Karns City's girls basketball head coach Steve Andreassi talks with his team during a timeout. The Gremlins lost starting point guard Chloe Fritch to injury in mid-January, but the team went on to win the District 9 Class 3A championship. Eagle File Photo

KARNS CITY — Blueprints for athletic success do not always follow a straight line. Circumstances sometimes dictate that a team must adjust on the fly.

Such was the case with Karns City's girls basketball team this winter.

During a game Jan. 12 against Punxsutawney, the Gremlins lost starting point guard Chloe Fritch for the rest of the season to a knee injury.

Fritch was the team's leading scorer in 2022-23 and was again pacing the team in points this year when she left the lineup.

"With Chloe's injury, it was "Where do we go from here," said veteran KC coach Steve Andreassi. But under his guidance, the Gremlins won six of their last eight regular season games, reached the KSAC championship game and won their second straight District 9 Class 3A championship before ending the season with a record of 18-9.

Andreassi has been named the Butler Eagle's Girls Basketball Coach of the Year for 2023-24. Moniteau's Dee Arblaster and North Catholic's Molly Rottmann were also considered for the honor.

"With our full complement of players, we were just rounding into shape," Andreassi said. "After Chloe went down, it was like we were starting over. But I'm very proud of the way the girls responded on both ends of the floor."

Players moved into different roles. Naomi Venesky, already a starter, picked up her scoring in the second half of the season, joining Brooklynn Taylor in averaging double figures, and was the Gremlins' top rebounder. Hannah Buchanan, the squad's lone senior, became a starter and was a key contributor down the stretch.

"Hannah has a personality that kept things light and everybody on the team loves her, but she wanted to be more of a factor on the court," said Andreassi. "We needed her out there, too, with her rebounding and setting screens.

"Naomi never stops talking, in practice and in games, she's always encouraging her teammates."

Hanna Dailey and Savanna Prescott rounded out the team's starting lineup. Freshmen Hannah Summerville and Phoebe Brandon were top reserves off the bench.

Andreassi is a 1982 graduate of Karns City. Every year since 1999, he has been a basketball coach in some capacity in the district, including a previous run of leading the varsity boys team.

"To be able to carry on with my passion for basketball at the place where I grew up, the place I love, it's been a complete joy for me and my family," he said. "This season was one of my favorites of all time because of the young ladies on our team. I never had to tell them to work hard. They held themselves accountable."

Andreassi's assistant coaches this year included Mike Hegedus, Eric Fritch, LeeAnn Conto, Livia Andreassi and Dave Kerschbaumer.