'99-00 SCHEDULE

Dec. 3 -- Hickory      7-- at Commodore Perry      9-- Big Red Classic      11-- Big Red Classic      18--Farrell      21-- at Kennedy Christian      28-- Kiwanis Tounament      29-- Kiwanis Tournament Jan . 4 -- Sharpsville      7-- at Mercer      11-- at Reynolds      14-- George Junior      18-- Wilmington      21-- at Greenville      25-- Sharon      26-- at Neshannock      28-- Commodore Perry Feb. 1 -- Kennedy Christian      4-- at Sharpsville      8-- Mercer      11-- Reynolds      15-- at George Junior      18-- at Wilmington      22-- Greenvile.

By The Herald Sports Staff

Youth is in the spotlight at West Middlesex this year as rookie head coach Chad Mild leads his team into the tough MCAC AA.

He has five years of experience as an assistant with the Big Reds, and he will be aided by Chad Nych on the sidelines.

The two seniors on the team, 6-5 center Tom Freed and 5-10 forward Josh Koncar, will be expected to show a lot of leadership for a team that had a 6-6 record in conference and an 11-13 performance overall.

Freed averaged 10.9 points per game in the 1998-99 campaign. Koncar contributed an 8.1 points per game average.

Of the underclassmen, Mild says, "I hope Jeff Van Buren, a junior this year, will step up, along with my other two juniors, Jay Sweesy and Dane Gearhart."

Van Buren saw the most playing time of the juniors, with 15 games under his belt last year and 53 points scored. Both Sweesy and Gearhart played sparingly last year, but will most likely see a lot of minutes on the floor.

This year's contingent will have to replace a scoring force from last year, Walt Novosel.

"The guy got after the ball," Mild said. "If we had him back, I think I'd feel a little better."

Novosel scored 419 points overall, leading the team and comprising over a quarter of the team's total offense.

Mild couldn't make any predictions about how his club will perform this year.

"I think it's going to be more of a learning experience than anything," he said. "We're not nearly as experienced as last year's team. That team started four seniors; this year's team lacks the experience they had. Our depth is in question this year. Our three juniors got very limited varsity experience last season."

Speaking of his competition, the coach replied, "It's tough all the way through. Sharpsville has a lot returning, Greenville has a lot of guys back, Wilmington has a new coach and things are going to be different there, Reynolds has a new coach, Mercer's always competitive, and George Junior, you never know what they're going to have."

Coach Mild's main playing style this year will be an aggressive man-to-man.

"We're going to try to throw the ball down and take care of it," he said. "Our main goal is to make the playoffs, but we're just going to play one game at a time. I don't think we're ever prepared, but we're going to have to go when it's time."