpatrick (So., 5-5, G), Kara Eskridge (Fr., 5-7, G/F), Bailey Dill (So., 5-8, F), Braelynn Pearson Moore (Jr., 5-10, F), Kayla Hedin (Jr., 5-10, F), Olivia Vaughn (So., 5-5, G), Rachel Moore (Sr., 5-5, G), Hope Bateman (Sr., 5-11, C), London Moore (Jr., 5-6, F), Haley Reynolds (Sr., 5-7, G/F)
Meet the Maidens: Waynesboro is coming off its first winning season since the 2016-17 campaign, and with a wealth of talent returning from that team, the Maidens could very well be on a path to their first district playoff appearance since 2009 … Bre McIlquham, a 5-foot-11 guard/forward, returns for her senior after leading the Maidens in scoring last year and landing on the Mid-Penn Colonial Division First Team … Colonial Third Teamer Braelynn Pearson Moore, a 5-foot-10 forward, is also slated to return … Waynesboro brings back a number of others with varsity experience, including Aly Shockey, Madeline Nystrom, Charlotte Rhodes, and Hope Bateman … This group of girls will be looking to pick up where the graduated players from last season — Marissa Hedin, Genesis Alvarez, Angie Ayala-Luna, Nikki Davis, and Addie Shaull — left off.
Opener: Wednesday, Dec. 3, at home vs. New Oxford
Greencastle-Antrim Blue Devils
Coach: Bill Monn
Division: Mid-Penn Colonial
Last season: 11-11, 8-6 division (t-3rd place)
Top projected returners: Morgan Bear (Jr., 5-4, G), Ellie Bigler (Jr., 5-8, G), Liv Carey (Sr., 5-8, F), Alannah Coleman (Jr., F), Braelyn Cordell (So., 5-8), Sophie Fries (Jr., 6-0, F), Callie Izer (Sr., 5-8, F), Eva Martin (Jr., 5-3, G), Kiersten Swain (Jr., 5-8, G)
Meet the Blue Devils: Last season was a bit of a step back for Greencastle-Antrim, which missed the postseason to snap a qualifying streak that had run for six years and included a District 3-5A championship in 2023-24 … The Blue Devils, guided by second-year head coach and long-time assistant Bill Monn, return a bevy of impact players from that team that will be hungry and aiming to qualify for districts for the 24th time in program history … Greencastle graduated its only All-Star in Colonial Division Second Teamer Meadow Gambacurta (6.8 points per game), but will attempt to shore up that loss with the return of Kiersten Swain (9.5 ppg), Eva Martin (8.3 ppg), and 6-foot forward Sophie Fries (7.2 ppg) … The Blue Devils have plenty of other talented players waiting in the wings, including Ellie Bigler (6.4 ppg), Callie Izer (5.4 ppg), Liv Carey (4.8 ppg), Alannah Coleman, Braelyn Cordell, and Morgan Bear … In addition to Gambacurta, who is now playing softball at Bucknell University, Greencastle will be without the services of graduates Lexi Nelson (3.1 ppg), Brooke Guthrie (3.1 ppg), and Shaina Overcash 1.3 ppg).
Opener: Tuesday, Dec. 2, at Spring Grove
Chambersburg Trojans
Coach: Jamiur King
Division: Mid-Penn Commonwealth
Last season: 4-18, 2-12 division (7th place)
Top projected returners: Maddie Mills (So.), Bella Noel (So.), Ellie Rife (Sr.), Brynn Sekel (So.), Selena Warren (Sr., G), Marley White (Jr., 5-5, G), Ayla Whiteley (So.), Sophie Woy (Jr.)
Meet the Trojans: Players and coaches have changed over the years, but Chambersburg is still chasing its first winning season since the 2006-07 campaign … It was in that year that the Trojans last qualified for the District 3 postseason … Making a return trip to the playoffs will be no easy task, but Chambersburg may have a competitive outfit this winter with the return of leading scorer Maddie Mills … As a freshman last winter, Mills averaged 13.8 points per game and buried 53 3-pointers … She will be supported by a group of returners with varsity experience that include Selena Warren (4.3 ppg), Ayla Whiteley (1.9 ppg), Marley White (1.5 ppg), Bella Noel, Brynn Sekel, Ellie Rife, and Sophie Woy … This supporting cast will have to take their collective game to the next level to accomodate for the graduation of Riley Evans, who averaged 13.5 points per game and was Chambersburg’s only selection to the Commonwealth All-Star squad as a Third Teamer … It will take a big effort, but the Trojans will be aiming to qualify for the postseason for the 22nd time in program history.
Opener: Friday, Dec. 5, at Northern York Tip-Off Tournament
Fairfield Knights
Coach: Amy Hyder
Division: YAIAA III
Last season: 2-20, 2-12 division
Top projected returners: Cadence Holmberg (Sr.), Olivia Sanders (Sr.)
Meet the Knights: After qualifying for the District 3 postseason in both the 2022-23 and 2023-24 seasons, Fairfield struggled through a two-win campaign last winter … The Knights will continue their rebuild following the graduation of leading scorer Hannah Myers (10.0 points per game), as well as the losses of Karina Miller (4.2 ppg) and Sophia Klinedinst (3.2 ppg) … The good news for Fairfield is Cadence Holmberg (7.3 ppg), a YAIAA III Honorable Mention selection last season, is back for her senior year … Senior Olivia Sanders (5.7 ppg) is also projected to return, but the Knights will need to make the most of a small roster to stay competitive this winter … Fairfield has qualified for districts 13 times in program history.
Opener: Tuesday, Dec. 2, at home vs. Shalom Christian
North Hagerstown Hubs
Coach: Charles “Sleepy” Burnett
Classification: Class 3A West I
Last season: 6-16
Top projected returners: Peyton Schnebly (Jr., 5-2, G), Savannah Green (Jr., 5-7, W/F), Aaliyah Allen (Jr., 5-6, G/W), Mya Henderson (So., 6-2, C/F), Reagan Barnes (So., 5-9, W/G), Zaya Urgent (Jr., 5-5, G), Devaeh Poffenberger (So., 5-6, G), Quinn Schnebly (Fr., 5-6, G), Norah Gingrich (Fr., 6-0, F), Eden Shupp (Sr., 6-0, C/F), Tyleeah Rawlings (So., 5-8, F), Rylan Shupp (Fr., 5-10, F), Anna Chamberlin (Sr., 6-1, G/F/W)
Meet the Hubs: With a solid group of returners and a few key additions, North Hagerstown could very well be in for a bounceback season … The Hubs will be building off a 2024-25 campaign that saw the team post six wins before the season ended with a 43-22 loss to Manchester Valley in the Class 3A West I Region Quarterfinals … Anna Chamberlin, a 6-foot-1 guard/forward/wing, can do a little bit of everything, as she averaged 11.6 points per game last season, to go along with 6.7 rebounds and 2.3 steals … Chamberlin is one of four 6-footers on North’s roster, with the others being Mya Henderson (6-2), Norah Gingrich (6-0), and Eden Shupp (6-0) … Aaliyah Allen was a standout for the Hubs last year and is expected to return for her junior season … Throw in the addition of Peyton Schnebly, a transfer from South Hagerstown, and North could be a force on the court this winter.
Opener: Saturday, Dec. 6, at Williamsport
South Hagerstown Rebels
Coach: Vanity Jones
Classification: Class 4A West I
Last season: 2-21
Top projected returners: Aniyah Freeman (Sr.), Aryana Watts (Jr.), Kaylee Morris (So.), Diamond Lloyd (Sr.), Kaelynn Kunkle (Sr.), Sasha Monroe (So.), Chael “Aniyah” Williams (So..)
Meet the Rebels: The years-long uphill battle for South Hagerstown, a team that last had a winning season in 2013-14, will get even tougher as the Rebels move up from Class 3A to 4A this winter … Aniyah Freeman is up for the challenge after averaging 12.9 points per game last season, to go along with 8.8 rebounds, 4.3 blocks, and 2.5 steals … To have a successful season, however, South will need a few more key pieces to complement Freeman, a task made even more difficult by the graduation of standout Naomi Powell and the transfer of starter Peyton Schnebly to North Hagerstown.
Opener: Monday, Dec. 1, vs. TBD
Smithsburg Leopards
Coach: Todd Bono
Classification: Class 1A West II
Last season: 20-5
Top projected returners: Skyla Mastronardi (Sr., 5-10, G), Claire Bono (Jr., 5-11, G), Jill Mallott (Jr., G), Jayda Tyler (So., 5-9, W), Mariah Turner (Jr.), Macy Peters (Sr., 5-10, F), Taylor Shusko (Jr.)
Meet the Leopards: Smithsburg will be hungry for a return trip to the postseason, and with a starting lineup boasting two Division 1 college recruits, the Leopards should be considered a region and state contender this winter … Last season Smithsburg won the Class 1A West Region II title with a 40-35 win over Catoctin, before ultimately falling in the MPSSAA state semifinals … Skyla Mastronardi, a 5-foot-10 guard committed to play for William & Mary next season, led the Leopards in scoring last season with 17.3 points per game, while also averaging 8.0 rebounds, 3.8 steals, and 3.0 assists … Naval Academy recruit Claire Bono is only a junior, and the 5-foot-11 guard is primed for another big season after averaging 14.1 points, 8.0 rebounds, 4.2 steals, 4.1 assists, and 1.3 blocks last winter … Completing the “Big Three” for Smithsburg is junior Jill Mallott, who pumped in 10.4 points per game last season, to go along with 2.2 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 1.9 steals … The Leopards did sustain graduation losses in Maren McFarland (5.9 ppg, 1.8 rpg, 1.9 spg) and Molly Weaver (4.4 ppg, 4.4 rpg), but will be looking to plug those holes with the projected return of Jayda Tyler (4.3 ppg, 3.1 rpg) and Macy Peters (1.5 ppg, 2.6 rpg).
Opener: Friday, Dec. 5, at home vs. South Carroll
