If you listen closely, you can hear the sound of basketballs bouncing on hardwood floors around the region.

All four of the local girls teams are now in the gym, going through the rigors of preseason conditioning and working toward their season opener, as well as the long grind of an 18-game regular season and hopefully more.

Three of those teams made postseason appearances, but none ended in championships with Conant being derailed in the semifinals and a pair, ConVal and Wilton-Lyndeborough, falling in the first round.

With the postseason tournaments dictating the start dates for the season, each class will begin in different weeks, beginning on Friday with Class S and the Warriors.

Conant

After losing only one player from last year’s Class M semifinal team, the Orioles are primed to make another run at the crown.

Conant won it all in the 2007-08 season and losing last year has added to the motivation to win a second title in three years.

“Anytime you have that many returning players, it’s always an added bonus,” said coach Nick Hill. “I want them to think they can get back there and win it all.”

The departure of Claire Wiesenauer will leave a void, especially since she brought a lot of intangibles to the court, but when you have a player the caliber of Brooke Springfield, anything is possible.

Springfield, entering her junior season, led the Orioles to the championship as a freshman and then earned Class M Player of the Year honors last year.

As the starting point guard, Springfield can really do it all. She scores, passes, plays defense and just about anything else to help the Orioles win each time they step on the court.

“It’s a coaches dream to have a player of her caliber,” Hill said.

But with so much attention on Springfield, the key to the Orioles success might rely in the supporting cast.

Junior Kim Daniels proved to be a reliable No. 2 scoring option, which forced opponents to keep a close eye on her as well.

With almost the entire team returning, Conant has what a lot of the other teams from last year don’t — instant team chemistry.

“The prime focus is to push each other to get better every practice and every game to ultimately be playing our best ball at the end of the year,” Hill said.

The Orioles also have Holly Hodgman and Celia O’Brien down low and the addition of freshman Teresa DiTommaso should improve rebounding, something the team struggled with last season.

Seniors Beth Farr and Nicole Seaburg bring experience to the backcourt, while the remaining members of the bench, like Staci Keenan, Emily Coll and Celia Belletete, among others, each has a role and a job to do when they enter games.

The Orioles have the depth and experience to make another deep run in the Class M tournament. Now it’s just a matter of proving night in and night out.

“I told them we have a target on our backs,” Hill said. “Every team is going to be focused on playing Conant.”

Player to Watch: Kim Daniels, junior

With just a small, sparingly used role when the Orioles won it all her freshman year, Daniels got increasingly better in the off season before her sophomore year and grew into a solid No. 2.

She was second on the team in scoring last year at just under 13 points per game and also ranked just behind Springfield in steals with 2.1.

With Daniels on the floor, opposing defenses can’t slack off of her because the junior forward can do a little bit of everything. She can shoot, handle the ball, pass and play defense.

WLC

The Warriors are coming off a solid 10-6 regular season a year ago, but it didn’t end well in a 20-point first round loss to Woodsville.

Now with a good chunk of the team back, there is hope for an even better season, if things can progress from the work during the preseason.

“So far things are going pretty good,” said coach Dennis Claire. “But we’ve still got a lot of work to do.”

WLC did lose point guard Gabby Trombley and small forward Jill Jowders to graduation, as well as bench players Haley Dick and Lexie True.

But senior Marika Thompson, the team’s leading scorer, is back at the shooting guard position and will be needed to put up solid numbers throughout a pretty tough schedule.

Starters Kelsey Gilmore, a senior, and Alex Bosquet, a junior, bring experience to the team and should be even better than they were a year ago.

The Warriors also bring back most of the bench, which will only help in their quest for a home playoff game.

“We’ve got the nucleus back,” said Claire. “And our bench is going to be very valuable.”

Meghan Brett, Hannah Crosby and Ally Jenkerson will play pivotal roles under the basket in the rebounding game, which has not been the team’s strong suit in recent seasons. Kalie Randlett and Jennica Martin should also help with the rebounding by committee approach.

Liza Roy gained a ton of experience and confidence last year, while junior varsity call-ups Sam Blais and Sam Broderick will bring depth to the backcourt.

“I’ve got 11 girls and all of them can go out there and play,” said Claire. “Everyone’s going to have to contribute.”

The biggest hole to fill is that of the point guard position. As important a position as any, it may take some time to figure out, but Claire is confident it will be solved.

Last year, WLC began the season 1-4 before going 9-2 down the stretch.

But the hope is to begin on a stronger note, starting with the season opener at home against Pittsfield on Friday.

“I think we’re going to play with most everybody,” Claire said. “But I think it’s very important for the girls to start the season ready to go.”

Player to Watch: Marika Thompson, senior

Thompson has been the main threat on offense the last few years and she will once again be needed to pace the attack.

She topped the scoring charts with 11 points per game and led all guards with four rebounds per contest. She was also second in assists, with five, and steals, with four.

Without last year’s second and third scorers, Thompson may need to contribute even a little bit more in the scoring department, but the other intangibles are what make her so valuable.

ConVal

Last year was something the ConVal girls basketball program needed.

After a string of bad seasons, the Cougars returned to the postseason in Class I as the ninth seed with a 10-8 record.

While the first round outcome was not the most desired result, a 52-43 loss to John Stark, ConVal did many things last year that had not been accomplished in some time.

Despite losing five seniors on last year’s squad, two of which started, the future looked bright for the Cougars with the likes of sophomore phenom Kat Fogarty, juniors Morgan Lowe and Mallory Sirois, as well as senior Sam Holmes returning for another season.

But when Fogarty decided to go to a private school, the front line took a big hit.

“It’s going to be hard to replace all that experience of those five seniors plus Kat,” said coach Kern Claflin.

Holmes still gives ConVal one legitimate player in the post, where she led the team in rebounds as a sophomore, but it will take time to fill the voids.

“We’re going to have to work hard on the boards,” said Claflin. “We really need to have five rebounders for every shot.”

Krystal Ambrosini’s playmaking ability, although limited by a torn ACL last season, will be greatly missed, as will the timely shooting and hustle of Hannah Scheff.

“We’ve got to make up for quite a bit,” Claflin said.

With Lowe and Sirois, the Cougars have two legitimate guards/forwards that hustle and will do anything to help the team win.

“Certainly we’re looking forward to them being able to lead the team and keep us in games,” said Claflin.

So of the 11-player roster from 2008-09, only three return, which means there will need to be some junior varsity call-ups to help.

“We’re going to have to have quite a few players improve and step up,” Claflin said.

The Cougars have a trio of sophomores ready to step in with Jen Ambrosini, Monique Brock and Olivia Wilder, who returns from a knee injury suffered at the end of her freshman season. Senior Abby Johannesson also returns after not playing as a junior.

It won’t be as easy for ConVal this year, but with some patience and hard work, things might not be quite so bad.

Player to Watch: Morgan Lowe, junior

Lowe is the kind of player any coach would love to have. She hustles for every loose ball, battles for every rebound and leaves everything out on the court.

She plays defense with reckless abandon, leading the team in steals a year ago, and is solid on the offensive end with a shot that ranges past the foul line.

Lowe will have to take on the burden of replacing the production lost, but it’s a challenge for which she has shown to be ready.

Mascenic

Each of the past two years, the Vikings have failed to win a game.

Following the 2007-08 season, Mascenic lost most of its core from a sub .500 team and since then it has been a rebuilding approach.

A combined record of 0-36 and not even a hint of a win made it difficult for the players to maintain confidence.

“It’s been a long time since they’ve won a game,” said new coach Bob Viveney. “But I’m optimistic because they’ve shown some optimism themselves.”

Of the nine players who finished out last year’s winless campaign on varsity, only four returned with four others graduating and one who did not come out for the team.

Viveney, the junior varsity coach last season, knows it will be tough, but he knew that coming in.

With 10 girls on the roster and not one of them a senior, Viveney is looking at the scenario more over the course of the next two years and not just the 2009-10 season.

“This is a team with no seniors, so I told them this is a two-year process,” said Viveney. “They need to feel that any progress they make this year is a stepping block.”

Juniors Chelsea Krashan and Mikayla Rawnsley return, as well as Jordan DeGrandpre and Liz Conlin, both of who began last season on JV.

Junior Stephanie Lovell is back after not playing as a sophomore, while sophomores Vanessa Pena, Madison Poe and junior Tanya Simpson move up from the JV ranks.

“Basically it’s last year’s JV team with a few more,” Viveney said. “We have some good talent and a good supporting cast.”

The Vikings will also have the services of freshman Jocelyn Ojala, who did very well at the middle school level over the last few years.

“I see it in practice. They want to be there,” Viveney said. “They want to play.”

Wins will not be in abundance this season, much like the last two, but the hope is to make the games closer and more competitive and who knows, maybe pull out a win.

“It would be great to get a win early on to prove we can do it and then maybe we can earn a few more,” Viveney said.

Player to Watch: Chelsea Krashan, junior

Krashan has been there for the entire losing streak, but with a positive attitude and improving skills, she will help the Vikings in 2009-10.

Given the open shot, Krashan can make it and she has a knack for playing tough defense.

She may never be the most talented player on the floor, but she won’t be out hustled.

Krashan is a big believer in the team concept, so as one of the veterans on the team, she will be in charge helping this year’s squad come together.

This story appears on page 19 of the Dec. 3 Ledger-Transcript.