GAYLORD ― It’s nearly time for the girls high school basketball teams to take the court for the 2025-26 season.The first contests around the state will be on Monday, Dec. 8 with St. Mary kicking things off against Harbor Springs on opening night, JoBurg beginning its season on Wednesday, Dec. 10 and GHS starting on Dec. 11. We’ve listed a few of the players we’re keeping an eye on as the season starts, but we want to know who the Gaylord and Johannesburg communities are watching as the 2025-26 girls basketball season gets underway. Vote now!Addison McDonald – Ended her junior season early with a shoulder injury but was still a second-team All-Big North selection.Karlee Pretzlaff – One of the top 3-point shooting threats in the area.Makayla Kozlowski – Experienced frontcourt member who was an All-BNC honorable mention last year.Ella Cherwinski – Broke out as a sophomore last year, showing an ability to drive and score from a guard position.Nora Bethuy – One of Gaylord’s most experienced athletes and one of the senior leaders of the Blue Devils in 2025-26.Payton Glasby – Glasby could be the top post scorer, 3-point shooter and rebounder of any area player. Averaged 19.5 points and 7.4 rebounds per game while shooting 36% from 3-point range.Kaylee Jeffers – The point guard in GSM’s high-paced offense and smothering press defense, Jeffers averaged 13.5 points, 4 assists and 3.7 steals per game as a junior.Emery Blust – Another key player in GSM’s system, Blust has a bigger role than her numbers might suggest (6.1 points, 3 assists, 4 rebounds per game in 2024-25).Lily Keister – A player who has continued to get better playing alongside the senior trio of Glasby, Jeffers and Blust and plays a vital role next to Glasby in the frontcourt.Emery Lawes – Had a solid freshman season and should be even better with an expanded role in 2025-26.Lily Crane – An experienced player who can score in the post and rebound with the best of them in the Ski Valley Conference.Jaeden Briley – An all-around athlete who can score, shoot and play solid defense for head coach Jessica Crane.Laney Wells – A threat to be a double-digit scorer on a nightly basis, Wells could play a big part in the 2025-26 Cardinals season.Contact GHT Sports Editor Dylan Jespersen at Djespersen@gaylordheraldtimes.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @dylanjespersen, and Instagram, @dylanjespersenThis article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: Vote for the girls basketball preseason Player of the Year for Gaylord