With the entire team coming back at Brimfield, how can it get better? Adding more talent that can contribute at the varsity level. "We have two combo guards that will be huge at the sophomore level and hope to give us some minutes at the varsity level. They have always lived in the Brimfield school district but previously attended (Peoria) Notre Dame, so they are new, but not really transfer students," coach Jim Blane said.

The Indians are coming off a 33-3 season, in which two of those losses came at Redbird Arena in the Class 1A state finals, finishing fourth place. The lone blemish during the regular season came at the State Farm Classic to Bloomington Central Catholic, a team that was ranked #1 most of the year in Class 2A.

Paige Spietz (6'3" Sr.) leads a very balanced attack at Brimfield. Over the summer, Spietz verbally commited to the University of Missouri. She had full-scholarship offers from Illinois State, Western Michigan, and Bradley, as well as interest from Notre Dame, DePaul, and Loyola. During the regular season, she averaged 17.5 points/game, 10.1 rebounds/game, and 3.2 assists/game. She is on track to crack the 2,000 point plateau and become the school's all-time leading scorer this season. Heading into the year, Spietz sits with 1,534 career points (Brimfield record is 2,114 by Arlene Peters in 1981). Last season she was a first-team all-stater and was also named the Peoria Journal-Star Player of the Year.

Kelsey Herridge (5'5" Sr. Guard) is also getting set to cap off a record-breaking career at BHS. She was a Prairieland all-conference selection and averaged 11.0 points/game and 8.5 assists/game. "(Herridge) will most likely end her four years at Brimfield as the third all-time leading scorer ahead of Tierney Burdett who went on to play for national champion (Illinois Central College) and South Carolina-Limestone," Blane said. Herridge is receiving interest from West Point as well as Truman State.

The entire team is back at Brimfield, and would like to clear the hurdle in the Class 1A state finals. "We return all players from our 12-player roster of last year. In addition, we have had some underclassmen put in some extra-effort in the offseason and shown tremendous improvement," Blane said. The Indians had some tremendous success over the summer months. "We attended the Missouri Team Camp and played in the top Elite Division, which included schools 10-20x our enrollment size. Defeated East St. Louis by two points and a Kansas City team in sudden death among our eight games." Brimfield also posted summer victories over Galesburg, Knoxville, Peoria Richwoods, Peoria Woodruff, Canton, and Morton. The team also won the Galena Shootout, and won with an average margin of victory of 41 points. "It was an excellent, very productive summer experience," Blane added.

Other starters in the mix will be Nicole Clevenger (5'7" Sr. Forward), Brycie Courter (5'5" Sr. Guard), and Micalena Shipley (5'8" Sr. Forward). Clevenger averaged 4.8 points/game and 8.1 rebounds/game. Courter averaged 9.3 points/game and 1.9 rebounds/game, and Shipley averaged 4.3 points/game, 1.6 rebounds/game, and 1.5 assists/game. Both Courter and Clevenger were All-Conference picks in the Prairieland.

The Indians compete in both the Inter-County Conference (ICAC) and the Prairieland Conference. Brimfield should be the favorite in each. "Illini Bluffs will be a young, but not surprisingly competitive team. I look for them to rough a few teams up," Blane said of the Indians toughest test in the ICAC. As for the Prairieland, it should be some tough competition. "This conference probably made the most significant showing overall in the post-season. North Fulton, South Fulton, Havana, B-PC/A...and now Knoxville. The Prairieland brought home quite a few plaques this past year." Knoxville returns to the conference, coming over from the Olympic. They were members of the Prairieland up until 1992. Brimfield defeated conference-foe Havana in the Monmouth Supersectional in double overtime last year.

With the competition, not just in Brimfield's conference, but statewide, the Indians will still need to improve to make a run for that top trophy. "This year's seniors have put in more practice time than any team I have ever coached. They have a three-year record of 91-10 with three regional titles, two sectional titles, a super-sectional and state trophy, they would like to continue to improve on that." To continue and improve on that, coach Blane and the Indians have a theme for 2009-10. "Practice and get better. It is not enough to get to the state finals and expect to get back again. We are determined to get better! We shall see."

Jim Blane is entering his 11th season at Brimfield, where he has a career record of (235-60). He has led the Indians to five Regional championships during that time, and Brimfield has won 20+ games in eight of those ten seasons.

Prior to the 2007-08 season, Brimfield had not won a Sectional since 1980-81. That team, under coach Terry Hart, finished (22-5). Hart also led the team to a Sectional title in 1979-80 with a record of (19-6). In 11 years at Brimfield, Hart had a coaching record of (177-63).