Will it be just another run-of-the-mill season-opening weekend for the Elyria girls basketball team?

Run-of-the-mill in this context means going undefeated — as the Pioneers do just about every season-opening weekend — and winning still another Lorain County Holiday Classic championship. (Prior to 2005, the tournament was played over Christmas break.)

In the 10 previous classics, the Pioneers have won 20 games without a loss, meaning that no other school has ever won the championship. But they also played all 20 games on their home court.

That changes tonight when the 11th renewal of the four-team invitational moves to Admiral King in Lorain.

“The tournament was always meant to rotate (among competing schools),” said Elyria athletic director Jerry Chizmar, who also said the tournament will be held at Keystone next year, at Elyria Catholic in 2011 and in Elyria’s new gym in 2012.

The host Admirals play Keystone in Friday’s 6 p.m. opener, with the Pioneers taking on crosstown rival Elyria Catholic about 7:30. The Panthers have talent and experience and are expected to give them a test.

“I have to be careful not to put the cart before the horse, but I feel good,” Elyria Catholic coach Eric Rothgery said. “We have a good group of girls. They’re all good friends, which is very important, and they have some talent.”

They do, indeed. The Panthers have one of the area’s most prolific scorers in junior guard Emily Taylor and two of the strongest rebounders in junior Ashley Schuster and senior Sara Schneider. Seniors Mimi Rothgery and Katie Shoemaker start at guard and forward, respectively.

“I personally think that Schneider and Schuster are two of the best posts around,” he said. “Schneider’s up to 6-feet tall and she can shoot. She can hit that little elbow shot, and if she misses, Ashley’s there for the rebound.”

And the Panthers, making their first appearance in the classic since 2004, are looking forward to playing the Pioneers.

“I can’t tell you how excited I am,” Taylor said. “I’ve played one game against Elyria and they just killed us. I know they’re ready for us and we’ll be waiting for them. I know our whole season so far has been building up to that.”

“I think it should be a really good matchup,” senior guard Mimi Rothgery said. “I don’t think the Elyria Catholic girls have ever been expected to be in a game with the Elyria High girls, but this should be a good game to watch.”

Pioneers coach Mike Walsh said none of his current players have played against the Panthers.

“Our kids are looking forward to playing EC, but they’re really looking forward to the first game of the season,” Walsh said. “This week we started talking about EC. But obviously, as close as we are and the kids all know each other, it’s a definite rivalry. It’s kind of strange to say that because we don’t play them that much. But it’s exciting.”

Elyria, meantime, is a little thin. The Pioneers lost three starters to graduation — Lorain County Miss Basketball Tai Dotson, forward Tess Sito and guard Kortney Schweitzer. They also lost their leading scorer, junior Cynthia Woodard, who suffered a knee injury last season and is not playing this year.

The Pioneers have just four letterwinners back from last year’s squad, chief among whom is 6-foot Brigette Jones, who averaged a double-double the past two years.

“We’re definitely looking forward to playing EC,” Jones said. “I think a lot of people are doubting us, but I think it will be a good game.”

Admiral King and Keystone have both lost considerable talent. The Admirals, who advanced to a Division I regional two seasons ago, are thin this year, having lost the core of that team through graduation and disciplinary action.

The Wildcats return three good guards, seniors Becky Nielsen and Kim Kokoski and junior Casidy Gregory, and opponents are keeping their eyes on Danielle Wilmoth, a 6-3 sophomore. But they lost three four-year letterwinners and 37.5 points per game when Erin Gallagher, Chloe Irish and Taylor Bell graduated in June.

Friday night’s winners will meet in the championship game about 7:30 p.m. Saturday. The third-place game is scheduled for 6.

“We’re happy to have the opportunity to host it,” Lorain schools athletic director Bryan Koury said. “I like the fact that it’s going to rotate because it allows for balance in scheduling. A lot of host schools have had a problem with turnover because having it at the same site every year means two more away games for the other schools.”

Contact Bob Daniels at 329-7135 or ctsports@chroniclet.com.

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