PICTURED IS the 2008-09 Monroe Central Girls basketball team. Front row, from left, Kim Lafferre, Justene LaFollette, Aleisha Guiler, Karlie Davis and Olivia Guiler. Middle row, from left, Alex Kuhn, Katie Parks, Melissa Stimpert, Laken Zwick and Chelsea Robinson. Back row, from left, head coach Troy Baker, Christina Paden, Ashley Miller, Whitney Marshall and assistant coach Chris Kuhn.

By BUBBA KAPRAL
Times Leader Managing Editor

   Be it volleyball or basketball, Troy Baker and success go hand-in-hand.
   The former Woodsfield High hoop standout has built juggernauts in both sports at Monroe Central.
    Last season in hoops, the Lady Seminoles enjoyed a banner season. Baker’s hard-playing charges won 17 of 21 starts. In the process, Monroe Central captured the OVAC 2-A crown in dominating fashion, downing Steubenville Central in the tournament finals.
  The Lady Seminoles are primed for even bigger and better things this winter.
  For that to happen, Baker must replace two key cogs from last year’s well-oiled machine.
   Talented Taylor Jorris and hard-working Morgan Ramage have since graduated. They leave two big voids as Jorris netted 12 points and six rebounds per game while Ramage had five points and a like number of boards per game.