With back-to-back 16-5 seasons, the Westfield girls basketball program has taken a major step forward.

Continuing that success will be a challenge this season with four freshmen expected to be among the Shamrocks’ top eight players. Plus, Westfield dropped South Bend Adams and South Bend Clay from its schedule and picked up Blackford (15-8 last season) and Plainfield (19-2).

“I don’t know if (winning 16 games again) is realistic or not,” Westfield coach Shane Sumpter said. “This team has a lot of potential. We just want to get better every day. We come into practice every day with the idea that we want to compete and get better. I think if we have that attitude, good things will happen for the basketball team.”

Sumpter led the Shamrocks to a third-place finish in the Hoosier Crossroads Conference in his first season. The Shamrocks lost guards Shelby Blasingame and Nicole Kuznia , but return three starters, led by 6-2 senior center Rachel Evans , who averaged 10 points and 10 rebounds a game and has committed to Western Illinois.

“Rachel is real versatile,” Sumpter said. “She was in the gym all summer. She still has a lot of upside and is getting better all the time. She’s a nice back-to-the-basket type of player, but she’s also shooting the 3 for us now. She’s a very quick player and is a kid that can get up and down the floor for us.”

Allison Gray , a 5-7 junior point guard, and 5-8 senior forward Jenna Ehrman both averaged around six points a game.

“We wouldn’t be the same team without Allison Gray last year,” Sumpter said. "She brings so much to the team. Sometimes, she makes it difficult to press because she dribbles through it. I think she’s one of the stronger guards in the conference. She’s a very good on-the-ball defender. She’s a girl that needs to be on the floor for us playing major minutes. I wouldn’t be surprised to see her average 10-12 points a game this year.

“(Ehrman is) a very good driver and slasher,” he added. “She’s another one that we’re going to look to step up her scoring this year.”

The only other player with varsity experience is 5-8 junior Morgan Sears , who saw action off the bench.

“We look for her to make some solid contributions,” Sumpter said. "She’s a really smart player and understands the game. She’s a really good defender on and off the ball. Mentally, she’s always on top of where she’s supposed to be and what she’s supposed to do.

“We’re going to pretty much have to rely on their experience and leadership, especially early in the season,” he added. “We have a strong freshman class this year, and those freshmen are going to have to play right away. We have a nice mix of veteran leadership and freshmen.”

Leading that freshman class is 6-3 center Jen Anderson .

“We’re looking for some big things from her,” Sumpter said. “She’s a solid post player with her back to the basket.”

Three other freshmen — 5-9 Carissa Brown , 5-8 Savanna Sears (Morgan’s sister) and 5-7 Amy Shedd — figure to see immediate action.

“(Brown is) a very athletic player,” Sumpter said. “(Savanna Sears is) a very good defender and a quick player that’s a driver and a slasher. (Shedd is) a kid that really loves basketball and is in the gym all the time. She’s a nice shooter from the perimeter.”