With Northport's two top scorers and rebounders gone to graduation, Jeff Tropf will need to be a good cook to continue the Wildcats' winning tradition.

And he’ll need to start from scratch.

“I guess people would say we’re rebounding, even though we have kids who have played,” said Tropf, who left as Suttons Bay junior varsity boys’ coach and varsity girls’ coach in the mid-1980s.

Still a teacher at Suttons Bay, Tropf will be leading Northport beyond the Drew Mitchell and Cody Brown years. Mitchell and Brown were the Wildcats’ two top scorers and rebounders for the past two seasons, and led their teams to two District titles during their last three years on the varsity.

Northport will need solid play from five seniors, who will share captain duties, to improve upon its 11-10 mark in 2006-07. They are Basil Stowe, who came on strong last season, and Ryan Blessing, Erik Johnson, Jason Roman and Eddie Gonzales.

You’ll find good quickness but not much size among those players, which will put pressure on 6-foot-3 sophomore Jason Tropf. He’s Jeff’s son.

“His old man has been talking in his ear and saying please, get a rebound or two, or we’re in trouble,” said Jeff Tropf with a chuckle.

Coach Tropf, at 6-foot-8, is a former all-Mid American Conference selection while playing for Central Michigan University.

Rounding out the Northport roster are juniors Jesse Bressette, Quinton Buss, Christian Goechez and Shane Detweiler.

Tropf recognizes that timing won’t help Northport get through a transition year, as other Leelanau County teams are bulging with talent and size. Although the Wildcats remain in the Cherryland Conference with St. Mary, Traverse City Christian and Leelanau School, they have lined up an aggressive schedule. Included are games with Leland, Glen Lake and Suttons Bay, and stops at the Frankfort Christmas tournament.

“Other teams are absolutely loaded. We know — and anybody who has a pulse in the county knows — we have a challenge in front of us,” said Tropf.

Northport will be quick and young. “Our youth is both a strength and a curse,” he said.

But Tropf is happy to report that attitudes of athletes have not diminished after taking 20 years off from coaching.

“To walk back in and have the kids work as hard as they are working is something I appreciate. We’ve got a great crew to work with here,” he said.