The longest current winning streak in Iowa girls' high school basketball is owned by AGWSR.
The Cougars won all 26 games they played last winter to claim the Class 1A state championship.
AGWSR graduated four of its top six - including two all-state post players - but the cupboard isn't bare, and the Cougars won't let that streak go without a fight.
The team's co-leading scorers from the state championship game - senior guard Kelsey Enslin and junior post Megan Pieters - are AGWSR's two returning starters. Both scored nine points in the Cougars' 28-27 win over Springville in the 1A title game.
"We have an excellent guard coming back and we have an excellent post. I think as a coach as least you ask for those two things, it's a luxury," said AGWSR head coach Bruce Dall, who's team is in Class 2A in 2009-10. "Those two have a lot of experience. They've played on the big stage and they've come up big. We're looking for those two to lead and we'll go from there."
Enslin scored 6.8 points per game a year ago and led the team in 3-point field goals with 33. Pieters added 6.6 points per game and led the team in rebounding at six per night.
With the graduation of two-time Times-Republican All-Area Player of the Year Jessica McDowell, along with Macy Ubben and Cassidy Ringena, AGWSR will be counting on new faces.
Leading the group looking to play prominent roles starting with Nov. 30's season opener at Hampton-Dumont include Samantha Heitland, Stacy Bergeson, Jani Lippert, Laura Eiten, Cathy Koch, Lisa Johannsen and Brittney Ellingson.
Going into his sixth season in Ackley, Dall has a record of 118-10, so the Cougars know plenty about winning. In addition to the 26-game winning streak, AGWSR has won 65 in a row in Ackley and 49 straight in NICL West Division play.
The last four winters have ended with the Cougars winning the NICL West and playing in the state tournament. Two years running AGWSR has set the 5-on-5 Iowa girls record for scoring defense.
"I really believe that on any given night anybody can beat anybody in our conference from top to bottom," Dall said. "I think that there are a lot of people returning."
"We're not the overwhelming favorite that we have been, but our girls know what's expected of them and we have streaks that we want to protect. They are going to try their hardest to do that."
BCLUW is among the lead group looking to end AGWSR's conference dominance. The Comets have their top three scorers from a year ago - now all seniors - returning from a 12-9 team.
Forward Nicole Fisher is the only returning unanimous first team all-NICL West selection back as she averaged 12.5 points and 8.7 rebounds per game. Krista Morris averaged 10.5 points per game, while Jamie Fisher added 8.3 points and 7.5 rebounds a night.
"We have a great group of seniors returning," said BCLUW head coach Stacy O'Hare, "and we have no juniors, so young kids will have to step up and play varsity."
Behind AGWSR, last year's top run in regional play from the NICL West came from East Marshall.
The Mustangs went 14-10 in head coach Rob Drake's first year. Leading scorer and point guard Heather Eash is now at Marshalltown Community College, but East Marshall brings back four that scored between 7.6 and 8.7 points per game.
Senior Miranda Barela scored 8.7 points per game and is joined by returners in Noel Hoover (leading rebounder), Abby Nuese (assist leader) and Alyssa Whitmore (steals leader).
"We hope to get better as the year goes on so we are playing our best at tournament time," Drake said.
West Marshall claimed second in the NICL West last winter and brings back three starters. Junior center Alexa Hotopp averaged 10 points and nine rebounds per game to receive first team all-conference honors. Molly Underwood scored 7 ppg and McKenzie Shipley 5 ppg from the Trojan backcourt. Underwood is now a junior and Shipley a sophomore.
"We will be young and have no seniors," said West Marshall head coach Fred Zeller. "We have a good group of sophomores and could be a little quicker overall."
South Hardin sports a strong core of returning performers for head coach Matt Thompson. Top scorer and rebounder Addie Hillmer has graduated, but the Tigers return Joelle Swenson (6 points per game), McKenzie Heue (6 ppg), Brittany Schwartz (5 ppg), Angela Dubberke (5 ppg) and Nicole Haywood (3 ppg).
"We should be a solid team, we return four starters," Thompson said. "I look to our seniors to step up and take charge of scoring."
Bruce Bailey returns as head coach at Gladbrook-Reinbeck. Junior Lauren Bengen is the top returner from last year's 6-17 squad as she averaged 9 points per game.
"The NICL West looks to be very competitive," Bailey said. "I would give AGWSR the edge to win the conference, after that it is a toss-up.
"We will be young and lacking game experience. I believe our strengths will be depth and athletic ability."
Grundy Center did not have a senior on the roster last winter and the Spartans will look to move up the NICL West ladder after finishing 2-20 overall.
In the Little Hawkeye Conference, South Tama's top five scorers in 2008-09 were underclassmen and they won seven games more than the winter before. Katie Plantz (10 ppg), Madison Baier (9.3 ppg) and Alexa Rohach (5.8 ppg) give the Trojans a strong front line. Baier was an All-Area first-team pick as she was second in Class 3A in blocks to go with standing second in the LHC in rebounding.
The area's two Iowa Star members have sights on moving up the standings as well.
GMG, which hosts BCLUW tonight to open the season, finished second in the Iowa Star and 16-7 a year ago. The Wolverines have unanimous first team all-Iowa Star pick Tara Gray back for her junior season. Gray led GMG in scoring (16.3 ppg), assists (4.2 apg) and steals (3.6 spg) to receive All-Area first team praise as well.
Junior Jamie Hlas along with sophomore Emily Havelka will be counted on to carry more of the scoring load as GMG looks to catch CAL in the conference race. The Cadets finished one game ahead of the Wolverines last year.
Irv Laube is the new head coach at North Tama, 4-18 last winter.
"We return almost everyone from last year and we get our point guard back," Laube said. "We are anticipating an excellent season. North Tama's defense has always been strong and we hope to continue that tradition.
"We will need to improve our offensive production, we only averaged 35 points per game."
Erin Herink returns after leading the Redhawks in scoring at 7.2 points per game. Kailey Kladivo averaged 7.1 points and 8 rebounds per game as a freshman. Senior point guard Morgan Halupnick is back in the lineup after missing last winter.