BRODHEAD — After losing Erin Nyhus, the school’s all-time leader in scoring and back-to-back conference player of the year, the Cardinals will have to figure out where to pick up the slack this season on the court.

Four letter winners return this season with a combined points per game average of 22.4.

Fifth-year head coach Brian Kammerer knows that success this season may come down to defense — a tall task for a team without much height.

“Team size will be a factor to challenges throughout the season,” Kammerer said. “With Lexi Oliver at 5-7 leading the post position, our team defense will need to step up to help balance out the lack of height.”

Oliver averaged 9.1 points and 3.6 rebounds per game as a junior. Senior Zoe Tresemer (4.1 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 1.6 steals per game) returns, as does senior Jacklyn Kleeman (4.2 ppg, 1.6 rpg) and junior Carisa Purdue (5 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 1.7 steals). Brodhead went 10-13 overall last season and 8-11 in the Rock Valley, finishing tied for sixth.

Perhaps the biggest reason for optimism for the Cardinals will be a talented freshman class.

“Kiarra Moe will look to potentially start at the point guard position for us,” Kammerer said. “Madisyn Kail will have to fill positions 2-4, and Onnikah Oliver will get minutes in different positions.”

Moe is the younger sister of Kylie Moe, another vaunted former Brodhead basketball player who was twice the conference player of the year and all-time leading scorer before Nyhus. In her first varsity game Nov. 13 at Monticello, Kiarra Moe scored 18 points to lead the Cardinals in a 48-30 victory.

“Our goals will be to continue to improve game after game, hoping to upset a few along the way and finish in the upper half of the league,” Kammerer said.

McFarland returns standout Anna DeMuth, who was sidelined last year with a knee injury. Kammerer also said that Jefferson, Whitewater and Big Foot would be dark horses.