When the Whitehall girls basketball team hits the floor this season, speed will be the operative word as they look to make it back to the playoffs.

Last year the Zephs went they went 16-10 and made both the Lehigh Valley Conference and District 11 playoffs, the former the first ever for a girls team at Whitehall. They also made it to the consolation round of the D-11 postseason, missing the PIAA playoffs with a loss to Pleasant Valley High School.

The question facing head coach Rick Worman is how does he replace nine seniors and the point production from that graduating class. The Zephs lost Kayla Bet (14.1 ppg), Cara Basile (6.1 ppg), Amel Moussa (4.0 ppg), Emily Lubenetski (3.0 ppg) and Brianna Jordan (2.1 ppg). In addition, they lost role players Amy Conrad, Sarah Wasley and Rebecca Sobchak.

One of the ways he sees his team making strides is through speed and quickness. Point guard Madison Kelly can turn on the afterburners, as can freshmen Taylor George and Ivanna Jones. Newcomer Kayla Cunningham is another player who can pressure the ball with speed and that can translate into some fast break opportunities for the Zephs. All of those players can be disruptive forces, leading to some transition points.

"We have a lot more of that [team speed] than last year," said Worman. "That should help us this season."

Returning for the Zephs will be starting guard Kelly (5.9 ppg), as well as center/forward Nicole Umbenhauer (4.2 ppg). They will be joined by fellow seniors Brook Mellinger, Brianna Walker, Kelly Erie, Kelly Spanitz and Cunningham.

Worman said that while that's a large contingent, the bulk of those players had limited playing time last year. They'll also have a juniors Sarah Schannauer and Madison Scarfaro who have the ability to make an impact this season.

Still, it's a fairly green roster and they'll have to adapt quickly to once again make the playoffs.

"We have to overcome that lack of varsity experience," said Worman.

They'll also introduce some talented newcomers, including sophomores LeAnna Cruz, Karly Klein, Kelsey Munn, along with freshmen George, Jillian Rex, Jillian Kreglow, George and Jones.

Worman expects his underclassmen to contribute this year, gaining valuable minutes as the season progresses. He understands there's still a learning curve and they'll encounter some bumps along the way.

"It's not going the be easy; these kids are going to be nervous," said Worman. "But those early nerves won't last too long. We're only going to get better as the season goes along.

Worman said his roster is still being tweaked and sees his backcourt shaping up with Erie and George vying time at the point. At the two guard, Kelly will get the nod, while Walker, Rex, and Cruz will see time as well. At the three spot, a number of players should see time, including Schannauer, Klein and Mellinger.

Worman said that Mellinger suffered an ankle injury and will be sidelined for a few games. He said Mellinger had a good summer and has picked up where she left off, becoming a solid scoring option as they embark on the new season.

The frontcourt will also feature Scarfaro, Spanitz, Kreglow, Munn, while Umbenhauer anchors the middle.

Other players who will be counted on to contribute are sophomores Natalie Saraceni, Jenessa Rosario and Taylor Hamscher.

While they may have limited varsity experience, the goals for this year remain in tact, principally securing a berth in the Lehigh Valley Conference and District XI tournaments.

"It would be a great accomplishment to get back to both the league and district playoffs," said Worman. "I think we're capable of it."

Worman said that his young team has a lot of potential and they should improve with every game. That talent was visible this summer as they made it to the final day at SportsFest, indicating what's in store this fall.