Jeff Jacksits has a lot of 'high hopes' for this season's Northampton High School girl's basketball team.

The Konkrete Kids, who wound up third in the District 11 Class 4A tournament last year, will have an almost new look this year with only one starter returning from last year's 15-13 team.

"We lost six outstanding girls (including two-time all-league standout Leandra Sterner), but all is not lost," said Jacksits at a practice last week.

The Kids, who open their season Friday in the Owen J. Roberts Tip-Off tournament, have one starter back from last year's team sophomore center Aja Blount.

Blount, who stands 5-11, was the top rebounder for the Kids last year and will be surrounded by seniors Ali Reppert (backcourt) and Giovanna Martinez (forward) along with juniors Sophia Eckroth (forward) and Lauren Sterner (backcourt).

"We'll be focusing mainly on Blount with Sterner (Leandra's sister) and Reppert bringing up the ball. Eckroth (5-9) and Martinez (5-10) give us extra size," added Jacksits.

"We're looking to utilize our size and speed," adds Jacksits, who will be starting his 11th year at Northampton with a 167-98 record.

"We hope to qualify for the districts again, but it may be tough to win our division in our new league" he said, pointing out that the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference's Skyline Division includes Nazareth, Whitehall and Parkland (from the LVC's North Division) and Emmaus and powerhouse Central Catholic (from the LVC's West Division).

"We'll have to mature fast and the girls must get to know each other's intricacies. We have to take advantage of our strengths," says the coach.

Jacksits added the "hard part of the season will be getting to .500 in our new division," because along with the three division leaders, five wild-card teams will also make the league tournament.

Other girls high on Jacksits' squad are juniors Meghan Hemingway and Liz Stonewall, senior Francesca Sanchez and sophomores Julia Serensits and Devon Saul.

Northampton, which faces Central Bucks East in the Roberts tournament opener, matches up against either OJR or Gov. Mifflin in the second day's game on Saturday.

The Kids open EPC play Tuesday at Pleasant Valley and face Pocono Mountain West in their first home game next Friday.

Jacksits' assistants include Rick Worman (former Whitehall head coach), Stef Remington, Julie Maurek, Cory Turner and Andrew Snyder. Adam Bastidas and Emily Rightler will handle the middle school team.