As Jim Lane prepared to head into his 10th season as head coach of the Carmichaels Area High School girls' basketball team this past fall, he concedes now that he wasn't exactly expecting his team to contend for a WPIAL title.

The Mighty Mikes lost four starters from last season's 13-12 team, including the all-time leading scorer in school history, center Megan Stuvek. Only one senior was on the roster.

"I've got to be honest," Lane said. "I thought going into this year that this would be a developmental year."

His humble preseason expectations must seem like a distant memory to Lane now that the Mikes were enjoying a five-game winning streak heading into last Thursday night's game against Jefferson-Morgan.

The Mikes entered that game 10-9 overall and 6-1 in Section 2-A and were only one game behind Geibel for the section lead. Already having clinched its fourth consecutive WPIAL playoff berth, if Carmichaels won Thursday, it will be playing the Gators -- who were 13-5, 7-0 and ranked No. 5 in WPIAL Class A by the Post-Gazette -- for first place tomorrow at home.

"This group here has come a long way in the last calendar year," Lane said.

The Mikes are playing as well as they have since the 2003 team went 21-3 and undefeated in section play. This season's team won't finish with a record that strong after starting out 5-9 and going 4-8 in non-section play.

That non-section schedule didn't have many cupcakes. It included five Class AA teams and the Mikes will play Class AAA Waynesburg Central Wednesday.

"I really think those games not only develop us as a team, but also aided in developing chemistry among the girls," Lane said. "Once we got into section play, things were really clicking for us.

"This team is going out of its way to play together, to make the extra pass ... to do all the little things that make a winning team. And what I really like is that they'll be back [next season]. I just hope this continues."

The Mikes' offense over the past four seasons was dominated by Stuvek, who finished with 1,781 career points, averaged 21.1 points per game last season and now plays at Wheeling Jesuit University.

Carmichaels is much more balanced offensively this season. The lone returning starter, junior Jordan Duke, is leading the team with 15.4 points per game. At 5 feet 9, she has the ability to play a variety of positions.

"She has done her job," Lane said. "She has stepped up and made big shots."

The team's second-leading scorer, junior forward Lynne Christopher, was lost for the season with a knee injury last month. But the Mikes have gotten consistent offense from other starters. Molly Stuvek, a 5-11 sophomore center and Megan's sister, leads the team in rebounding and has added about 9 points per game from the low post.

Junior guard Shayleigh Busti provides accurate long-range shooting and strong defense. Another junior guard, Bethany May, has impressed Lane with her ability to handle the pressure at the point guard position and has added an accurate 3-point shot. Versatile junior forward Kyli Yoders is among the team leaders in assists, blocks and rebounds.

The top reserves are sophomore guards Christie Herbik and Jade McCann and senior guard Katrina Lawrence.

The tempered outlook entering the season aside, Lane said that his team has remained focused and hasn't even discussed its long-range goals for this season, which now can include a section title or deep playoff run. The Mikes haven't won a section title or a WPIAL playoff game since 2003.

"To be honest, we really haven't put a lot of emphasis on it," Lane said. "We just want to keep it simple, one game at a time, we'll prepare and give it maximum effort. If it puts us in a better position down the road, so be it."