If it were up to her, Taylor Meyer would be a full participant in scrimmages and practices with Farmington's girls' basketball team. Heck, in her mind she should be right back in her familiar starting position at forward on the court.

But Meyer isn't a doctor. In fact, she hasn't even turned 18 yet. That will come Jan. 19, one day before the six-month mark since surgery to repair a torn anterior cruciate ligament in her right knee.

It's a milestone date Meyer had circled the day her surgery was scheduled. "If not before," she said.

Playing out the final 10 games of the regular season won't be enough for her to reach the school's all-time points scored mark -- Meyer needs about 400 points -- but Meyer is no longer focused on individual goals.

"I can do pretty much anything except scrimmage," Meyer said last week as her teammates began the Tigers' season with a pair of losses. "I'm so used to playing. I want to, but my coach won't let me. I think I'm fine, but my doctor might have something different to say about that."

Whenever she does return, Meyer will join a team filled with new starters and a new coach.

Sondra Chadwick took over the program this year after Jason Berg stepped down. Berg led the Tigers to a 23-4 record, their best season in program history, and one game away from their first state tournament berth.

Chadwick, a former player for Minnesota-Morris, has youth and AAU coaching experience but this is her first varsity gig.

"There is definitely more pressure to win," she said. "You certainly still want to focus on developing your players, but there is much more emphasis on game strategy. Preparation for games. It's forced me to take kind of a bigger-picture view."

Part of that is running a team that is lacking its most important piece.

Meyer, who signed with Minnesota-Duluth last month, led the Tigers in points, rebounds and steals a year ago. In her absence so far this young season, new players have stepped up.

Chadwick's daughter Sofia, a freshman, has taken over the scoring load with 10 points per game while Desiree Loftus, a senior who saw limited time last season, leads the Tigers in rebounding.

Players taking on added responsibility is a welcome sight.

"We're creating more things for every player," said senior captain Isis Alexander, who is averaging more than five assists per game. "There is that little extra 'oomph' missing with Taylor out, but I see a lot of younger players taking over. We just have to stay positive."

Unlike last season when Farmington jumped out to an 11-0 start, successes this season will be measured off the scoreboard.

Though 0-2 to start, the team nearly doubled its rebounding total from the first game to the second.

"If we can continue that trend so that when Taylor gets back everyone knows and accepts their roles all the pieces will be put together," Sondra Chadwick said. "We'll figure things out. This isn't a team that's happy when they're not competitive. They are not hanging their heads right now. They know it's going to take time."

They know, too, there is a playmaker waiting in the wings, itching more and more every day to get back into the lineup.

"I just want to play in my senior year," Meyer said.