Tippecanoe Valley junior Meredith Brouyette won’t be able to hide in the shadows anymore after a stellar sophomore season. (File photo by Mike Deak)

AKRON – What to do for an encore?

That may be the outside question for the Tippecanoe Valley girls basketball team heading into the 2015-16 season.

That’s not the approach though being taken by Valley coach Chris Kindig for his squad following a historic campaign a year ago.

“It’s an old cliche, but we just want to take one game at a time and get better as the season progresses,” said Kindig. “Our goal is to be ready and playing our best basketball at tournament time. It’s a different team and a new season. There are very high expectations this year and that’s a lot better than low ones. We should expect good things, but you never know what will happen.”

“We no know that we can accomplish what we did last year. It’s just a matter of improving. This is a unique group of girls. They can’t get enough basketball. They just love the game.”

For the record, Valley went 25-3 overall a year ago in winning the Three Rivers Conference title and then adding sectional, regional and semistate titles before a 72-44 loss to Princeton, led by Notre Dame recruit Jackie Young, in the Class 3-A state championship contest. The sectional crown was the first since 2007 and the regional and semistate titles were the first in program history.

Kindig knows that his team, led by Division I commit Anne Secrest, will be challenged by its opponents.

“We understand that we are going to get everyone’s best effort when we play them this season,” Kindig noted. “That’s one of the reasons why it is going to be more difficult for us. We will not sneak up on anyone.”

The Vikings graduated a pair of stellar seniors in Caylie Teel and Taylor Trippiedi. Teel, now playing volleyball at Grace College, averaged seven points and four rebounds per game. Trippiedi, who earned the Mental Attitude Award at the State Finals, contributed almost eight points per outing.

Valley will also be without point guard and tenacious defender Karis Tucker for a while. The senior, who averaged about five points per game last year, injured her knee while playing over the summer and is sidelined after having surgery. Tucker may be out until December or January. Freshman Haley Peterson, who Kindig was hoping to contribute, is also out for the season after a shoulder injury during volleyball season.

The cupboard is far from bare for Kindig, a 1980 Valley graduate, as he enters his sixth season.

The Viking success starts with the unselfish Secrest. The 6-1 post player, who made a verbal commitment to Youngstown State University two weeks ago, is a double-double machine. Secrest averaged 17 points and 10 caroms per game in a vastly-improved sophomore campaign.

“I expect her to lead us,” said Kindig of his star. “She’s our hardest worker in practice. She made a big leap from her freshman to sophomore year and I think that she has improved from last year.”

Valley also welcomes back smooth shooter Meredith Brouyette. The junior southpaw guard, known for her knack for hitting big shots from the perimeter, averaged almost nine points per game a year ago. Senior Brynda Krueger and junior Hannah Dunn, who were key reserves last season, will have to play much bigger roles this season. Krueger averaged 4.6 ppg., and Dunn four points per contest.

“Our core group all worked hard in the offseason,” said Kindig, who is 65-44 at Valley. “They have the right focus and practices have gone good so far. A big key is chemistry. It’s a different group with different strengths and weaknesses. I just know that these girls will play hard and it’s a group that is well grounded.”

The Vikings will need to get strong play from senior Morgan Brazo and the sophomore trio of Asia O’Connor, Olivia Trippiedi and Addy Miller. All four were on the State Finals roster last season. Freshman Sophie Bussard is also one to watch as a key new piece to the puzzle this year.

“I think that our first five are pretty solid,” commented Kindig. “My concern right now is finding that sixth, seven, eighth and ninth players to give us the depth we will need. But I think that we will be fine.”

Valley opens its season by hosting Bremen Nov. 5. The Vikings play their first four games all at home and then host their own tourney on Nov. 28. The early schedule includes a visit from rival Warsaw on Nov. 20. The Vikings open TRC play by hosting new league member Maconaquah on Nov. 24.