In one word: Competitive.

That's Jeff Jacksits' assessment of his Northampton girls' basketball team as the season opens Friday.

Jacksits, starting his ninth season with the Konkrete Kids, has three letter winners - but only one starter - back from last year's 19-5 team.

After winning the District 11 Class 4A Championship two years in a row, last year's team was eliminated in the quarterfinal round by eventual champion Bangor.

But Jacksits, who had losing seasons only in his first two years, is optimistic.

"It depends on how we progress. We're young in experience, but the girls are talented and intelligent and work together well," he said.

"We'll probably be up-tempo with Leandra (junior Leandra Sterner) leading our back court along with Michele (senior Michele Dally). We'll have Ashley Brink (another senior) to rebound with junior Zeniyah Sanders and Kayla Csencsits as our forwards," added Jacksits.

The rest of the Kids roster includes senior Nicole Kutos, juniors Vikki DeHaven, Amber Farnholtz, Autumn Klucsarits, and Erica Filipovits, sophomore Giovanna Martinez and freshmen Sophia Eckroth.

"We'll expect Sanders and Csencsits to help out on the boards and both are adapt on their jump shots. Sterner and Dally will direct the offense and provide the outside shooting we'll need," said Jacksits.

The coach tells his girls to be "in the thick of things" in the Lehigh Valley Conference's North Division and think, "Parkland is the team to beat in the division. But don't count out Nazareth and Whitehall. Our division is always tough."

As for the LVC as a whole "there's no easy game," Jacksits says. "There's always Central Catholic and Emmaus and this year Bethlehem Catholic will be tough along with Liberty."

The K-Kids open play tomorrow (Friday Night) at Pleasant Valley and then take on Central Catholic in a nonleague matchup Saturday afternoon at Liberty as part of the Yasso-Rothrock Classic.

Their home opener will be a LVC contest next Friday with Whitehall.