Few were better than Dexter Southfield last season.
Dexter was just one of two unbeaten teams remaining before a loss at New Hampton on Feb. 19, eventually entering the Elite 8 as the No. 3 seed and falling to No. 6 BB&N in the quarterfinals.
"The leadership we had last year was excellent, and the girls really did a tremendous job of working together and winning games," coach Maggie Taverna said.
Dexter graduated five seniors from last season's group, but Taverna's squad returns 12 upperclassmen, complemented by a skilled group of underclassmen.
"I have eight seniors this year, which is a lot," Taverna said. "That experience is really important for them to understand what's expected, and they're able to allow their experience to trickle down to those younger kids."
So, how can Dexter remain a strong contender for the Elite 8?
