It’s the beginning of a new chapter for Catasauqua girls’ basketball, and its centerpiece already is well known.

Junior guard Hailey Jenkins is the Rough Riders’ returning leading scorer, and made an impact the past two seasons. Jenkins was regarded as arguably one of the area’s best players and averaged 11.6 points per game.

Jenkins was an integral part of the team advancing to the District 11 Class 3A championship game last season, losing 34-26 to Notre Dame. The Roughies nearly won a PIAA Class 3A opening-round state game, dropping a 37-36 decision to Philadelphia’s West Catholic.

The Roughies lost four starters and two seniors off the bench from last season’s run, and a rebuilding and retooling phase will center around Jenkins and new head coach Tara Belfield.

Belfield is the Roughies’ new head coach taking over for Mark Seremula, who was not rehired by the school board after six seasons at the helm. Belfield was a standout at Allen High School, and she was an assistant at Allen and an assistant and head coach at Northampton Community College. She last coached in the 2017-18 season, but she has been involved with AAU teams since then.

The Roughies lost four starters and two seniors off the bench from last season’s run.

Belfield already has been impressed with her standout.

“I understand Hailey was one of the best players in the league last season,” said Belfield. “She has absolutely shown me why people have said that about her.

“She is an amazing point guard and an even better teammate. She will definitely lead our very young team to good things.”

Belfield will also look to freshmen post players Kaylin Stewart and Shakala Roberts and frosh guard Sarina Sankari to make an impact. Junior Brooke Barna also will be in the early mix.

It will be a new cast that will need to take time to jell and mature. With a young team, Belfield saw the Catasauqua situation as an ideal one.

“My expectations for this season are to hopefully get this team back to where it was last season, and to develop the program and that it continues to grow,” said Belfield.

“I was interested in Catty, absolutely, because of its youth on the team. Having Hailey as our best player and just being a junior, the rally talented freshmen class, and what we have coming up through the middle school program made this the perfect time for me to get back into coaching and Catty the perfect place.”