Grove returns four letterwinners from 18-win team

COLUMBUS GROVE – Columbus Grove got hot at the right time a year ago, and almost earned a trip to state in the process. Just 13-8 during the regular season, Grove rattled off five straight wins before falling to Toledo Christian in the regional finals. Brian Schroeder, who has compiled a 185-66 record during his 18 seasons as the Bulldogs' head coach, will miss three of his players from a team that went 18-9 overall, including honorable mention all-league forward Jaylen Sautter and guards Sage Clement and Brynn Fortman. Schroeder has four letter winners returning, though, including one of the school's top all-around athletes in Lauryn Auchmuty. An all-Northwest Conference selection in soccer and basketball and a state qualifier in track, Auchmuty led the Bulldogs with a 17-point scoring average last season. The junior guard will be earning her third varsity letter in basketball. Three other letter winners are back in senior guard Abby Stechschulte (2 ppg) and sophomore forwards Nicole Nesbey (6.9 ppg) and Kendal Palte (1.6 ppg). Auchmuty is the lone junior on Grove's varsity roster, and with just three seniors in Stechschulte, Jade Siefker and Bella Wilson, the Bulldogs will field a young team overall. "The seniors and returning letter winners will need to provide leadership and play with consistency on both ends of the court while we break in several new varsity players," Schroeder said. In addition to Nesby and Palte, Schroeder will also be counting on sophomore guards Elyse Fortman, Ruth Myers and Allison Thompson to help offset last year's losses to graduation.