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THE DAILY NEWS
GIRLS Kelso Mark Morris R.A. Long Woodland Castle Rock Kalama Clatskanie Rainier Toutle Lake Toledo Wahkiakum Ilwaco Winlock Naselle Three Rivers
6 8 10 12 14 16 18 19 20 22 24 26 27 28 29
COVER STORY
BOYS Kelso Mark Morris R.A. Long Woodland Castle Rock Kalama Clatskanie Rainier Ilwaco Toutle Lake Toledo Wahkiakum Winlock Naselle Three Rivers 4
36 38 40 42 43 44 46 48 50 51 52 54 55 56 58
BOMBS AWAY Check out 3 ways the 3 The 3-pointer has the area’s is changing transformed into a decisive weapon | 30 Big Shots | 34 the game | 35
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57
State outlook
2014-15 PREP BASKETBALL GUIDE Publisher: Rick Parrish Sports Editor: Matt Schubert, 360-577-2528,
mschubert@tdn.com Photographers: Bill Wagner, John Markon, Roger Werth Reporters: Kevin Dowd, Rick McCorkle, Ryan Horlen, R.D. Hight
59
All-area teams
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CONTACT US Photo reprints: Order online at tdn.com Sports desk: 360-577-2527, sports@tdn.com, @TDN_sports The Daily News, 770 11th Ave., PO Box 189, Longview, WA © 2014 The Daily News and Lee Enterprises
5
KELSO GIRLS LASSIES | GSHL 3A | WIAA ENROLLMENT: 1,084 PROJECTED STARTERS * ’13-’14 All-league; returning starters bold
PG G* G* P P
Jamilee Iddings Loryn Musgrove Kady Bruce Grace Kinch Mikkayla Wotton
5-9 5-5 5-7 5-5 5-11
Sr. Sr. Sr. Jr. Sr.
Maycie Norman 5-1 HunterThomson-Terrel 5-6 Alison Murphy 5-9 Melany Roggow 5-3
Jr. Jr. Jr. Jr.
IN THE ROTATION
G P F G
POINTS SCORED POINTS ALLOWED
47.2 45.1
2013-14 season
HEAD COACH LACEY DEWEERT, 10TH SEASON Record st school: 126-98 State tournament trips: 2 (0-3)
TROPHY CASE 5 state tournament trips (last: 2013) 1 trophy, 0 state titles Best finish: 8th (2003)
’13-’14 LEAGUE SCHEDULE Prairie at FV at River Bay MV
L 69-53 W 55-22 L 58-57 W 52-39 W 51-46
at Prairie L 54-37 FV W 71-34 River W 41-37 at Bay W 47-41 at MV W 60-40
Overall: 14-8, eliminated at districts
’14-’15 LEAGUE SCHEDULE Jan. 13 Jan. 15 Jan. 20 Jan. 30 Feb. 4 Feb. 6
at Fort Vancouver Prairie at Columbia River Fort Vancouver at Prairie Columbia River
7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m.
THE TREND League wins past four seasons Win
2013-14 2012-13 2011-12 2010-11
Loss
Jamilee Iddings
Lassies’ speed leaves opponents out of breath The court appears to shrink when the Kelso girls basketball team is on it. It’s not because the Lassies are big — far from it, actually — but rather because they cover so much ground buzzing from one end to the other. The sheer activity of it all creates the illusion. Of course, opposing teams might beg to differ. “We played Mountain View in our first nonleague game, and their coach told me after the game his kids were exhausted,” Kelso coach Lacey DeWeert said. “They felt like they were in a cross-country meet.” Kelso has athletes who can run, including state track participants and three-year starters Jamilee Iddings and Loryn Musgrove. DeWeert isn’t about to squander that. “Our goal is to get up and down the floor and wear out the other team,” she said. “We can’t afford to play half-court basketball, because we don’t have the size.” With only one player taller than 5-foot-9, the Lassies will play a lot of 5-out and 4-out offenses with either Mikkayla Wotton, Iddings or Alison Murphy in the post. “The girls like to play up-tempo and all have the green light to shoot 3s,” DeWeert said. “We have kids who spent a lot of time in the gym shooting during the summer, and now they can take advantage of that.” One of those is all-league senior Kady Bruce, a corner shooter who also returns to the Lassies’ three-guard starting lineup. Wotton, the tallest girl on the team at 5-11, will be
leaned on to provide a presence in the paint, with 5-5 junior Grace Kinch also adding some low-post punch. “Grace hasn’t played in the post before, but she will be there by default,” DeWeert said. “She’s a coach’s daughter and really understands the game of basketball.”
The latter is a common trait among the Lassies. “I don’t have to coach motivation and attitude,” DeWeert said. “They all show up ready to go, so we can focus on basketball. They also like each other and are willing to work hard, which makes them a special group.” — Rick McCorkle / The Daily News
FAST BREAK The Lassies are a collection of interchangeable parts. “The kids who play inside are getting a chance to move outside and the guards are getting a chance to be posts,” Coach DeWeert said. Jamilee Iddings has a unique skill-set as the starting point guard and backup post, and Loryn Musgrove and Kady Bruce can fill in at either guard position when Iddings slides to center. “All of the kids are excited to grow their games by getting the chance to play other positions,” DeWeert said. 6
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Panthers
Monarchs
MARK MORRIS GIRLS MONARCHS | GSHL 2A | WIAA ENROLLMENT: 783 Kourtney Eaton
PROJECTED STARTERS * ’13-’14 All-league; returning starters bold
G* Kourtney Eaton G* Ashley Coons G* Tayler Teeters G/F* Karley Eaton F Elaina Flores
5-10 5-10 5-7 5-10 5-10
Sr. Sr. Sr. Sr. Sr.
5-8 5-4 5-5 5-10
So. So. So. Jr.
IN THE ROTATION
F G G F
Zsaleh Parvas Kaylee Johnson Madison Early Mackenzie Curry
POINTS SCORED POINTS ALLOWED
66.4 37.7
2013-14 season
HEAD COACH STEVE ROOKLIDGE, 5TH SEASON Record at school: 83-17 State tournament trips: 3 (8-2)
TROPHY CASE 10 state tournament trips, (last: 2014) 2 trophies; 1 state title (2013)
’13-’14 LEAGUE SCHEDULE Hock. W 76-30 at Ridge. W 87-37 at Wash. W 80-36 RAL W 72-16
at Hock. Ridge. Wash. at RAL
W 83-37 W 83-31 W 83-42 W 67-24
Overall: 24-3, second at state
’14-’15 LEAGUE SCHEDULE Dec. 12 Dec. 16 Dec. 19 Jan. 6 Jan. 13 Jan. 16 Jan. 20 Jan. 22 Jan. 26 Jan. 29 Feb. 5 Feb. 9
Hudson’s Bay at Woodland at Hockinson Ridgefield at Washougal at R.A. Long at Hudson’s Bay Woodland Hockinson at Ridgefield Washougal R.A. Long
W 65-17 W 63-36 –– 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m.
THE TREND League wins past four seasons 2013-14 2012-13 2011-12 2010-11
Win
Loss
Post play key to MM’s quest for another 2A title The Monarchs have gone 49-5 the past two seasons. They start five seniors. They debuted at No. 1 in the AP poll. To point out their weaknesses is to pick nits. But there is reason for at least a sliver of apprehension about the team’s chances of returning to the state title game for a third year in a row. “The height is an issue,” Coach Steve Rooklidge said. Gone from last year’s team are starting posts Renee Pond and Breanna DuBois. This season, no player in the Mark Morris rotation is taller than 5-foot-10.
That puts the spotlight squarely on senior post Elaina Flores, who must bang bodies in the paint with the other teams’ biggest players all season. “I was nervous at first, but it’s been great,” Flores said. “I’m excited for the challenge, and my teammates are really helping me.” To make up for their disadvantage in feet and inches, the Monarchs are counting on unity and hustle. If they defend well as a team and make rebounding a priority, the MM players think they can neutralize other teams’ size. “We’re working every day at it, trying to get better, trying to get used to boxing out,” Kourtney Eaton said. “It’s even hard at practice, because we’re not boxing out big girls like we would be
in games. But as long as we work hard and really focus on it, I think we’re going to be fine.” The presence of Kourtney and twin sister Karley, the reigning coMVPs of the GSHL 2A, certainly helps. Along with fellow senior Ashley Coons, the three make up the highest-scoring backcourt around. In MM’s first two games, the trio accounted for 127 of the Monarchs’ 136 points. On most nights, their 3-point shooting will be enough to outweigh any size disadvantage. “We’re gonna have to make some outside shots, there’s no doubt about it,” Rooklidge said. “And we do have the players who can make them. But they’re going to have to be consistent.” — Kevin Dowd / The Daily News
FAST BREAK The Monarchs opened their season with two games against Skyview and Union — both 4A schools — before taking a week-plus off until the start of league play. “It was kind of a cool start to the season,” senior post Elaina Flores said. “It gave us a good look at what we need to do better and what we’re doing well.” 8
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Lumberjacks
Panthers
R.A. LONG GIRLS LUMBERJILLS | GSHL 2A | WIAA ENROLLMENT: 764 Sarah Luedke
PROJECTED STARTERS * ’13-’14 All-league; returning starters bold
G G G P* P
Sami Olsen Hannah Speed Khloe Snair Sarah Luedke Tatum Didier
5-6 5-10 5-10 6-2 6-0
Jr. Sr. So. Sr. Jr.
5-9 5-5 5-6 5-8
Sr. So. So. Jr.
IN THE ROTATION
F G G F
Katie Morgan Laurel Poole Alyssa Arruda Jessica Barksdale
POINTS SCORED POINTS ALLOWED
42.5 48.5
2013-14 season
HEAD COACH BRAD WHITE, 1ST SEASON
TROPHY CASE 7 state tournament trips (last: 1994) 1 trophy, 1 state title (1981)
’13-’14 LEAGUE SCHEDULE at Hock. Ridge. at MM at Wash.
L 56-28 W 53-36 L 72-16 L 63-53
Hock. L 57-52 at Ridge. W 43-37 MM L 67-24 Wash. L 56-44
Overall: 7-13, missed playoffs
’14-’15 LEAGUE SCHEDULE Dec. 12 Dec. 19 Jan. 6 Jan. 9 Jan. 13 Jan. 16 Jan. 20 Jan. 26 Jan. 29 Feb. 2 Feb. 5 Feb. 9
Hockinson at Washougal at Hudson’s Bay Ridgefield at Woodland Mark Morris at Hockinson Washougal Hudson’s Bay at Ridgefield Woodland at Mark Morris
L 42-36 –– 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7:30 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m.
THE TREND League wins past four seasons 2013-14 2012-13 2011-12 2010-11
Win
Loss
New coach gives R.A. Long players freedom, flexibility Sarah Luedke could hardly contain herself during a break in play against Kelso earlier this season. Just moments earlier, she did something that might have been unthinkable for the 6-foot-2 senior a few years back: She dribbled behind her back... in a game... while breaking a full-court press. It was an accomplishment worthy of a first pump and a few highfives if ever there was one, but also a glimpse into the changing dynamics at play in Year 1 of the Brad White era at RAL. “I always believe that you don’t pigeon-hole a kid, ‘You’re a five, this is all you do,’ or, ‘You’re a 5-9 kid, and you’re a point guard, this is all you do,’” the first-year Jills head coach said. “We’re trying to round out all
the kids to be ‘basketball players,’ and Sarah has those skills. So instead of letting people pack three of four people on her, we’re going to loosen her up a little bit and use her ability.” The buzz word these days with the Jills is freedom — freedom of movement, freedom to run, freedom to do things outside the established basketball order. Sometimes, that means letting a 6-2 post handle the ball like or point guard. It also means giving direct control of schemes to the players on the court — teaching them concepts that govern space and motion, then letting them figure out the rest. “It allows us flexibility in the way we play, and it allows us to be our own leaders,” Luedke said. “I really do enjoy having the ball in my hand and setting some things up for the team. I’ve been four years on varsity and being able to be a leader on the court is really important to me.”
Of course, those four years have not always been kind to RAL— a period still missing a playoff trip, with one .500 season to speak of. But there is hope things might be different this year. Fellow seniors Hannah Speed and Katie Morgan are back alongside Luedke, as is junior returning starter Khloe Snair. Six-foot junior Tatum Didier gives the Jills two formidable post players. There’s also a bench that goes several players deep. “I haven’t even talked about postseason or playoffs with them,” White said. “I really do think our biggest opponent right now is not the opponent. Our biggest opponent now is us.” Get all those players on the same page, understanding the free-flowing system White wants his players to operate in, and there’s a chance the Jills could shake things up. A behind-the-back dribble is certainly a good place to start. — Matt Schubert / The Daily News
FAST BREAK Taking over a team with past struggles is nothing new for Coach White, who inherited a college program at Nebraska Wesleyan University that had four winning seasons in 24 years prior to his arrival. NWU had three above-.500 seasons in a row after he took over. “We need to embrace the culture and the good history and what not, but we can’t fix it,” White said of RAL. “Can’t we just be the 12 kids that are here now with what we have, and do the best we can without trying to fix 40, 50 years of history?” 10
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11
WOODLAND GIRLS BEAVERS | GSHL 2A | WIAA ENROLLMENT: 472 PROJECTED STARTERS * ’13-’14 All-league; returning starters bold
PG* G* G/F G/F P*
Sidra Malik Jessica Flanagan Kendall Grell Amber Malik McKenna Mulder
5-3 5-8 5-8 5-7 6-1
Sr. Jr. Sr. Jr. Sr.
IN THE ROTATION
P
Kate Cochran
5-9
POINTS SCORED POINTS ALLOWED
Jr. 53.7
29.7
2013-14 season
HEAD COACH GLEN FLANAGAN, 18TH SEASON Record at school: 314-100 State tournament trips: 9 (12-15)
TROPHY CASE 13 state tournament trips (last: 2014) 6 trophies, 0 state titles Best finish: 5th (2001)
’13-’14 LEAGUE SCHEDULE at Tol. at Ilw. at Stev. LC CR at WS at Kal. at KWC Tol.
W 52-35 W 63-41 W 52-22 W 65-30 W 58-11 W 54-41 W 55-39 W 61-14 W 58-24
at SC Ilw. Stev. at LC at CR SC WS Kal.
W 61-18 W 50-16 W 52-16 W 48-35 W 58-30 W 53-9 W 47-31 W 61-43
Overall: 22-1, eliminated at 1A regionals
’14-’15 LEAGUE SCHEDULE Dec. 12 Dec. 16 Jan. 6 Jan. 9 Jan. 13 Jan. 16 Jan. 20 Jan. 22 Jan. 29 Feb. 2 Feb. 5 Feb. 9
at Ridgefield Mark Morris Washougal at Hudson’s Bay R.A. Long Hockinson Ridgefield at Mark Morris at Washougal Hudson’s Bay at R.A. Long at Hockinson
W 60-22 L 63-36 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7:30 p.m.
THE TREND League wins past four seasons 2013-14 2012-13 2011-12 2010-11
12
Win
Loss
Jessica Flanagan
Balanced Beavers score off the chart on hoops IQ test What the Beavers lack in depth this season, they make up for in experience and brain power. Led by a strong core of returning starters — four in all — this is a Woodland group that has played together since elementary school and enjoyed plenty of success, including last year’s unbeaten run through the Southwest 1A Trico Division. If ever there was a team ready for the jump to the Greater St. Helens 2A League, this would be it. “Their overall basketball IQ is off the charts,” Beavers coach Glen Flanagan said. “Our team GPA was 3.8 last year, so they’re both book smart and basketball smart. I can throw a lot of things at them with seven different defenses and 20 different offenses, and they will understand and do really well.” The Beavers may not have an imposing frontline, but they do have options thanks to their tactical flexibility. Coach Flanagan’s philosophy promotes balanced scoring, which he refuses to compromise. “A typical night for us will be five girls scoring between eight and 12 points,” Flanagan said. “We won’t showcase or feed one player each night. We’re a team, and we’re going to play with a balanced, inside-outside offense. We will play basketball the right way.” Depth is an issue for Woodland, which used a six-player rotation early on during the nonleague season. Of those six, 2014 1A Trico co-
MVP Jessica Flanagan, McKenna Mulder and Sidra Malik are twotime all-league picks and threeyear starters. Kendall Grell is a two-year starter. But Mulder is the Beavers’ lone inside presence at 6-foot-1. So running may not be an option early on. “I have certain rotations and they take time for me to develop,” Coach Flanagan said. “I need to get confidence in them running the offense, and for them to develop
confidence in what we’re playing. The more players I feel we have ready to go, the more we’ll run.” While Woodland’s offense has remained unchanged, its defense has undergone a number of facelifts through the years. The Beavers have implemented everything from a diamond press, to a zone trap, to a 1-3-1, to full-court man. With a team as flexible as this, all options are on the table. — Rick McCorkle / The Daily News
FAST BREAK Moving back up to GSHL 2A hasn’t put a damper on the Beavers’ spirits. “It’s nice to move up,” Coach Flanagan said. “The kids all know each other from AAU basketball, ASA softball and summer league. It’s nice to have different competition after a few years.” Woodland has won 14 league titles in the last 17 seasons, and the expectations this season are no different. “We hope to win this league.” Coach Flanagan said. “Mark Morris is awesome, I respect what they do and their kids are amazing. I’d hope we’d give them a run and maybe get a game off them.”
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13
Rockets
Wildcats
Bruins
CASTLE ROCK GIRLS ROCKETS | SOUTHWEST 1A TRICO | WIAA ENROLLMENT: 307 PROJECTED STARTERS * ’13-’14 All-league; returning starters bold
PG G G/F G/F P
Nakayla Ehrhorn 5-0 Jessica Lair 5-4 Auna Dolan 5-8 Emilee Janisch 5-9 Mattie Williquette 6-0
Fr. Sr. Fr. Jr. Sr.
IN THE ROTATION
G P G P
Haley Keeling Carly Lam Aleena Guerrero Katrina Smith
POINTS SCORED POINTS ALLOWED
5-4 5-10 5-3 5-8
Jr. So. Jr. Sr.
27.8 47.9
2013-14 season
HEAD COACH SHERRY ALLEN, SECOND SEASON Record at school: 3-15 State tournament trips: 0
TROPHY CASE 10 state tournament trips (last: 2013) 5 trophies, 0 state titles Best finish: 2nd (1982, 2013)
’13-’14 LEAGUE SCHEDULE at SC W 45-32 WS L 55-17 at Kalama L 66-19 at Wood. L 58-11 at LC L 53-12 Ilwaco L 64-29 at KWC W 40-22 at Toledo L 40-29 SC L 30-21
at Ilwaco L 44-19 at Stev. L 50-40 at WS L 43-36 Kalama L 73-33 Stev. L 27-25 Wood. L 58-30 LC L 55-32 KWC W 46-24
Overall: 3-15, missed playoffs
’14-’15 LEAGUE SCHEDULE Dec. 9 Dec. 11 Dec. 16 Dec. 18 Jan. 13 Jan. 15 Jan. 17 Jan. 20 Jan. 26 Feb. 5
La Center at White Salmon Seton Catholic Kalama Stevenson at La Center at Seton Catholic White Salmon at Kalama Stevenson
L 69-19 L 54-34 W 36-24 L 87-26 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 6:15 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m.
THE TREND League wins past four seasons 2013-14 2012-13
Win
Loss
Auna Dolan
Spirited Rockets ready to rebuild with young pieces The first game of the season offered few bright spots for Castle Rock. The Rockets shot just 11 percent from the field, scored single digits in every quarter and left the gym with the scoreboard reading 50-12 Rainier at the end of the night. Pretty dispiriting stuff for a season opener. Yet there were the Rockets, a half an hour later, happily belting out Christmas carols on the bus ride back to the Rock. “I was like, ‘Did you not just see the score? How are you this happy?’” CR coach Sherry Allen said. In a season where losses are expected, and success has little to do with the league standings, the Rockets aren’t about to let a few setbacks ruin the fun. That’s why they play the game, after all. If a few wins come along the way, all the better. “The goal is to win, but we’re not going to win them all,” freshman Auna Dolan said. “As long as we improve throughout the year, that will be kind of a success. If you are rebuilding it’s not about winning every game, it’s about getting better.” Already, the Rockets can lay claim to that. After suffering through four straight losses to start the schedule — including a 37-31 setback at Clatskanie in which CR surrendered a double-digit lead — the Rockets rebounded with a 36-24 victory against Seton Catholic that hinted at a bright future ahead.
Dolan, a multi-faceted wing, nearly had a double-double with 10 points and eight rebounds, while fellow freshman Nakayla Ehrhorn added eight points. Coach Allen hopes to make the pair centerpieces of a youth movement that will hopefully pay dividends down the road for CR. “I would just like them to get immersed in the program and what we’re doing and the philosophy, and gain confidence this year,” she said. “Then next year they will step up and be leaders to the good group of eighth-graders that are coming up.”
Until then, they have this year to develop, with seniors Jessica Lair and Mattie Williquette — the lone holdover from CR’s 1A state runner-up team in 2012-13 — more than willing to play the role of mentors. “They are awesome,” Williquette said of her younger teammates. “They go out there and they try, and that’s really all you can ask for on a team that’s this young. They are not afraid of anything.” Even, it seems, enduring a few rough nights. — Matt Schubert / The Daily News
2011-12
FAST BREAK
2010-11
It appears there’s help on the way at Castle Rock. In addition to this year’s promising freshmen, a strong eighth-grade class is on the horizon, according to Coach Allen. “I truly think that in the next couple of years we’re going to be an above-average team. I don’t know that we’ll be there this year. I think we’ll be middle of the pack. But I’m hoping next year and the year after we’ll get there.”
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Knights
KALAMA GIRLS CHINOOKS | SOUTHWEST 1A TRICO DIVISION | WIAA ENROLLMENT: 208 Parker Esary
PROJECTED STARTERS * ’13-’14 All-league; returning starters bold
G G G* P* P*
Khloe Clark Mackenzi Badger Haley Bannister Kaelyn Shipley Parker Esary
5-6 5-7 5-8 6-0 6-0
Sr. Sr. Sr. So. So.
Jazzmine Rowland 5-9 McKenna LaRoy 5-9
Sr. So.
IN THE ROTATION
F G
POINTS SCORED POINTS ALLOWED
54.7 38.1
2013-14 season
HEAD COACH BRYNAN SHIPLEY, FIFTH SEASON Record at school: 37-49 State tournament trips: 1 (1-2)
TROPHY CASE 4 state tournament trips (last: 2014) 0 trophies, 0 state titles Best finish: Won regional game in 2014
’13-’14 LEAGUE SCHEDULE at Ilwaco W 64-33 LC W 49-34 CR W 66-19 WS W 52-32 at Toledo W 59-23 Wood. L 55-39 Stev. W 67-28 at SC W 53-37 Ilwaco W 73-48
at Stev. W 55-28 at KWC W 76-21 at LC W 46-41 at CR W 73-33 KWC W 79-14 at WS W 55-30 Toledo W 67-46 at Wood. L 61-43
Overall: 20-6, eliminated at state
’14-’15 LEAGUE SCHEDULE Dec. 8 Dec. 19 Jan. 9 Jan. 13 Jan. 15 Jan. 20 Jan. 26 Jan. 31 Feb. 2 Feb. 5
White Salmon Castle Rock at Stevenson La Center at White Salmon Seton Catholic at Castle Rock at Seton Catholic Stevenson at La Center
W 64-29 W 87-26 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 3:30 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m.
THE TREND League wins past four seasons 2013-14 2012-13
Win
Loss
Magnificent 7 can all have an impact for Chinooks With only seven regular varsity players, Kalama coach Brynan Shipley doesn’t have a lot of options when she looks down her bench. What she does have is a team loaded with talent, including four returning starters and three allleague players from a squad that reached the state tournament a year ago. “Our numbers aren’t big, but we stress quality over quantity,” Shipley said. “They’re all strong and athletic, and they love to run the floor. It’s a coach’s dream, because they’re friends. They work well together and don’t have team drama.” For the most part, Kalama’s lineup has been together for awhile. Three players — Khloe Clark, Mackenzi Badger and Haley
Bannister — are three-year starters, with Kaelyn Shipley a two-year starter. With a pair of 6-footers — Shipley and Parker Esary — in the lineup, the Chinooks have the size to pull defensive rebounds and get their fast-break offense in gear. “All of them like to run the floor,” Coach Shipley said. “Kaelyn is usually the first one down the floor if she doesn’t get the rebound. She knows Parker will grab the ball and outlet to a teammate who will get her the ball.” If opposing defenses choose to collapse on Shipley and Esary in the paint, the duo, along with their teammates, have the green light to shoot from outside the arc. “Anyone coming off the bench can also shoot from outside,” Coach Shipley said. “We have a strong bench with reserves who could start on other teams, but we’re loaded. They’re in a good spot for us and understand their roles.” In early victories over Hudson’s Bay (77-6) and White Salmon (6429), Shipley wasn’t able to experi-
ment with a lot of defenses. “We really weren’t tested in those games,” she said. “I’d like to press more, but you never know with small, quick teams which can dribble through it. We’ve played some zone, man-to-man and halfcourt press. I like to have a variety to draw upon depending on who our opponent is. It’s great to have a versatile group of girls who can change it up.” With the departure of Woodland, Ilwaco and Toledo from the Trico, Shipley hopes the Chinooks have a clear path to the league crown. “We won’t really know until we play La Center, but the league is weaker without those teams,” she said. “We’ve had to pick and choose our nonleague games to get tougher opponents. We’re not going for the perfect record, and we’re more interested in having the girls ready for the postseason. “Win or lose, the tougher nonleague games are the ones where you learn the most.” — Rick McCorkle / The Daily News
2011-12 2010-11 16
FAST BREAK It’s hard to imagine that five seasons ago Kalama was winless in Southwest 1A Trico Division play. “It’s been a long road, but when I took the job I could see the future,” Coach Shipley said. “I knew it would be a long five years, but I’m excited about it.”
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17
Clatskanie Tigers
ns
2A NW
Warrenton, Ore. Warriors
4A Cowapa
2A NW
CLATSKANIE GIRLS TIGERS | LEWIS & CLARK 3A | OSAA ENROLLMENT: 205 PROJECTED STARTERS * ’13-’14 All-league; returning starters bold
G G G/F F F
Rachel Haas Demi Farbo Olivia Warren Carmen Lindblom Maisy Horness
5-3 5-4 5-4 5-9 5-11
So. Sr. Fr. So. Sr.
IN THE ROTATION
G F
Makenzie Mitchell 5-3 So. Madeline Moravec 5-11 Fr.
POINTS SCORED POINTS ALLOWED
33 46.8
2013-14 season
HEAD COACH DAWN WARREN, SECOND SEASON Record at school: 1-22 State tournament trips: 0
TROPHY CASE 7 state tournament trips (last: 2011) 0 trophies, 0 state titles Best finish: 7th (2011)
’13-’14 LEAGUE SCHEDULE at OE Rainier CG at Corb. PA at Warr. DLSN at VC
L L L L L L L L
21-18 52-32 51-40 55-16 44-32 54-27 38-36 68-14
OE L 47-23 at Rainier L 55-35 at CG L 53-42 Corb. L 46-28 at PA L 45-21 Warr. W 53-49 at DLSN L 43-34 VC L 67-20
Overall: 1-22, missed playoffs
’14-’15 LEAGUE SCHEDULE Dec. 16 Dec. 19 Dec. 20 Jan. 6 Jan. 10 Jan. 13 Jan. 16 Jan. 17 Jan. 20 Jan. 23 Jan. 24 Jan. 27 Jan. 30 Feb. 6 Feb. 10 Feb. 12
Portland Adventist Oregon Episcopal at Rainier at Riverdale DLSN Catholic at Portland Christian Warrenton at Catlin Gabel at Portland Adventist Oregon Episcopal Rainier Catlin Gabel Riverdale at DLSN Catholic Portland Christian at Warrenton
L 41-36 –– –– 6 p.m. 4 p.m. 6 p.m. 6 p.m. 4 p.m. 6 p.m. 6 p.m. 6 p.m. 6 p.m. 6 p.m. 6 p.m. 6 p.m. 6 p.m.
THE TREND League wins past four seasons Win
2013-14
Loss
Tigers’ ability to keep calm elevates playoff prospects When discussing what lies ahead for Clatskanie, second-year head coach Dawn Warren could have been channeling Aaron Rodgers. The operative word for the Tigers? C-A-L-M. Last year was not an easy one for Clatskanie. Graduation and a medical issue took most of the team’s experience. Rachel Haas suddenly found herself at the top of the pointguard depth chart as a freshman. Everyone was learning a new system. The result: loss of composure, 40- and 50-turnover games and just one win to speak of. Clatskanie’s players responded as every coach hopes a team would: by working harder. But the reason the Tigers are likely on a positive trajectory has less to do with drills and conditioning and more to do with maintaining calm when the situation on the court is anything but. Haas and senior guard Demi Farbo are the calmers-in-chief. Warren is emphasizing the need to push the ball up the floor. A big reason she can go there is that the now battle-tested Haas can handle it. Farbo wields “probably the nicest-looking shot on the team” and is a big contributor to the Tigers’ composure, but the Tigers’ main weapon is senior post Maisy Horness. “(Horness) is a great rebounder. She’s able to drive to the basket, create a lot of inside shots,” Warren said. “And Rachel’s got a great little outside shot when they’re falling. She
Rachel Haas
Portland Christian Royals
works very well with Maisy.” The newcomer in this lineup is Olivia Warren, a freshman and “probably the best passer on the team,” according to Coach Warren. She’s strong enough to play inside but also sees the floor well and excels at distributing the ball. The end result is a team that spends much more of the game cool-headed and moving with a purpose. It’s shown in early nonleague
Portland Adventist Cougars
results: a road win at Jefferson in overtime, an 11-turnover night against Knappa and a comeback from 16 points down against Castle Rock that became a four-point win. “I’ve got a young group of girls that want to work hard, and I can see us getting better every year, so I’m excited about that,” Warren said. “They have the potential, they really and truly do, to be a very good team.” — R.D. Hight / The Daily News
2012-13 2011-12 2010-11 18
Corbett
FAST BREAK As Clatskanie looks around the new Lewis and Clark 3A League, it sees a good environment for rebuilding. Rainier and Portland Adventist have strong programs, but the rest of the field is relatively young and inexperienced. “My impression is, it’s going to be a lot of ‘Who wants the game more?’ with most of the teams in our league,” Warren said.
Clatskanie Tigers
Rainier Columbians
Loggers 2A NW
Warrenton, Ore. Warriors
Loggers 2A NW
RAINIER GIRLS COLUMBIANS | LEWIS & CLARK 3A | OSAA ENROLLMENT: 262 Desirae Hansen
PROJECTED STARTERS * ’13-’14 All-league; returning starters bold
G G* G P P
Brandy Thurston Jenny Westlund Desirae Hansen Shelby Saylors Jessica Gibson
5-3 5-9 5-10 5-8 5-7
Sr. Sr. Fr. Sr. Sr.
Portland Christian Royals
Portland Adventist Cougars
IN THE ROTATION
G G P
Laken Garman 5-4 Aspen Norman 5-5 Dominique Pedersen 5-9
Sr. Fr. Sr.
POINTS SCORED POINTS ALLOWED
37.7 35.7
2013-14 season
HEAD COACH DOUG KNOX, NINTH SEASON Record at school: 177-71 State tournament trips: 7 (12-9)
TROPHY CASE 13 state tournament trips (last: 2013) 5 trophies; 1 state title (2008)
’13-’14 LEAGUE SCHEDULE PA at Clats Warr at DLSN at Corb VC OE at CG
W 51-49 W 52-32 W 52-36 W 48-16 L 40-33 L 65-32 W 33-30 L 40-27
at PA Clats at Warr DLSN Corbett at OE at VC CG
L 44-24 W 55-35 W 28-17 W 39-30 W 32-29 L 37-34 L 61-24 W 45-22
Overall: 13-12, eliminated at districts
’14-’15 LEAGUE SCHEDULE Dec. 16 Dec. 18 Dec. 20 Jan. 6 Jan. 9 Jan. 10 Jan. 13 Jan. 16 Jan. 20 Jan. 23 Jan. 24 Jan. 29 Feb. 3 Feb. 6 Feb. 10 Feb. 12
Catlin Gabel at Riverdale Clatskanie at P. Adventist at Ore. Episcopal P. Christian at Warrenton DLSN Catholic at Catlin Gabel Riverdale at Clatskanie P. Adventist Ore. Episcopal at P. Christian Warrenton at DLSN Catholic
W 65-14 W Forfeit –– 5 p.m. 6 p.m. 4 p.m. 6 p.m. 6 p.m. 6 p.m. 6 p.m. 6 p.m. 6 p.m. 6 p.m. 6 p.m. 6 p.m. 6 p.m.
THE TREND League wins past four seasons Win
2013-14
Loss
Columbians in power position in league title chase You don’t need to bleed back and green to see good things in Rainier’s immediate future. The Lewis and Clark 3A League lost the Columbians’ two biggest roadblocks with the departures of perennial state powers Valley Catholic and Corbett — the former being the lone team to sweep Rainier in league last winter. With four returning starters in the lineup, all of whom are seniors, there’s no downplaying it: The Columbians are the heir to the Lewis and Clark 3A crown until someone proves otherwise. Rainier coach Doug Knox is certainly a believer. “We have a lot more depth than we had last year,” Coach Knox
said. “We’re pretty balanced. It helps to have six seniors who have been in the system for four years. That helps. They know what I’m thinking.” At the forefront of Knox’s mind is defense. The Columbians’ frantic, in-your-face style of play has become a signature of the program since the coach took the helm nine years ago. That isn’t likely to change. It’s the free-throw shooting and offense that are a work in progress for Rainier. “We need to be more aggressive on the offensive end,” Knox said. “We’ve got to get to the basket, come up with better scoring options.” Those options are very likely to begin with Jenny Westlund, Rainier’s leading scorer and all-league second-team pick from last year. Brandy Thurston, Shelby Say-
lors and Jessica Gibson round out Rainier’s experienced, reliable core, but Knox is also starting a freshman who promises to be a very valuable addition: Desirae Hansen. At 5-foot-10, Hansen is the tallest player on the roster and brings skill to match her size. “She’s pretty versatile,” Knox said. “She can handle the ball pretty well, create mismatches on post players because she’s quicker. She’s kind of a long, lanky player. She can play all five spots.” Rainier will face a strong challenge immediately after Christmas, with important league matchups against Portland Adventist, Oregon Episcopal and Portland Christian coming up after the break. With all of the experience at their disposal, the Columbians should be ready. — R.D. Hight / The Daily News
2012-13 2011-12 2010-11
FAST BREAK Coach Knox loaded up on tough games to begin the season, with each of the Columbians’ first three opponents state championship game participants last winter. Thus, when Rainier started the year 0-3, Knox wasn’t too worried. “I like the fact that these are really tough games,” he said. “If you want to be the best, you have to beat the best.” 19
Ell ans
Wahkiakum Mules
Toutle Lake Ducks
Timberwolves
Cardinals
TOUTLE LAKE GIRLS DUCKS | CENTRAL 2B | WIAA ENROLLMENT: 163 Britzy Hockett
PROJECTED STARTERS * ’13-’14 All-league; returning starters bold
G G* G* F P*
Britzy Hockett Sam Woodley Bailey Hockett Ashlynn Dean Makala Gardner
5-7 5-8 5-9 5-6 6-1
So. Jr. Sr. So. Jr.
5-8 5-7 5-5 5-9 6-0
Jr Jr. Jr. So. Fr.
Winlock/Toledo Warhawks or United
IN THE ROTATION
F F G F F
Mikyala Deffenbaugh Brittany Shank Michaela Frick Michelle Perrigo Rebecca Pickner
POINTS SCORED POINTS ALLOWED
57.1 29.8
2013-14 season
HEAD COACH BRIAN HOCKETT, FIRST YEAR
TROPHY CASE 15 state tournament trips (last: 2014) 8 trophies, 0 state titles Best finish: 2nd (2011, ’14)
’13-’14 LEAGUE SCHEDULE at Ony W 61-13 Napa W 65-33 at Pe Ell W 65-21 MWP W 54-25 Win W 68-22 at Adna W 66-34 Wah W 51-43 at Mossy W 63-13
Ony at Nap Pe Ell at MWP at Win Adna at Wah
W 51-30 W 46-36 W 59-25 W 50-37 W 55-18 W 69-32 W 65-29
Overall: 25-1, 2nd at state
’14-’15 LEAGUE SCHEDULE Dec. 10 Dec. 12 Dec. 13 Dec. 17 Dec. 18 Dec. 20 Jan. 7 Jan. 9 Jan. 14 Jan. 15 Jan. 20 Jan. 22 Jan. 24 Jan. 27 Jan. 29 Jan. 31 Feb. 3 Feb. 5
at Mossyrock W 65-39 Toledo W 66-52 Pe Ell W 55-22 Winlock W Forfeit Onalaska W 55-32 Napavine –– at Adna 7 p.m. at Morton/White Pass 7 p.m. Wahkiakum 7 p.m. at Napavine 7 p.m. Mossyrock 7 p.m. at Toledo 7 p.m. at Pe Ell 7 p.m. at Winlock 7 p.m. at Onalaska 7 p.m. Adna 7 p.m. Morton/White Pass 7 p.m. at Wahkiakum 7 p.m.
THE TREND League wins past four seasons 2013-14
Win
Loss
Seasoned Ducks know how to play for high stakes The old sports cliché says winning breeds winning. With Toutle Lake girls athletics, it’s easy to see where it comes from. The Ducks return most of last year’s state runner-up squad, and as new head coach Brian Hockett points out, these girls are used to the spotlight. “The core of our team has won high school state titles, ASA softball state titles, played in big basketball tournaments in Portland and Vancouver,” he said. “They’re used to playing in a lot of big games.” Hockett takes over after Larry Hoff’s nine seasons. Hockett’s not making any wholesale changes, but there have been
Coach Brian Hockett
some tweaks. For example, the Ducks will be running fewer offensive sets, hoping to focus on the plays they run really well. Execution, combined with his team’s athleticism, could be a deadly combination for Toutle Lake’s opponents. “We very seldom turn the ball over,” Hockett said. “We got a lot of athletes. We’re going to be as athletic as anyone in the 2Bs for sure and probably some of the upper divisions.” Practices also have changed,
said senior guard Bailey Hockett and junior forward Sam Woodley. “They’re not harder, but they’re different,” Woodley said. “Last year, all we did was run. There’s much more agility training this year.” One of coach Hockett’s main concerns is depth. He expects several players who had no varsity experience to step into vital roles off the bench. “Adding to our scoring, that’s the biggest one (need),” he said. “We got a couple of really good scorers; we just got to make sure we can survive if they aren’t scoring for some reason.” The coach may have changed, but the goals have not. “I want to win every game. I want to win state,” Bailey said. With Toutle’s championship pedigree, it’s hard to bet against the Ducks soaring to their usual height. — Ryan Horlen / The Daily News
2012-13 2011-12 2010-11 20
FAST BREAK Before a district exit in volleyball, the Toutle Lake girls had played in four straight state finals: softball, volleyball, basketball and softball again.
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Toledo Indians
Onalaska Loggers
Adna Pirates
Mossyrock Vikings
Napavine Tigers
Pe Ell Trojans
TOLEDO GIRLS INDIANS | CENTRAL 2B | WIAA ENROLLMENT: 208 Casee Rice
PROJECTED STARTERS * ’13-’14 All-league; returning starters bold
PG G* G/F F F
Victoria Tjemsland Casee Rice Chaselin Rice Emily Barge Haley Tauscher
5-4 5-6 5-6 5-8 5-9
Sr. Sr. Sr. Jr. Jr.
5-5 5-6 5-6 6-0
Jr. Fr. Fr. Jr. 39.5 45.5
IN THE ROTATION
G Courtney Moore G Anna Tauscher G/F Alyssa Ewers F Josie Bowen POINTS SCORED POINTS ALLOWED 2013-14 season
HEAD COACH J.B. EWERS, 5TH SEASON Record at school: 21-49 State tournament trips: 0
TROPHY CASE 18 state tournament trips (last: 2010) 8 trophies; 0 state titles Best finish: 2nd (1989)
’13-’14 LEAGUE SCHEDULE Wood. SC at KWC Ilwaco Kalama at LC at Stev. CR at Wood
L 52-35 W 56-19 W 58-33 L 49-43 L 59-23 L 66-38 L 33-32 W 40-29 L 58-24
WS W 42-38 at WS L 41-22 LC L 59-32 at SC W 51-35 KWC W 57-24 at Ilwaco L 50-44 at Kal L 67-46 Stev. L 41-37
Overall: 6-13, missed playoffs
’14-’15 LEAGUE SCHEDULE Dec. 5 Dec. 10 Dec. 12 Dec. 13 Dec. 17 Dec. 19 Jan. 7 Jan. 9 Jan. 14 Jan. 15 Jan. 20 Jan. 22 Jan. 24 Jan. 27 Jan. 29 Jan. 31 Feb. 3 Feb. 5
Mossyrock at Napavine at Toutle Lake at MWP Onalaska at Winlock Pe Ell at Wahkiakum Adna at Mossyrock Napavine Toutle Lake MWP at Onalaska Winlock at Pe Ell Wahkiakum at Adna
W 58-54 L 61-39 L 66-52 L 46-44 L 36-33 –– 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 5:45 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m.
THE TREND League wins past four seasons 2013-14 2012-13 2011-12 2010-11 22
Win
Loss
Upgrade to team communication has Indians jelling It was at the Indians’ jamboree this season that Coach J.B. Ewers finally had enough. Enough of the arguing, enough of the fights — enough of the sort of petty disagreements he feels have held Toledo back in seasons past. So right there on the floor, Ewers pulled his players into a circle and told them to talk. “Say what you want to say, get it out in the open,” Ewers said. “I used to get texts saying, ‘So-andso said this about me.’ Ever since we just kind of stood around and said what we wanted to say, ever since then it’s been better. That was the turning point.” His players have noticed the
same sort of improvement. It’s a big reason why the Indians feel they might finally be ready to turn the corner after going 6-13 last season and 5-15 the year before that. “Last year, we had all the talent that we have now. We just didn’t get along,” forward Haley Tauscher said. “I feel like our team is way better than it has been in the past. We get along a lot better, and we have a lot more chemistry on the floor.” While the Indians go nine deep, it’s still twins Casee and Chaselin Rice leading the way. Casee is the team’s leading returning scorer and primary playmaker, but her sister will have a major impact, too. “Casee is usually our go-to, she really scores well, does a lot of good things,” Ewers said. “But Chaselin has improved so much. She’s more of a slasher, and
she ate Mossyrock alive (in our opener).” The Rices are also no longer the only sister act on Toledo’s roster — Taucher’s sister Anna, a freshman, also has cracked the rotation. Toledo has improved its scoring average by five points per game each of the past two seasons. With a roster full of upperclassmen, Ewers expects to see another bump this season. There’s not much outside shooting, he said, but enough to make defenses pay. And if Toledo hits a rough patch, the players know now they can always talk it out. “That’s just the way we handle it now,” Casee Rice said. “Sometimes we’ll all get together and say, ‘OK, do we need to talk about anything? Do we have any problems?’ It’s worked really well for us.” — Kevin Dowd / The Daily News
FAST BREAK Coach J.B. Ewers didn’t know the impact forward Emily Barge could have until this summer, when Barge got a job at McDonald’s and could only play in some of Toledo’s summer league games. “Once she left, they would just shred us inside,” Ewers said. “I was like, ‘What in the world’s going on?’ She’s a great post defender.”
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Morton/White Pass Timberwolves
Wahkiakum Mules
Lake ks
Winlock Cardinals
WAHKIAKUM GIRLS MULES | CENTRAL 2B | WIAA ENROLLMENT: 109 Baylee Olsen
STARTING FIVE Winlock/Toledo *’13-’14 All-league; returning starters bold
PG SG* SG* F* P
Peyton Souvenir Sam Boyce Baylee Olsen Tori Wegdahl Kaylee Bryant
Warhawks or United
5-5 5-5 6-0 5-6 5-11
So. Sr. Sr. Sr. Sr.
5-5 5-4 5-4 5-8 5-5 5-6
Sr. Sr. Fr. Jr. So. Sr.
IN THE ROTATION
F SG PG SG SG F
Jessica Thomas Morgan Elliott Maddie Mace Grace Peacock Savannah Burdick Marissa Longtain
POINTS SCORED POINTS ALLOWED
50.2 42.4
2013-14 season
HEAD COACH ROB GARRETT, 3RD SEASON Record at school: 29-20 State tournament trips: 1 (0-1)
TROPHY CASE 12 state tournament trips (last: 2014) 9 trophies, 1 state title (1980)
’13-’14 LEAGUE SCHEDULE at Win W 50-40 NV W 52-35 at Pe Ell W 44-27 MWP W 59-43 at Ony W 61-43 at Mossy W 56-43 at TL L 51-43 Adna L 55-46
Win at NV Pe Ell at MWP Ony Mossy TL
W 50-36 W 50-40 W 53-49 L 48-47 W 50-37 W 64-30 L 65-29
Overall: 17-8, Eliminated in 2B regional
’14-’15 LEAGUE SCHEDULE Dec. 5 Dec. 10 Dec. 12 Dec. 13 Dec. 17 Dec. 19 Jan. 7 Jan. 9 Jan. 14 Jan. 15 Jan. 20 Jan. 22 Jan. 24 Jan. 27 Jan. 29 Jan. 31 Feb. 3 Feb. 5
at Adna W 50-39 Pe Ell W 65-34 at Winlock W 62-21 at Mossyrock W 64-16 at Morton/White Pass W 57-45 Napavine –– at Onalaska 7 p.m. Toledo 7 p.m. at Toutle Lake 7 p.m. Adna 7 p.m. at Pe Ell 7 p.m. Winlock 7 p.m. Mossyrock 7 p.m. Morton/White Pass 7 p.m. at Napavine 7 p.m. Onalaska 7 p.m. at Toledo 7 p.m. Toutle Lake 7 p.m.
THE TREND League wins past four seasons Win 2013-14 2012-13 2011-12 2010-11 24
Loss
Mules getting the band back together for run at Spokane Baylee Olsen’s grandma was having none of it. Her granddaughter in Mark Morris blue and red? That wasn’t gonna fly in grandma’s house. If Olsen was going to transfer to the big school down the road and not spend her senior year in Mule Country, there would be repercussions. “She put away my pictures and everything,” said Olsen, a threeyear starter on the Mules varsity. Maybe that was the tipping point, maybe it wasn’t. Whatever the case, the Wahkiakum senior needed just one quarter at MM to decompress. A stressful year away from the court that included the loss of close family members concluded with her realizing there’s no place like home.
“I could never fully call Mark Morris my school, I would always talk about here (in Cathlamet),” she said. “I just wanted to be here with us seven.” “Us seven” is the Mules senior group that’s been together since Day 1 — playing hoops together in Y ball, rampaging to the state finals in volleyball and, now, preparing to make one last run at Spokane. Wahkiakum fell one game short of that destination a year ago, losing in heart-breaking fashion in the 2B regional round. After Olsen left for her sabbatical last spring, it appeared the Mules’ window might close. Then she made a call to Coach Rob Garrett in July. “When it happened last year I was very disappointed, very upset,” Garrett said of Olsen’s brief transfer. “Having looked at it from her perspective, I understand it better now, and she has handled it extremely well in my opinion since she’s come back.” Now that everyone has gotten
over the initial shock, the Mules are back to their cohesive, hitfrom-all-angles selves. Senior guard Sam Boyce is a revelation on the wing, dangerous off the bounce and a deadly shooter and playmaker. Posts Tori Wegdahl and Kaylee Bryant can flex with the best of them in the paint. And the Mules’ collection of buzzing, high-energy guards are a nuisance on the press. Then, of course, there’s Olsen — the knock-down shooter and long-armed menace at the top of the Mules zone — renewed by her two months away from home, ready to lead a team loaded with experience and talent. “We made it to regionals last year, but we really want to make it to (Spokane) this year,” Olsen said. “And we think we’re capable of doing that with how much experience we have, and the chemistry together.” Added Garrett: “There’s no reason why this team cannot play in the state championship game.” — Matt Schubert / The Daily News
FAST BREAK Last year, Toutle Lake channeled the momentum from a surprise run to the state volleyball finals into a trip to the girls basketball title game. Can the Mules, who were finalists in Yakima this fall, do the same? Tori Wegdahl thinks so. “I feel like the vibes from volleyball are carrying into basketball so much. The girls that didn’t play volleyball, they are catching on, and it’s all coming together.”
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Ilwaco Fishermen
Life Christian
Tacoma Baptist
Chief Leske
ILWACO GIRLS FISHERMEN | PACIFIC 2B | WIAA ENROLLMENT: 211 Valerie Lindstrom
PROJECTED STARTERS *’13-’14 All-league; returning starters bold
G G* G* F F
Valerie Lindstrom Hannah Ellsworth Jasmine Coffin Emily McMillan Makenzie Kaech
5-3 5-6 5-8 5-7 5-9
Sr. Jr. Sr. Sr. Fr.
IN THE ROTATION
G Natalie Tapio 5-5 Sr. F Abby Bentley 5-10 Jr. F Madeline Jacobson 6-0 Fr. POINTS SCORED POINTS ALLOWED
44.5 39.0
2013-14 season
HEAD COACH NED BITTNER, 11TH SEASON Record at school: 136-97 State tournament trips: 2 (1-3)
TROPHY CASE 15 state tournament trips (last: 2011) 4 trophies, 0 state titles Best finish: 3rd (1995)
’13-’14 LEAGUE SCHEDULE Wood. Kalama King’s at WS at Tol. Stev. at CR at SC at LC
L 63-41 L 63-33 W 58-14 W 40-33 W 49-43 W 52-33 W 64-29 W 44-29 L 40-25
at Kalama L 73-48 CR W 44-19 at Wood. L 50-16 at KWC W 57-12 WS W 43-42 Toledo W 50-44 at Stev. W 46-42 SC W 50-21
Overall: 15-7, eliminated at districts
’14-’15 LEAGUE SCHEDULE Dec. 12 Jan. 10 Jan. 13 Jan. 16 Jan. 22 Jan. 24 Jan. 27 Jan. 31 Feb. 4 Feb. 6
at Chief Leschi W 67-18 at Tacoma Baptist 2 p.m. North Beach 7 p.m. Rainier 5:45 p.m. at Ocosta 7 p.m. Northwest Christian 5:45 p.m. South Bend 7 p.m. at Life Christian 5:45 p.m. at Willapa Valley 7 p.m. Raymond 7 p.m.
THE TREND League wins past four seasons 2013-14 2012-13 2011-12 2010-11
Win
Loss
Loaded Fishermen off to fast start in hunt for 2B trophy Last winter, once it became apparent that the 2013-14 season would be Ilwaco’s last in the 1A ranks, Coach Ned Bittner started saving up for a trip. A couple of months later, in March, he loaded his entire team onto a bus and drove the Fishermen to Spokane, home of the 2B state tournament, to see for themselves what it would take to be the best at their new classification. “It opened our eyes to what state would be like,” senior Jasmine Coffin said. “It made us really want to be there. It made (going to state) our goal even
more than before.” At Coffin’s encouragement, the Fishermen sat down and wrote three goals on a piece of paper: Win the league title. Play for a district title. Make it back to Spokane. With four starters back from a playoff team, and two talented freshmen joining the ranks, each of those aims seems a distinct possibility. The season is only a few games old, but Bittner already is pleased with what he’s seeing. “We’re getting up and down the floor pretty well, playing good defense, and the girls are making the extra pass you don’t see too much,” he said. “We’re in midseason form right now.” Ilwaco’s four returning starters are all perimeter oriented. The two freshmen, starter Maken-
zie Kaech and 6-footer Madeline Jacobson, have given the Fishermen a new dimension down low. Kaech, in particular, has raised eyebrows, posting 18 points, 10 rebounds, five assists and six steals in a win over Chief Leschi earlier this season. At 5-9, the versatile Kaech is comfortable at just about any position. Part of the reason is that she’s been playing with the Fishermen during summer basketball since before she started middle school. If Kaech keeps it up, she could be the final piece Ilwaco needs to get to Spokane. “We’ve been kind of working toward this,” Bittner said. “I definitely think the incoming freshmen group will give us the firepower to take that next step.” — Kevin Dowd / The Daily News
FAST BREAK Under Coach Bittner, the Fishermen prefer to get up and down the floor. That starts with breakneck defense. “My girls, they’d run through a wall for me,” Bittner said. “We try to put pressure on teams baseline to baseline and sideline to sideline. Nothing easy.” 26
WINLOCK GIRLS CARDINALS | CENTRAL 2B | WIAA ENROLLMENT: 148 Rianna Whitehead
PROJECTED STARTERS * ’13-’14 All-league; returning starters bold
G G F F F
Sophie Velasco Rianna Whitehead Maggie Howsden Mika Hammond Katrina Rodriguez
5-2 5-9 5-8 5-8 5-10
Jr. So. Fr. So. Jr.
IN THE ROTATION
G Jazmin Ramirez W Alexis Gilhum P Breanna Pancho W Courtney Score POINTS SCORED POINTS ALLOWED
5-3 5-6 5-5 5-5
Jr. Fr. Jr. Fr. 35.1 45.6
2013-14 season
HEAD COACH SCOTT ASHMORE, 7TH SEASON Record at school: 35-85 State tournament trips: 0
TROPHY CASE 2 state tournament trips (last: 2004) 1 trophy, 0 state titles Best finish: 6th (2004)
’13-’14 LEAGUE SCHEDULE Wah at Adna Mossy Napa at TL at Ony at MWP at Pe Ell
L 50-40 L 57-37 W 56-37 L 54-36 L 68-22 W 51-50 L 60-23 L 40-32
at Wah L 50-36 Adna L 50-27 at Mossy W 48-35 at Napa L 40-34 TL L 55-18 Ony W 45-39 MWP L 40-24 Pe Ell L 34-20
Overall: 6-16, eliminated at districts
’14-’15 LEAGUE SCHEDULE Dec. 5 Dec. 10 Dec. 12 Dec. 13 Dec. 17 Dec. 19 Jan. 7 Jan. 9 Jan. 14 Jan. 15 Jan. 20 Jan. 22 Jan. 24 Jan. 27 Jan. 29 Jan. 31 Feb. 3 Feb. 5
at Pe Ell L 37-32 at Morton/White Pass L 45-20 Wahkiakum L 62-21 at Onalaska L 55-38 at Toutle Lake L Forfeit Toledo –– Mossyrock 7 p.m. at Adna 7 p.m. Napavine 7 p.m. Pe Ell 7 p.m. Morton/White Pass 7 p.m. at Wahkiakum 7 p.m. Onalaska 5:45 p.m. Toutle Lake 7 p.m. at Toledo 7 p.m. at Mossyrock 5:45 p.m. Adna 7 p.m. at Napavine 7 p.m.
THE TREND League wins past four seasons 2013-14
Win
Loss
Cardinals building from ground up with green group With most rebuilding projects, there’s already a solid basketball foundation in place. Coaches and players can focus on building up from those basics. This year’s Winlock Cardinals girls team is not most rebuilding projects. The Cardinals have no seniors, very little varsity experience and only nine players total who turned out for basketball. “We’re just learning for next year,” sophomore forward Mika Hammond said. “We have some girls who have only played 10 games in middle school and some new girls who are just turning out for basketball. It’s just like a learning year for us.”
While next year will no doubt bring improvements, the team still has a slate of games to get through this season. No simple task considering injuries already forced the Cardinals to forfeit one game in mid-December. “We’re learning how to play,” Coach Scott Ashmore said. “We should still be competing. Four through 10 (in the Central 2B), we should compete with.” Competing usually requires trust. Trust takes time. Building that trust will be crucial if Winlock hopes to surprise some opponents. “Our goal every year is to try and go to districts, and I feel like we could if we just trust each other on the court,” sophomore Rianna Whitehead said. “It’s hard because we only have so many girls, so we have to rely on each other.” Accomplishing that goal could
be a powerful recruiting tool. The hope is that as the program improves, more girls will be drawn to play. “We’ve been trying to get girls out. I usually start with about 25. This year has been no numbers,” Ashmore said. “It’s a hard sell if you’re not winning, but it’s easy if you’re tough.” Ashmore said there are youth programs going as the team looks to boost its numbers in the future. The girls also try and convince others to join up. Whitehead was one such recruit, coming out to play in eighth grade. “Mika convinced me to play in eighth grade, and I’ve loved it ever since,” she said. It remains to be seen if these Cardinals will fly, but first, they’ll need to learn how to play. — Ryan Horlen / The Daily News
2012-13 2011-12 2010-11
FAST BREAK The small numbers have Winlock turning to former Cardinals to help fill out their practices. The effect has been a positive one. “It’s nice to have them come out because they put pressure on us and push us like it’s a game situation,” Rianna Whitehead said 27
NASELLE GIRLS COMETS | 1B INDEPENDENT | WIAA ENROLLMENT: 73 PROJECTED STARTERS * ’13-’14 All-league; returning starters bold
G G G/F F F
Ellie Chapman Tayler Ford Taylor Eaton Abbie Eaton Kendra Leeland
5-3 5-7 5-7 5-6 5-8
So. So. Jr. Sr. Jr.
5-7 5-11 5-8 5-8 5-9
Jr. So. So. So. Fr.
IN THE ROTATION
G/F F F F F
Haley Footh Morgan Ridgeway Kyryn Jacot Amelia Tutuu Michelle Carter
POINTS SCORED POINTS ALLOWED
39.2 37.8
2013-14 season
HEAD COACH ROBIN ANDREA, 1ST SEASON
TROPHY CASE 8 state tournament trips (last: 2003) 3 trophies; 0 state titles Best finish: 2nd (1979)
’13-’14 LEAGUE SCHEDULE WV at NB NWC at Ray SB at Oco
L 64-28 W 55-40 L 35-32 L 50-40 W 46-30 W 40-33
at WV NB at NWC Ray Oco at SB
L 40-30 W 48-36 W 57-44 L 47-29 W 44-32 W 58-53
Overall: 12-10, eliminated at districts
’14-’15 1B SCHEDULE Jan. 3 Jan. 9 Jan. 16 Jan. 20 Jan. 23 Jan. 31 Feb. 3 Feb. 6
Lake Quinault at Mary M. Knight Oakville Wishkah Valley at Lake Quinault Mary M. Knight at Wishkah Valley at Oakville
5:45 p.m. 5:45 p.m. 4 p.m. 7 p.m. 6 p.m. 5:45 p.m. 7 p.m. 5:45 p.m.
THE TREND League wins past four seasons Win
2013-14 2012-13 2011-12 2010-11
Loss
Tayler Ford
Competition an every-day thing for young Comets Under new coach Robin Andrea, it’s already been made clear no starting job is guaranteed in the Naselle girls basketball program. Andrea thinks the Comets have plenty of talented pieces, and he plans to use them all. “We’ve started the same people the first two games, but that’s gonna change right away,” Andrea said. “Right now, it’s too early to say, ‘These are our starters.’ I don’t know if that will ever happen, anyway.” Andrea, who took his first coaching job in 1972 and previously served as an assistant at Naselle with both the girls basketball and football teams, is taking over this season for Russ Hickman, who retired from coaching. The transition has been a welcome one for those players, like sophomore post Morgan Ridgeway, who are benefitting from the more open competition. “Last year, I hardly ever played at all,” Ridgeway said. “Now, we feel more involved and into it.” Part of the reason for the Comets’ deep bench is to account for Andrea’s preferred, high-energy style of play. “We want to play fast,” he said. “And we want to play strong defense. That’s what runs me, playing great defense and simplicity on offense, move the ball up the court quickly.” In the early going, the Naselle players said, the defense has been ahead of the offense. The Comets are still learning some of their plays — they can get the ball from point A to point B, but navigating to point E hasn’t always been easy.
To remedy that, Andrea and his players are putting in extra hours working on the fundamentals. “He’s definitely improved me,” Ridgeway said. “We stayed after practice and he helped me shoot and work at knowing where I am on the court.” So far, Naselle’s offense has been led by guard Ellie Chapman
and wing Tayler Ford. But with Andrea at the helm, who knows what — or whom — to expect the rest of the way. “We have people who work equally well together and deserve the opportunity,” he said. “You want people to continue to compete.” — Kevin Dowd / The Daily News
FAST BREAK As a 1B independent, the Comets have no league games. At the end of the regular season, four teams out of Naselle, Wishkah Valley, Oakville, Lake Quinault, Mary M. Knight and Taholah will be chosen to compete with four teams from the Columbia Valley 1B League in a district tournament. 28
THREE RIVERS CHRISTIAN GIRLS 1000
1500
EAGLES | COLUMBIA VALLEY 1B | WIAA ENROLLMENT: 68
2000
Jordan Caddel
PROJECTED STARTERS * ’13-’14 All-league; returning starters bold
PG* G G F F
Jordan Caddel Selena Carns Charity Tevis Hannah Cathcart Olivia Cathcart
5-5 5-1 5-4 5-6 5-6
Sr. So. So. So. So.
5-2 5-1 5-3 5-6
So. So. Fr. So.
IN THE ROTATION
G G F G
Kenna Forney Kelsey Johnson Ally Carns Jeneaka Spencer
POINTS SCORED POINTS ALLOWED
N/A N/A
2013-14 season
HEAD COACH MITCH STANBERRY, 1ST SEASON
TROPHY CASE 0 state tournament trips
’13-’14 LEAGUE SCHEDULE at WSD W 45-8 WSD CA L N/A at CA Pope W 47-16
W 47-13 W 37-33
Overall: 11-8, eliminated at districts
’14-’15 LEAGUE SCHEDULE Jan. 8 Jan. 13 Jan. 23 Jan. 27 Jan. 29 Feb. 5
WSD at Columbia Adventist at Pope John at WSD Columbia Adventist Pope John
5:30 p.m. 5:30 p.m. 5:30 p.m. 5:30 p.m. 5:30 p.m. 5:30 p.m.
THE TREND League wins past four seasons Win
Loss
2013-14 2012-13 2011-12 2010-11
FAST BREAK Any up-tempo offense needs posts who are willing to get out and run. In twins Hannah and Olivia Cathcart, the Eagles have just that. “Our two posts are runners,” senior Jordan Caddel said. “One of them does cross country, so they just love to do that. So even our posts are into the whole let’s run up and down the court, let’s run them out.”
Young Eagles pick up the pace with new head coach Mitch Stanberry believes in playing to his team’s strengths. Forget about a system or general basketball philosophy. The first-year Eagles head coach just wants his girls to do whatever it is they do best. And this season, with a young roster big on guards and small on size, that means turning games into track meets. “I don’t have a lot of height, so we’re not going to pound it in the post,” Stanberry said. “My girls can run, so we’re going to move the ball and get up the floor. That’s what my girls have the best ability to do, so that’s what we’ll do.” Indeed, starting with the team’s lone returning starter and only senior, Jordan Caddel, the Eagles have the athletes to make an uptempo game work. Twin 5-foot-6 posts Hannah and Olivia Cathcart are soccer players who thrive in the open court. Charity Tevis is a defensive menace capable of creating turnovers and shutting down the opposing team’s top scorer. Then there’s the wild card Kenna Forney off the bench — a former wrestler who plays basketball with a mean streak on both ends of the court. Shorewood Christian learned as much during a Dec. 13 game when the 5-2 sophomore slung a few different players to the ground fighting for loose balls. “She gets angry,” Caddel said. “She likes to just put her head down and go straight to the hoop.” Whatever happens, this team will only go as far as its sophomore class — a group that goes eight deep and takes up a majority of the TRC roster. Their task this season: Replace all of the offense left behind by the departures of league MVP
Stephanie Maldonado and allleague wing Jesse Caddel, the latter of whom opted to play volleyball this winter. That’s no small chore — one Jordan Caddel said might take some time.
“We’re very athletic, we just have to get them to know basketball better,” she said. “I think as soon as we can stop all of our turnovers we can win this league.” — Matt Schubert / The Daily News 29
BOMBS AWAY The 3-pointer, once an option of last resort, has now taken over the game STORY BY KEVIN DOWD KDOWD@TDN.COM
PHOTOS BY BILL WAGNER BWAGNER@TDN.COM
ASHLEY COONS 30
T
he 3-pointer is, as the kids say, in. From the NBA to the YMCA and everywhere in between, players are shooting the deep ball like never before. It’s been 27 years since the 3-point line was implemented in high-school basketball, and it’s now hard to imagine the game without it. Increasingly, the 3-pointer is a staple in high school offenses of both genders and all classifications, including some of the area’s best teams.
Part of the reason for that, Mark Morris boys coach Bill Bakamus said, is because it’s a shot every player wants to shoot. “Just go watch fourth-graders warm up,” Bakamus said. “I’m surprised half of them don’t have a hernia. “There’s just something about that 3-point line.” The Toutle Lake girls program took second in state last season by relying heavily on the coolest shot in basketball — 1 in 4 of the Ducks’ shots came behind the 3-point line. Toutle Lake has a number of players who can knock the deep ball down, but no Duck specializes in the triple quite like Sam Woodley. The junior will shoot it off a ball screen, in transition or as a kick-out threat on the wing — wherever she can find a couple feet of space.
Continued on next page u
ON THE RISE The Mark Morris boys basketball team’s 3-point attempts have risen steadily since the shot Shot clock was introduced in 1987. introduced in
2009-10
600 500 400 300 200 100 0 ’87-’88
3-point attempts 3-point field goals ’13-’14
BRENT WOOD 31
attempted 71 3-pointers. The System works. The past three seasons, “The 3’s kind of my shot,” Woodley said. Grinnell has gone 54-17. What’s true of 10-year-olds and of the Ducks And now NBA teams are taking note. In the also is true of the best basketball players in the October, the Sacramento Kings hired David world. Arseneault Jr. to coach their team in the DevelTwo seasons ago, NBA teams averaged more opmental League. 3-point attempts than ever before. Last seaLower Columbia College women’s coach Chad son, the record was broken again. Meadors doesn’t see The System taking over basIt’s even more extreme in college, where pro- ketball — “Grinnell is on the extreme,” he said. grams like tiny Grinnell College in Iowa are tryBut Meadors applies similar principles to his ing to transform the way the game is played. LCC team. The Lady Devils eschew the midUnder Coach Dave Arseneault, the Pioneers range jumper, aiming on every possession for a use a style they call “The System.” It involves a layup, free throws or a triple. full-court press, frequent substitution and an “We want to shoot the 3, and I have some almost endless barrage of 3-pointers. kids who can do it,” he said. “You used to have One fateful November night in 2012, Grinone or two sharpshooters that could really stick nell’s Jack Taylor set an NCAA record by scorit, and that was like gold. Now you see gold all ing 138 points in one game. He single-handedly over the place.”
Continued from Page 31 u
With so many young players proficient from long range, Meadors thinks the 3 is here to stay. “That’s the game now,” he said. The Mark Morris girls also have gone to consecutive state title games with an offense centered around finding open 3s. That’s not because Coach Steve Rooklidge has any grand schematic ideology, like Meadors. The Monarchs simply have a lot of players who can seriously stroke it, and Rooklidge decided to play to their strengths. “My first year here, we could not make 3-pointers, and we didn’t shoot a whole lot of them,” he said. “And in the meantime, I’ve inherited some players who could really shoot it. It’s made a huge difference.” One of those players, of course, is Kourtney
Eaton, the MM senior point guard who was named 2A state player of the year as a sophomore. That same season, she set a school record by making nine 3-pointers in a single game. “It was crazy. I just couldn’t miss,” she said. Yet Kourtney can more commonly be found distributing to twin sister Karley, Ashley Coons and Tayler Teeters, the Monarchs’ trio of marksmen, as they dot the 3-point arc. In fact, it was Coons who was the team leader in 3s last season. “People wonder why I have so many assists,” Kourtney said. “It’s because I’m playing with three of the best shooters in the state.” Rooklidge doesn’t want his players chucking up 30-footers, but he sees the obvious benefit in getting quality looks from behind the line.
“Making 33 percent of your 3s is equivalent to making 50 percent of your twos,” he said. “You can sometimes shoot a low percentage on 3s, but just by the quantity of them you can have a statistical advantage.” Nobody in the lower Columbia gains a statistical advantage from the long ball quite like Brent Wood. Last year as a junior, the point guard made 104 of them, shattering the school record at Toledo. Whose mark did he best? That would be Grady Fallon, who held the record for 20 seasons and is now in his first year as the head coach of the Indians. Fallon obviously was a fan of the deep ball during his days at Toledo. It was the same story when he played at Central Washington, with teammates who were similarly 3-point inclined. “We were all launching them,” he said. This season, his protégé Wood will be launch-
ing them with a slightly different motion. Despite there appearing to be little room for improvement, Wood spent the offseason retooling his jumper to help stretch his 3-point range even deeper, modeling it after another slender guard’s. “I watched Stephen Curry videos over and over again. I just copied his form,” Wood said. “I think I’ve watched every single video of him on YouTube.” While Wood has an eternal green light, Fallon said he doesn’t want the Indians as a team to fall too deeply in love with that line painted 19 feet, 9 inches from the basket. But that ship may have already sailed. “I don’t emphasize the 3, because there’s so much glory in it,” he said. “Everyone, even the little kids, they just want to launch 3s because it’s the cool thing to do.” ■
What’s the value in the 3-pointer? It’s complicated. We sampled four boys and girls teams from last year’s 3A, 2A and 1A levels to see what percentage of their shots came from behind the 3-point line, as well as how many points those teams averaged per field goal attempt (including 2-pointers). The idea: To see if there’s a correlation between the two.
BOYS
GIRLS Of the four girls teams we sampled, Mark Morris was by far the most prolific in terms of 3-point attempts, with 35 percent of their shots last season coming from behind the arc. The Monarchs were also the most efficient offense by a wide margin, averaging 1.12 points every time they shot the ball. How much of that can be attributed to the Monarchs being good shooters as opposed to their willingness to fire away from deep is up for debate. What’s more interesting is how Kelso and Kalama’s divergent shot selections skew slightly in favor of the Lassies — the team more apt to shoot the 3.
32
35%
30%
13%
18%
% OF SHOTS THAT WERE 3s
1.12
MM
0.99 0.96
Kelso
Kalama
POINTS PER ATTEMPT
0.81
Toledo
Here is where the numbers get even more interesting and, perhaps, more confusing. While the team that averaged the most 3s per shot, Kelso, also averaged the most points per attempt, the team that averaged the least, Mark Morris, was not far behind. Since Toledo and Kalama are a step behind both in scoring efficiency, the data could be interpreted to show that the Monarchs found a sweet spot between launching 3s and working the ball for good shots inside the arc. Of course, there’s also the more plausible argument: MM simply has more offensive weapons who can score from anywhere and draw valuable foul shots.
38%
26%
36%
33%
% OF SHOTS THAT WERE 3s
1.21
1.17
Kelso
MM
1.12
1.10
Toledo
Kalama
POINTS PER ATTEMPT 33
BIG SHOTS: As the area’s top 3-point gunners illustrate, practice makes perfect
— Matt Schubert / The Daily News
34
BRENT WOOD
MIKE PIERCE
BROCK JOHNSON
Toledo | Senior | Guard 2013-14 numbers: 104 of 215 (48.4%) Favorite spot: Anywhere The story: From the time he stuck a dagger in the Kalama Chinooks’ hearts with a last-second triple to clinch a share of the Trico title two years ago, Wood’s status as a long-range assassin has been unquestioned. After a record-breaking season as a junior, some mechanical tweaks could make him even better.
Kelso | Senior | Guard 2013-14 numbers: 3 of 10 (30.0%) Favorite spot: Either wing The story: At 5-8, Pierce carved out a niche for himself on the Hilander varsity by developing his long-range skills. A two-year C-squad player, he began working with Roots Basketball as a sophomore, putting up 250 shots a day. Now, the smallest player on Kelso’s roster inspires the most fear.
Castle Rock | Junior | Guard 2013-14 numbers: 86 of 202 (42.6%) Favorite spot: Right wing The story: Shooting is the Johnson family trade. Dad, Kevin, teaches it as the CR boys head coach, and Brock may be one of his finest pupils — up there with older brothers Cale and Ty, and cousin Will Dolan, all of whom grew up playing together in the Johnson driveway.
ASHLEY COONS
SAM WOODLEY
KADY BRUCE
Mark Morris | Senior | Guard 2013-14 numbers: 47 of 122 (38.5%) Favorite spot: Right wing The story: Taught to shoot by her dad, Steve, Coons first began firing 3-pointers in games as early as fifth grade. At the time, she was one of the few girls who dared launch from deep. Not anymore: She’s one of four long-range bombers for the Monarchs.
Toutle Lake | Junior | Guard 2013-14 numbers: 62 of 156 (39.7%) Favorite spot: Right wing The story: Woodley refined her shooting stroke competing against her brother, ex-TL sharpshooter Anthony Heintzman, on the family’s home court in Toutle. Several impromptu 3-point contests later, little sis is just as deadly as her big brother.
Kelso | Senior | Guard 2013-14 numbers: 37 of 115 (32.2%) Favorite spot: The corner The story: Since sixth grade, every practice has ended with Bruce sticking around the gym an extra 30 minutes to hoist up a few more shots. During her grade-school days, the shooting partner was her dad, Ken. In high school, it’s fellow Lassies marksman Jamilee Iddings.
— Kevin Dowd / The Daily News
Defense: Forcing the right type of long shots
Midrange jumper: Fading, but shot far from gone
Small ball: Keeping up without the bigs
Basketball is a game of cause and effect. As more offenses shoot 3-pointers more frequently, defenses are forced to adapt. “It has changed things,” Mark Morris coach Bill Bakamus said. “What it does, a team that shoots well from the outside can really extend your defense. Then once they put the ball on the floor, you have people collapsing.” Bakamus tracked part of the long ball’s proliferation to principles from the dribble-drive motion offense, a free-flowing system aimed to generate layups and 3-pointers that’s been popularized in recent years by John Calipari’s teams at Memphis and Kentucky. There’s only so much a defense can do, strategically, if a team gets hot from behind the arc. Playing man-toman helps, because good shooting can warp the geometry of a zone. If a team isn’t a threat from 3-point range, defenses can pack the paint and stop penetration. But the threat of shooters can make effective help defense almost impossible. In the old days, the further away a shot was taken from the basket, the better for the defense. Now, most teams would rather allow an open 17-footer than a clean look from behind the arc. The operative word in that last sentence is “clean.” Not all 3-pointers are created equal. “Some teams say, ‘We’re gonna shoot a ton of 3s,’ and kids don’t have a conscience,” Bakamus said. “Those can be dangerous teams. “But it’s the teams that have designed methods to get their guys 3s, knowing those kids have put in the time and effort to be in a certain spot in a certain play, those teams are the ones that are generally tougher to play against.” ■
As the 3-pointer becomes increasingly common and teams like the NBA’s Houston Rockets perfect an analytics-driven style of play emphasizing layups, free throws and 3s, the midrange jumper has never been more out of style. McEwen, Toledo senior Grant McEwen however, is doing his best to keep the 15-footer alive. “Midrange is my game,” McEwen said. “That’s where I put in all my time. I feel like if I can drive and pull up in the midrange and knock that shot down, I’m doing good.” Some players are drawn to the 3-pointer because it stretches their limits. McEwen likes the midrange for the same reason. There was a time, you see, when even a free-throw line jumper seemed like long distance. “When we were younger, Grant had to play post,” teammate and 3-point marksman Brent Wood said. “Because he was about as tall in eighth grade as he is now.” Over time, McEwen has turned the midrange shot into an integral part of his game. He can still score inside and can certainly knock down a triple, but he’s at his best in the sweet spot in between. “Grant can go to the free-throw line and pull up consistently and make it. That’s kind of a lost art,” Indians coach Grady Fallon said. “Nobody likes to do that, but those are easy shots, really.” McEwen can’t always avoid the siren song of the 3-point shot, however. At Toledo’s open gyms every Sunday night, both he and Wood agreed, he’s been known to spend some time beyond the arc. “That’s basically all I shoot then,” McEwen said with a laugh. “I don’t know. It’s just a great feeling when you can knock down a 3-pointer.” ■
The 3-point shot is a way of life in Kelso. The Scotties don’t have a single player over 6-foot-3. What they do have, though, is a quintet of players with the ability to knock down shots from deep. “It’s given our kids an identity,” Coach Joe Kinch said. “It’s allowed them to really hone a skill and use that skill.” Starting guards Blake Hampton and Mike Pierce lead the way. In a Dec. 12 win over Heritage, Pierce knocked down seven 3-pointers, five of them in the second quarter. Starting big man Nate Solomon can also stroke the 3. Off the bench, Quinton McDaniel and Hunter Hartley are dangerous as well. They all have the green light from Kinch. “It’s really our best opportunity to score baskets,” he said. “When we play well, we have the floor spread and guys are catching the ball in rhythm and shooting.” The same can be said for the Lassies. Like the boys, Coach Lacey DeWeert’s team lacks a traditional post threat. As such, the Kelso girls often rely on the triple. Last season, guard Loryn Musgrove set the school record by sinking eight shots from behind the arc in one game. Earlier this season, backcourt-mate Kady Bruce tied the record in a Dec. 8 win over Mountain View. Next in line to tie the mark is Jamilee Iddings, who might be the best shooter of the bunch. “We’re blessed with three very, very talented senior guards. They’ve kind of become a three-headed monster,” DeWeert said. “You kind of have to pick your poison.” ■ 35
KELSO BOYS HILANDERS | GSHL 3A | WIAA ENROLLMENT: 1,084 Jared Bowlby
PROJECTED STARTERS * ’13-’14 All-league; returning starters bold
PG* W W P P
Blake Hampton 5-11 Jared Bowlby 6-2 Mike Pierce 5-8 Xavier Parker-Mendez 5-9 Nate Solomon 6-2
Sr. Jr. Sr. Sr. Sr.
IN THE ROTATION
G G P P
Quinton McDaniel Hunter Hartley Zach Groves Zak Schueller
5-9 5-10 6-0 6-1
POINTS SCORED POINTS ALLOWED
Sr. Sr. Sr. Sr. 55.6 55.9
2013-14 season
HEAD COACH JOE KINCH, 16TH SEASON Record st school: 138-197 State tournament trips: 0
TROPHY CASE 7 state tournament trips (last: 1993) 3 trophies, 0 state titles Best finish: 5th (1940, ’50)
’13-’14 LEAGUE SCHEDULE at Prairie L 72-57 at FV W 63-57 River L 53-36 at Bay W 61-57 at MV W 66-58
Prairie FV at River Bay MV
L 65-57 W 60-56 L 58-50 W 57-54 W 72-59
Overall: 10-11, eliminated at districts
’14-’15 LEAGUE SCHEDULE Jan. 14 Jan. 16 Jan. 21 Jan. 29 Feb. 3 Feb. 5
at Fort Vancouver Prairie at Columbia River Fort Vancouver at Prairie Columbia River
7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m.
THE TREND League wins past four seasons Win
2013-14 2012-13 2011-12 2010-11
Loss
Undersized Scots look to run, play big on the boards The Hilanders have everything a coach could want to start the fast break. Skilled ball-handers, lights-out shooters, willing passers with intuitive basketball skills ... everything but the size on the front end. Thus, the key to the run-andgun Scotties this winter will be finding a way to win the battle of the boards, despite sporting a roster that has only four players 6-foot or taller. “All of the guys can run, but you have to rebound first,” Kelso coach Joe Kinch said. “We have to commit five guys to rebounding followed by transitioning quickly.
If we do that well, it’s a matter of keeping it organized and getting the right shots when we want to get them.” With three returning starters led by all-GSHL 3A point guard Blake Hampton, the Hilanders won’t have to look far to find veteran leadership. “We have enough returners so offensively we can take off from where we were at last season,” Kinch said. “We’re able to mix and match players in the rotation, and we have nine guys who can start at any time.” Quinton McDaniel and Hunter Hartley are listed as backcourt reserves and Zak Schueller and Zach Groves are frontcourt backups, but the foursome can be moved into the starting lineup and the Hilanders won’t lose a step.
“I’ve been very pleased with the play of the guys coming off the bench,” Kinch said. “They have done a nice job intermixing with the starters.” To compensate for their lack of stature, the Hilanders will mix their defenses. “We’re working on having the guys guard their own player while being quick and active,” Kinch said. “The defensive part comes from understanding what we’re trying to do with technique. We are who we are, so we have to maximize ourselves and go from there.” For a Kelso program that rarely goes size for size with its GSHL 3A counterparts, it’s a familiar story heading into the league campaign: A team-wide approach to taking care of the big problems. — Rick McCorkle / The Daily News
FAST BREAK With each of the four GSHL 3A teams having success in the preseason, it appears the league will have competitive balance. “We have to be playing well in January,” Coach Kinch said. “All of the teams in the league are good, and it’ll be a very intense and competitive six-game league schedule. With only three teams going to the postseason, a good team won’t advance.” 36
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37
Mark Morris Monarchs
Lumberjacks
Panthers
Bay Eagles
Beavers
MARK MORRIS BOYS MONARCHS | GSHL 2A | WIAA ENROLLMENT: 783 PROJECTED STARTERS * ’13-’14 All-league; returning starters bold
G G* G F F*
Nick Rinck Will Burghardt Spencer Sweet Evan Troy Grant Gibb
5-10 5-10 6-0 6-4 6-5
Jr. So. Sr. Sr. Sr.
5-9 5-11 6-4 6-7
Sr. Jr. Sr. Sr.
IN THE ROTATION
G G F P
Levi Poole Joe Tapani Justin Rohl Geordi Morrow
POINTS SCORED POINTS ALLOWED
58.2 51.9
2013-14 season
HEAD COACH BILL BAKAMUS, 23RD SEASON Record at school: 411-146 State tournament trips: 16 (26-25)
TROPHY CASE 35 state tournament trips (last: 2014) 16 trophies, 3 state titles (1978, ’85, ’87)
’13-’14 LEAGUE SCHEDULE at Hock. Ridge. Wash. at RAL
L 43-36 W 74-70 W 68-45 W 47-46
Hock. W 60-50 at Ridge. W 70-48 at Wash. L 52-48 RAL W 69-67
Overall: 20-7, sixth at state
’14-’15 LEAGUE SCHEDULE Dec. 8 Dec. 17 Jan. 5 Jan. 6 Jan. 12 Jan. 15 Jan. 20 Jan. 23 Jan. 27 Jan. 30 Feb. 6 Feb. 10
at Hudson’s Bay Woodland Hockinson at Ridgefield Washougal R.A. Long Hudson’s Bay at Woodland at Hockinson Ridgefield at Washougal at R.A. Long
W 57-37 W 62-52 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m.
THE TREND League wins past four seasons 2013-14 2012-13 2011-12 2010-11
Win
Loss
Evan Troy
Monarchs get big assist from seniors Troy, Gibb The Monarchs had to rewrite the plan for their season after the very first game. That was when center Geordi Morrow suffered an ankle injury that will keep him out of action into January. Standing 6-foot-8, Morrow is MM’s best rim protector and a major reason why the Monarchs can realistically hope for a return trip to the 2A state tournament. “That was an unexpected surprise,” Coach Bill Bakamus said. “He’s a key part of our team.” Instead of sliding a big man off the bench into Morrow’s role, Bakamus decided to change things up completely. He took seniors Grant Gibb and Evan Troy out of their usual positions on the wing and repositioned them down low. Standing 6-5 and 6-4, respectively, Gibb and Troy certainly have the height to make it work. Bakamus said they’ve been holding down the fort just fine. While the Monarchs would, of course, prefer to have a healthy Morrow, the minutes logged by Gibb and Troy defending big men in December could pay dividends further down the road. “Evan and I have had to guard some bigger people, for sure,” Gibb said. “It’s kind of good for us, actually, getting that experience down low. It might help us later on against teams with multiple bigs.” The Monarchs are also adjusting this season to Clatskanie transfer Will Burghardt, a sophomore guard who averaged more than 19 points per game last season and immediately assumed a place in the MM starting lineup. “He’s really crafty with the ball
and he’s a great shooter,” Gibb said. “He finds the open man well. He’s been nothing but a help for us.” With Burghardt, Gibb and Troy, few teams should be able to outgun the Monarchs. On offense, Gibb is a pinpoint shooter and Troy does a little
bit of everything. But for now, at least, the two seniors’ biggest contribution has been their versatility. “They understand our system well, to where we can move them to any position,” Bakamus said. “That’s kind of a luxury.” — Kevin Dowd / The Daily News
FAST BREAK Incoming transfer Will Burghardt and Nick Rinck have meshed well so far in the MM backcourt. Both players are comfortable at either guard spot. “We really have two point guards who start,” Coach Bakamus said. “And that’s a nice luxury. They have a nice little chemistry together.” 38
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Lumberjacks
Panthers
Bay Eagles
Beavers
Spudders
R.A. LONG BOYS LUMBERJACKS | GSHL 2A | WIAA ENROLLMENT: 764 PROJECTED STARTERS * ’13-’14 All-league; returning starters bold
PG* G G F P
Payton Miller Coby Rothwell Lamar Swagerty Hunter Jones Owen Bertram
6-1 6-1 5-11 6-1 6-5
Sr. So. Sr. Jr. Jr.
6-0 5-11 6-4 6-3
So. Fr. So. Sr.
IN THE ROTATION
G PG P F
Tyrick Clark Conner Wallace Keoni Mawae Ian Mendiola
POINTS SCORED POINTS ALLOWED
59.6 60.0
2013-14 season
HEAD COACH RALLY WALLACE, 9TH SEASON Record at school: 74-107 State tournament trips: 1 (1-2)
TROPHY CASE 19 state tournament trips (last: 2008) 7 trophies, 0 state titles Best finish: 3rd (1939)
’13-’14 LEAGUE SCHEDULE Hock. Ridge. MM Wash.
W 59-58 L 78-62 L 47-46 W 57-54
at Hock. Ridge. at Wash. at MM
L 68-54 W 54-44 L 58-57 L 69-67
Overall: 10-13, eliminated at districts
’14-’15 LEAGUE SCHEDULE Dec. 18 Dec. 30 Jan. 6 Jan. 8 Jan. 12 Jan. 15 Jan. 20 Jan. 27 Jan. 30 Feb. 3 Feb. 6 Feb. 10
Washougal at Hockinson Hudson’s Bay at Ridgefield Woodland at Mark Morris Hockinson at Washougal at Hudson’s Bay Ridgefield at Woodland Mark Morris
L 44-42 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m.
THE TREND League wins past four seasons 2013-14 2012-13 2011-12 2010-11
Win
Loss
Payton Miller
Jacks seek answers amid turbulent early season Those looking for answers from the first few weeks of the season got few with the Lumberjacks. With injuries sidelining R.A. Long’s two returning starters — point guard Payton Miller and post Owen Bertram — Coach Rally Wallace spent much of the nonleague schedule cobbling together different lineups from one night to another in order to survive. “Usually, you use the first couple of weeks of the season to figure out what direction you’re going,” Wallace said. “That’s really kind of changed with us.” Indeed, thanks to those health issues as well as outside obligations that pulled contributors out of the lineup at different points early on, Wallace suited up 15 different players on varsity in the team’s first five games. The resulting chaos has made establishing continuity difficult for a Jacks squad that lost its three leading scorers from a year ago — Morgan Baker, Brady Hulings and Bryce Eisele. This was supposed to be the time Miller established himself as the Jacks’ top scoring option, transitioning from the creator role that defined his first three years on varsity. Instead, he spent a chunk of the opening month nursing an ankle sprain suffered during RAL’s second game of the season. “We’re used to adversity,” Miller said. “Football we had it (when Bertram, the starting QB, broke his collarbone in Week 5). There’s always something. You just gotta fight through.” So far, that’s exactly what the
Jacks have done, utilizing a roster with little to no varsity experience. The high point came during an overtime win over Heritage in mid-December that saw Hunter Jones register 17 points and eight rebounds and Keoni Mawae sink a game-tying bucket at the end of regulation. Varsity newbies Conner Wallace (eight points) and Coby Rothwell (11 points) also had big games as RAL rallied from 10 points down.
Of course, many of those same players will soon have to take on supporting roles once Miller and Bertram return to the lineup. That’s when the process of team building truly begins. “It’s going to be at least until middle of January until we start flowing,” said Wallace, who expects both starters back by 2015. “Hopefully it will all come together and we’ll all be smiling at the end of the season.” — Matt Schubert / The Daily News
FAST BREAK The R.A. Long football team ended an eight-year losing streak to Mark Morris this fall, handing RAL coach Erik Bertram his first win over the Monarchs. Could this be the year the Jacks finally give Rally Wallace his own elusive win over MM and end a 23-game losing skid? Payton Miller, a defensive back on the football team, sure hopes so. “I’d love to do it for (Wallace) and just us seniors. ... We always said we were going to be the ones that did it, and that’s the goal in basketball, too — end both streaks our senior year.”
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WOODLAND BOYS BEAVERS | GSHL 2A | WIAA ENROLLMENT: 472 PROJECTED STARTERS * ’13-’14 All-league; returning starters bold
PG* W W P* P
Troy Flanagan Ryan Sturdivan Tanner Froeber Jake Rosenbalm Bryce Mulder
5-11 5-11 6-1 6-5 6-11
Sr. Sr. Sr. Sr. So.
IN THE ROTATION
G F F
Hayden Huddleston 5-11 Jr. Dillan Bonamigo-Wear 6-2 Sr. Tanner Sixberry 6-3 So.
POINTS SCORED POINTS ALLOWED
79.6 63.1
2013-14 season
HEAD COACH JASON BUFFUM, SECOND SEASON Record at school: 16-7 State tournament trips: 1 (0-1)
TROPHY CASE 18 state tournament trips (last: 2014) 6 trophies, 0 state titles Best finish: 2nd (1984)
’13-’14 LEAGUE SCHEDULE at Toledo W 51-44 SC W 66-45 at Ilwaco W 59-6 at Stev. W 58-48 at LC L 68-58 CR W 53-36 at WS W 62-49 Kalama L 62-48 at Kings W 58-55
Toledo W 49-44 at SC W 57-30 Ilwaco W 66-28 Stev. W 77-48 LC W 64-55 at CR W 58-56 WS W 68-27 at Kalama L 58-50
Overall: 16-7, eliminated at 1A regionals
’14-’15 LEAGUE SCHEDULE Dec. 11 Dec. 17 Jan. 6 Jan. 8 Jan. 12 Jan. 15 Jan. 20 Jan. 23 Jan. 30 Feb. 3 Feb. 6 Feb. 10
Ridgefield at Mark Morris at Washougal Hudson’s Bay at R A Long at Hockinson at Ridgefield Mark Morris Washougal at Hudson’s Bay R A Long Hockinson
W 52-39 L 62-52 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7:30 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m.
THE TREND League wins past four seasons Win
2013-14
Loss
Jake Rosenbalm
Beavers hope to hold down paint in return to GSHL 2A With two of the tallest players in the Greater St. Helens 2A League, Woodland is ready to take advantage of its size while battling for a league title. “It’s been a strength for us early on and it’s nice to have it,” Beavers coach Jason Buffum said. “We made 58 percent of our two-point shots, with most of them coming around the rim.” Sophomore Bryce Mulder grew 3 inches over the summer and stands 6-foot-11. He is joined in the low post by 6-5 senior Jake Rosenbalm. “We try to play a lot of inside-out offense,” Buffum said. “We want to get our first looks inside, but we also have good outside shooting so teams can’t double down in the post.” Rosenbalm is a returning allSouthwest 1A Trico Division firstteamer who draws plenty of attention from opposing defenses, while Mulder is still developing offensively. “Bryce hasn’t physically matured as much as Jake,” Buffum said. “He is a physical presence on defense and has good timing. He’s averaging six blocked shots per game, and it’s nice to know you have a big guy under the rim who stops penetration and alters shots.” The Beavers’ strength is its defense, which allowed 43 points per game in its first five games, including wins over 1A Trico heavyweight La Center and 3A Kelso. “I don’t know the last time Woodland beat a 3A school, but so far we’ve done a good job,” Buffum said. “We play tough man-to-man defense and try to make you earn
every basket.” Buffum wasn’t around when Woodland made its last foray into the GSHL 2A during the 2009-10 and 10-11 seasons — a two-year period that saw the Beavers go 220 in league. “It’s going to be a tough transition,” Buffum said. “We want to keep the same level of play and the same expectations we had last season. Our goal as a team and as individuals is to not fall back.
Instead of playing Stevenson and White Salmon, we now have Mark Morris and R.A. Long, which have bigger gyms, bigger crowds and bigger bodies. “We’ve beat some really good teams in the preseason, but now the schedule gets tougher. Outside of Mark Morris and Washougal, the league is wide-open. We want to be in position to win our home games and get a few on the road.” — Rick McCorkle / The Daily News
2012-13 2011-12 2010-11 42
FAST BREAK Coach Buffum has found coaching the Beavers is a lot easier in his second season. “We don’t have to spend a lot of time teaching the plays and philosophy,” he said. “Everyone coming in understands what we’re looking for, and what’s expected of them.” The Beavers’ unselfish play has also pleased Buffum. “They put the team first ahead of individual accomplishments,” he said. “They’re a good group of kids, and they’re good athletes who want to have fun.”
Rockets
Wildcats
Bruins
CASTLE ROCK BOYS ROCKETS | SOUTHWEST 1A TRICO | WIAA ENROLLMENT: 307 Ty Johnson
PROJECTED STARTERS * ’13-’14 All-league; returning starters bold
PG* G* G F P*
Ty Johnson Brock Johnson Taite Kleine Kyle Koopman Mason Klingberg
5-8 5-11 6-2 5-10 6-2
Sr. Jr. Jr. Jr. Sr.
IN THE ROTATION
G F
Dakota Golden Nick Proudfit
6-0 So. 6-2 Jr.
POINTS SCORED POINTS ALLOWED
52.1 53.1
2013-14 season
HEAD COACH KEVIN JOHNSON, 12TH SEASON Record at school: 154-98 State tournament trips: 3 (2-6)
TROPHY CASE 33 state tournament trips (last: 2009) 11 trophies, 2 state titles (1932, ’69)
’13-’14 LEAGUE SCHEDULE at SC W 57-40 WS W 56-46 at Kalama L 71-35 at Wood. L 53-36 LC L 72-64 Ilwaco W 66-34 at KWC L 57-37 at Toledo W54 - 34 SC W 48-40
at Ilwaco W 56-30 at Stev. W 63-60 at WS W 50-39 Kalama L 65-50 Stev. W 57-53 Wood. L 58-56 at LC L 75-59 KWC L 61-45
Overall: 10-12, eliminated at districts
’14-’15 LEAGUE SCHEDULE Dec. 8 Dec. 11 Dec. 13 Dec. 16 Jan. 5 Jan. 12 Jan. 16 Jan. 17 Jan. 20 Jan. 27 Jan. 30 Feb. 6
at La Center White Salmon Kalama Seton Catholic King’s Way at Stevenson La Center at Seton Catholic White Salmon at Kalama at King’s Way Stevenson
L 73-56 W 55-39 W 41-38 W 65-46 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7:30 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m.
THE TREND League wins past four seasons Win
2013-14 2012-13 2011-12 2010-11
Loss
Rockets out in force to support their ‘Big Three’ As Big Threes go, few match the one Castle Rock trots out every night. Between brothers Ty and Brock Johnson on the perimeter, and 6-foot-2 senior Mason Klingberg in the post, the Rockets have the ability to punish teams in every conceivable way. The question lies with what happens when opponents focus all of their attention on the CR trio: Is there a fourth option Castle Rock can turn to? Coach Kevin Johnson, for one, isn’t too worried. “Really, if you have three scorers, especially if you can go inside and out the way we can, you are fairly balanced,” Coach Johnson said. “It’s really more if you can get your role players to make plays when they present themselves.”
In the opening weeks of the 2014-15 season, that hasn’t been a problem. Taite Kleine went off for 15 points in Trico wins over Seton Catholic and Kalama. Dakota Golden drained a pair of critical 3s early on in a win over White Salmon. Kyle Koopman and Nick Proudfit have also done their fair share of dirty work on defense and in the paint as part of CR’s seven-man rotation. “We’re not asking any of those guys to come out and score 12 a night for us,” Coach Johnson. “But can keep a guy in front of you? Can you get a body on a guy and get to the board? Can you do the role-player things that you need to do and still be aggressive offensively?” No doubt, the Big Three have the rest of it covered. Ty is the creative touch at point, constantly probing the defense, exploiting every opening. Brock is the sharp-shooting assassin, a crafty quick-release scorer with NBA range.
Then there is Klingberg, a highenergy post who plays above his size on the boards, finishes with both hands and can even step out and drain the occasional 3. Throw in the sort of unspoken chemistry that only comes from countless hours spent together on the court, and it makes for an explosive three-man core. “We’ve played together since like third grade, so it’s been a long time,” Brock said. “We know where we’re going to be, especially me and Ty, but Mason too. ... I think it’s an advantage.” Enough to make up for an undersized roster and limited depth? “Nobody looks at us and is like ‘Wow, they just have raw talent,’” Ty said. “We don’t pass the eye test very good. But when we learn to execute and do all the things right that results to winning, then I think we’re good enough on a given night when we’re making shots to beat anybody.” — Matt Schubert / The Daily News
FAST BREAK Hard to believe, but when Brock Johnson put 39 points on Hoquiam in an overtime playoff loss at end last season, he wasn’t even at 100 percent. “He did that with a broken back — played the last month of the season with a fracture in his spine,” Coach Johnson said. “He pretty much had to take six months off where he just didn’t do a heck of a lot to heal himself up. He’s maybe not quite 100 percent yet. He’s close to being back where he was.” 43
KALAMA BOYS CHINOOKS | SOUTHWEST 1A TRICO | WIAA ENROLLMENT: 208 PROJECTED STARTERS * ’13-’14 All-league; returning starters bold
G G G P P*
Spencer Stone Isaac Truesdell Blake Stemkoski Austin Dines Hunter Esary
6-0 6-0 5-10 6-4 6-2
Jr. Jr. So. Jr. Jr.
6-0 6-0 6-1 6-2
So. Jr. Jr. Jr.
IN THE ROTATION
G/F G/F G F
Cameron Walker Victor Leatzow Jonas Van Skike Casey Sweet
POINTS SCORED POINTS ALLOWED
63.8 49.8
2013-14 season
HEAD COACH JODY STEMKOSKI, 12TH SEASON Record at school: 149-112 State tournament trips: 5 (1-7)
TROPHY CASE 24 state tournament trips (last: 2014) 13 trophies, 2 state titles (1949, ’50)
’13-’14 LEAGUE SCHEDULE at LC L 85-69 at Ilwaco W 74-16 CR W 71-35 at WS W 73-30 Toledo W 51-43 at Wood. W 62-48 Stev. W 79-61 at SC W 73-42 Ilwaco W 64-34
at Stev. W 99-69 at KWC W 39-38 LC W 83-77 at CR W 65-50 KWC W 72-43 WS W 55-30 at Toledo W 58-56 Wood W 58-50
Overall: 21.3, eliminated at regionals
’14-’15 LEAGUE SCHEDULE Dec. 9 Dec. 13 Dec. 15 Jan. 8 Jan. 12 Jan. 14 Jan. 16 Jan. 23 Jan. 27 Jan. 31 Feb. 3 Feb. 6
at White Salmon at Castle Rock King’s Way Stevenson at La Center Seton Catholic White Salmon at King’s Way Castle Rock at Seton Catholic at Stevenson La Center
W 44-39 L 41-38 W 55-52 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7:30 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m.
THE TREND League wins past four seasons 2013-14
Win
Loss
Isaac Truesdell
Chinooks look to reload with new cast of players The void left behind by the graduation of Elijah Bannister and Jared Shagool is a massive one for Kalama. Bannister was the Southwest 1A Trico Division MVP, and Shagool a first-team all-Trico pick. With both gone, as well as two other starters, the Chinooks must reload after winning 33 of 35 Southwest 1A Trico Division games during the last two years. “I don’t know if you can replace two kids like that,” Kalama coach Jody Stemkoski said. “Most programs don’t have that caliber of players coming through on a regular basis who are that athletic and can score.” Stemkoski had to tailor his offensive scheme to fit this year’s lineup — one that has nary a senior to speak of. “We’ll do a lot more motion stuff,” he said. “It’s harder to space things out since Elijah and Jared could get to the hoop so easily. We’ll need to be better rebounders since both of those guys were able to grab the rebound and get the offense going.” Getting more players engaged in the offense is one of Stemkoski’s goals. “Last year we had four seniors who could score,” he said. “We’re trying to figure out who will score, and we have plenty of players who can. It’ll be tougher for opposing defenses to figure out who to stop.” Kalama returns one starter — forward Hunter Esary — with reserves Isaac Truesdell, Spencer Stone and Victor Leatzow moving
into the starting lineup. “We have a lot of younger guys coming up and filling spots,” Esary said. “The biggest change is we don’t have a lot of experience, but as the season goes on we’ll get better as the guys get used to the flow of the varsity game.” Stemkoski knows the Chinooks will experience growing pains. But as an early season win over King’s Way Christian illustrated, there’s reason for hope.
“Hunter, Spencer and Isaac are all trying to step up and assume leadership roles,” he said. “Hunter has been our go-to guy and has played a lot since he was a freshman. Isaac can also be counted on to be a go-to guy down the stretch, depending on the flow of the game. “It will take a collective effort, but by the end of the season and into next season we should have a strong program again.” — Rick McCorkle / The Daily News
2012-13 2011-12 2010-11 44
FAST BREAK Kalama expects a dogfight in its quest for repeating as the Southwest 1A Trico Division champion. “La Center has a lot of kids back and are playing well, and Castle Rock has the Johnson brothers and Mason Klingberg,” Coach Stemkoski said. “King’s Way also returns a lot of kids. I’d like to believe we’ll be in the hunt, and if we can get all of the kids playing on the same page, we can have a realistic chance of repeating as league champions.”
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Clatskanie Tigers
ns
Warrenton, Ore. Warriors
2A NW
4A Cowapa
2A NW
CLATSKANIE BOYS TIGERS | LEWIS & CLARK 3A | OSAA ENROLLMENT: 205 PROJECTED STARTERS * ’13-’14 All-league; returning starters bold
G F G F F
Colten Puzey German George Cooper Starkel Andrew Norgren Wyatt McKay
6-0 6-2 6-0 6-2 6-1
Sr. Sr. Jr. Jr. Jr.
6-0 6-1 6-0 5-8 6-5
Sr. Sr. Sr. Sr. Sr.
IN THE ROTATION
F G G G F
Codi Blodgett Jaden Johnson Griffin Haas Micah McLeod Drexler Martin
POINTS SCORED POINTS ALLOWED
33 46.8
2013-14 season
HEAD COACH LUCIUS JONES, 2ND SEASON Record at school: 13-12 State tournament trips: 0
TROPHY CASE 10 state tournament trips (last: 2009) 3 trophies, 1 state title (1945)
’13-’14 LEAGUE SCHEDULE at OE Rainier CG Corbett PA at Warr. DLSN at VC
L 59-48 W 59-45 L 53-49 W 71-66 L 76-64 W 42-22 L 61-45 L 57-41
OE L 62-47 at Rainier L 50-41 at CG W 74-58 Corbett W 74-64 at PA L 87-51 Warr. W 53-38 DLSN L 83-52 VC L 68-34
Overall: 13-12, eliminated in league playoffs
’14-’15 LEAGUE SCHEDULE Dec. 16 Dec. 19 Dec. 20 Jan. 6 Jan. 10 Jan. 13 Jan. 16 Jan. 17 Jan. 20 Jan. 23 Jan. 24 Jan. 27 Jan. 30 Feb. 6 Feb. 10 Feb. 12
Portland Adventist W 78-64 at Oregon Episcopal –– at Rainier –– at Riverdale 7:30 p.m. De La Salle North 5:30 p.m. at Portland Christian 7:30 p.m. Warrenton 7:30 p.m. at Catlin Gabel 5:30 p.m. at Portland Adventist 7:30 p.m. Oregon Episcopal 7:30 p.m. Rainier 7:30 p.m. Catlin Gabel 7:30 p.m. Riverdale 7:30 p.m. at De La Salle North 7:30 p.m. Portland Christian 7:30 p.m. at Warrenton 7:30 p.m.
THE TREND League wins past four seasons Win
2013-14
Loss
Tigers’ depth gives team options in postseason quest When Will Burghardt left Clatskanie to spend his sophomore year as a Mark Morris Monarch, he left almost a 20-point hole in the Tigers’ offensive output, just as the powerful Class of 2015 was reaching its senior year. In a search to replace a lost star, most coaches would leave no stone unturned — turn schemes upside down, reshuffle lineups, retrain players. But for Lucius Jones, now in his second year guiding the Tigers, the job is less “look everywhere” and more “look anywhere.” This class of seniors just brought Clatskanie its first football league title in eight years. Several of those key athletes transitioned from the gridiron to the basketball court this winter, and the results are promising: In Clatskanie’s first four games, four different players led in scoring. “In our first few games, we’ve had contributions from all across the board,” Jones said. “I think the guys have really come a long way, even from two seasons ago when I was a JV coach. It’s really cool for me to see the improvement in these guys.” Clatskanie gets back Andrew Norgren and Colten Puzey, as well as senior post German George. Clatskanie’s seasoned, seniorheavy crew blew out its first three opponents by an average of more than 30 points, but the Tigers ran into a tougher foe in Knappa and lost a close one, thanks to some defensive breakdowns. That’s something Jones is still working to clean up. “I think our overall defensive intensity can improve,” he said. “Even just a couple of lapses on a couple of plays can cost us a game.”
Colten Puzey
Portland Christian Royals
This is a team where such lapses are likely to get you benched. While the camaraderie is definitely there, this team also has a lot of competition, and the second string has the skills to press their case if a starter falters.
Portland Adventist Cougars
“You don’t really get a night off in this league,” Jones said. “We’ve been stressing since Day 1 that we’re all about competing. And the guys are competitive. They’ll do what it takes to get the job done.” — R.D. Hight / The Daily News
2012-13 2011-12 2010-11 46
Corbett
FAST BREAK Clatskanie is well-stocked with offensive weapons and will likely be shifting its personnel often to create better matchups. But Jones feels Cooper Starkel and Colten Puzey are up to the task of distributing the ball appropriately in changing conditions. “I’m totally confident in them being able to handle different kind of pressures, different game situations,” he said.
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Clatskanie Tigers
Rainier Columbians
Warrenton, Ore. Warriors
Loggers 2A NW
Loggers 2A NW
RAINIER BOYS COLUMBIANS | LEWIS & CLARK 3A | OSAA ENROLLMENT: 262 PROJECTED STARTERS * ’13-’14 All-league; returning starters bold
G G G P* P
Alec Earls Daniel Rea Casey Tripp Jeff Tripp Colton Verhoef
5-11 6-0 5-6 6-0 5-10
So. Sr. Jr. Sr. Sr.
5-9 5-7
Jr. Fr.
IN THE ROTATION
G G
Tanner Hall Caymon Rea
POINTS SCORED POINTS ALLOWED
47.2 50.5
2013-14 season
HEAD COACH JOE NEILL, SEVENTH SEASON Record at school: 95-63 State tournament trips: 4 (2-6)
TROPHY CASE 16 state tournament trips (last: 2012) 4 trophies, 0 state titles Best finish: 2nd (1971, ’74)
’13-’14 LEAGUE SCHEDULE PA at Clats. Warr. DLSN Corbett VC OE at CG
L 75-55 L 59-45 W 44-33 L 59-24 L 69-43 L 50-29 W 57-41 L 43-34
at PA Clats. at Warr. DLSN Corbett at OE at VC CG
L 88-56 W 50-41 W 40-27 L 80-75 W 67-42 L 59-37 L 63-26 W 73-49
Overall: 11-13, eliminated in league playoffs
’14-’15 LEAGUE SCHEDULE Dec. 16 Dec. 18 Dec. 20 Jan. 6 Jan. 9 Jan. 10 Jan. 13 Jan. 16 Jan. 20 Jan. 23 Jan. 24 Jan. 29 Feb. 3 Feb. 6 Feb. 10 Feb. 12
Catlin Gabel L 52-28 at Riverdale W 38-35 Clatskanie –– at Portland Adventist 7:30 p.m. at Oregon Episcopal 7:30 p.m. Portland Christian 5:30 p.m. at Warrenton 7:30 p.m. De La Salle North 7:30 p.m. at Catlin Gabel 7:30 p.m. Riverdale 7:30 p.m. at Clatskanie 5:30 p.m. Portland Adventist 7:30 p.m. Oregon Episcopal 7:30 p.m. at Portland Christian 7:30 p.m. Warrenton 7:30 p.m. at De La Salle North 7:30 p.m.
THE TREND League wins past four seasons Win
2013-14
Loss
Jeff Tripp
Team-first style could take these Columbians far Take care of the ball. Get good shots. Fight hard to rebound. Don’t let them attack inside. Make them hit contested jump shots. Share the basketball. Be ready to be a screener. Make the extra pass. Make the hard cut that’ll get the guy behind you open. When a Rainier Columbian gets the signal to go in, his to-do list is a long one. That’s what life is like when you play basketball in the stacked Lewis and Clark 3A and you aren’t armed with great size and strength. Rainier doesn’t have the personnel to win a lot of one-onone matchups, so getting a teammate open and getting him the ball is going to figure much more prominently than challenging foes in physical confrontations. Four straight losses to open the season already provided proof of what happens when Rainier doesn’t do its chores. “It’s a work in progress, and we have some guys that haven’t played a ton of varsity minutes yet,” Coach Joe Neill said. “As the year goes on and they put work in, get experience, we’ll be in the mix for a playoff spot.” The good news is, the Columbians have the potential to be a team that shoots the ball well. If they execute the team-first style Neill is teaching, they can hit hard. Landing those game-winning blows starts with senior Jeff Tripp, Rainier’s lone returning allleaguer. His playing time through four games totaled about 1 minute thanks to an ankle injury, but he should be ready for Rainier’s league campaign. He’ll often be Rainier’s leading scorer, rebounder and
Portland Christian Royals
shutdown defensive presence. Oh, and he’s an emotional leader on the team. “We’re going to ask a lot from him,” Neill said. “He’s as tough as anybody I’ve ever coached.” Casey Tripp will follow his older brother to the varsity squad this year, and Colton Verhoef will play varsity for the first time as a senior. Neill praised both for their tenacity, but both will be asked to
Portland Adventist Cougars
be more aggressive on offense. Alec Earls steps in to play point guard as a sophomore, and Daniel Rea gives the Columbians a long, athletic threat at the guard spot. “I think the intent has been great, effort has been great,” Neill said. “I think that we’ve got a group that will play for each other. We’re going to have to be ready to go every night.” — R.D. Hight / The Daily News
2012-13 2011-12 2010-11 48
FAST BREAK Though the first games were not victories, Neill was excited by the times when Rainier clicked early on this season. “There have definitely been moments, spurts for three, four minutes, where we’ve played really well on both ends. We just have to work to maintain that — we can’t play three or four good minutes and then two or three bad ones.”
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Life Christian
Fishermen
Chief Leske
Tacoma Baptist
ILWACO BOYS FISHERMEN | PACIFIC 2B | WIAA ENROLLMENT: 211 Coach Tim Harrell and Kenneth Sheldon
PROJECTED STARTERS * ’13-’14 All-league; returning starters bold
G G G G F
Marcos Mendoza Kenneth Sheldon Zac Tapio Ethan Bannister Nickolas Griffitt
5-10 6-1 6-1 6-1 6-3
So. Sr. So. So. Sr.
6-3 6-1
Sr. Jr.
IN THE ROTATION
F F
Kienyn Adams Michael Aguayo
POINTS SCORED POINTS ALLOWED
29.8 64.6
2013-14 season
HEAD COACH TIM HARRELL, 1ST SEASON
TROPHY CASE 22 state tournament trips (last: 2011) 9 trophies; 1 state title (1959)
’13-’14 LEAGUE SCHEDULE Wood KWC Kal at WS at Tol Ste at CR at SC LC
L L L L L L L L L
59-6 50-20 74-16 73-37 76-29 55-40 66-34 68-38 73-22
at Kal CR at Wood at KWC WS Tol at Ste SC
L L L L L L L L
64-34 56-30 66-28 62-27 56-41 73-25 81-40 57-42
Overall: 0-19, missed playoffs
’14-’15 LEAGUE SCHEDULE Dec. 12 Jan. 9 Jan. 13 Jan. 16 Jan. 20 Jan. 24 Jan. 29 Jan. 31 Feb. 3 Feb. 5
Chief Leschi L 61-54 Tacoma Baptist 7:15 p.m. North Beach 7 p.m. Rainier 7:15 p.m. Ocosta 7:15 p.m. Northwest Christian 7 p.m. at South Bend 7 p.m. at Life Christian 7 p.m. Willapa Valley 7:15 p.m. Raymond 7:15 p.m.
THE TREND League wins past four seasons 2013-14 2012-13 2011-12 2010-11
Win
Loss
First-year coach working to instill culture of winning Heads were sagging. Fourth quarters were uncontested. Tim Harrell didn’t like what he was seeing. Taking over a program that hit rock bottom with last year’s winless season, the first order of business for Ilwaco’s new coach was to transform the culture. “Last year, the kids got beat down a little bit,” Harrell said. “They kind of quit playing.” To fix that, the former Fishermen assistant has emphasized a family aesthetic, encouraging his players to grow closer both on and off the court. So far, there are encouraging signs. Ilwaco isn’t suddenly running
teams off the floor, but the team has hope, something that had vanished by last season’s final loss. “It’s just a whole different attitude this year,” the team’s lone returning starter, Kenneth Sheldon, said. “We’re a whole different team.” Another, more tangible, reason to expect at least a few wins from the Fishermen this season is that they are no longer in the roughand-tumble Southwest 1A Trico Division. The latest bout of reclassification has returned Ilwaco to the 2B level for the first time since it was a B school in 1963. It was a welcome transition for a program lacking the infrastructure of La Center, Kalama and some of the other Trico heavyweights. “With how many guys we have and stuff like that, they’re more in our league now,” Marcos Mendoza said. “I think we’re more bal-
anced with other teams.” But it hasn’t all been sunshine and rainbows out on the coast. As much as the Fishermen feel like a different team than in seasons past, nothing will really change until they start winning games. Ilwaco has had its chances, Harrell said, keeping every contest close into the second half, but has struggled to seal the deal down the stretch. It’s one of the paradoxes that comes with a massive turnaround project like this, one of the many challenges Harrell will have to overcome in the process of rebuilding. “It comes to that pivotal point in a ballgame where teams that know how to win, they start doing the things they have to do,” Harrell said. “We have to learn how to win.” — Kevin Dowd / The Daily News
FAST BREAK Ilwaco’s new home in the Pacific 2B means a lot fewer hours on a bus. While the Fishermen will still have to travel to Tacoma to play Chief Leschi, it’s a much smoother ride than the seven-hour round trip journey to White Salmon. “It’s a little different than driving down those crooked roads the whole way,” Kenneth Sheldon said. 50
ll ns
Wahkiakum Mules
Toutle Lake Ducks
Timberwolves
Cardinals
TOUTLE LAKE BOYS DUCKS | CENTRAL 2B | WIAA ENROLLMENT: 163 Jacob Buck
PROJECTED STARTERS * ’13-’14 All-league; returning starters bold
G G G F F
Dalton Phillipps Radley Risner Scott Miller Nate Porter Jacob Buck
5-8 5-10 5-10 6-1 6-2
Jr. Jr. Jr. So. Jr.
5-9 5-11 5-11 5-11
Fr. Fr. So. Sr.
Winlock/Toledo Warhawks or United
IN THE ROTATION
G G F F
Nate Hoff Cam Swanson Chris Smith Matt Morton
POINTS SCORED POINTS ALLOWED
48.7 53.2
2013-14 season
HEAD COACH ERIC SWANSON, 24TH SEASON Record at school: 416-147 State tournament trips: 15 (28-23)
TROPHY CASE 26 state tournament trips (last: 2012) 15 trophies, 0 state titles Best finish: 2nd (1995, ’98, ’00, ’08)
’13-’14 LEAGUE SCHEDULE at Napa W 59-48 at Pe Ell W 65-51 MWP L 69-43 Ony L 60-25 at Win W 54-50 Adna W 56-43 Wah W 61-47 at Mossy L 80-63
at Ony Napa Pe Ell at MWP Win at Adna at Wah
L 61-34 W 45-41 W 56-37 L 83-40 W 47-40 L 62-55 L 54-39
Overall: 11-11, lost at districts
’14-’15 LEAGUE SCHEDULE Dec. 9 Dec. 12 Dec. 13 Dec. 16 Dec. 18 Dec. 20 Jan. 6 Jan. 8 Jan. 13 Jan. 16 Jan. 21 Jan. 23 Jan. 24 Jan. 28 Jan. 30 Jan. 31 Feb. 4 Feb. 6
Mossyrock L 46-44 at Toledo L 55-43 Pe Ell W 66-53 at Winlock W 70-34 Onalaska L 54-41 Napavine –– at Adna 7 p.m. Morton/White Pass 7 p.m. at Wahkiakum 7 p.m. at Napavine 7 p.m. at Mossyrock 7 p.m. Toledo 7 p.m. at Pe Ell 7 p.m. Winlock 7 p.m. at Onalaska 7 p.m. Adna 7 p.m. at Morton/White Pass 7 p.m. Wahkiakum 7 p.m.
THE TREND League wins past four seasons 2013-14
Win
Loss
To win, Ducks must make each other better Youth will be served in Toutle Lake. With just one senior on the roster and a high-tempo offense, these young Ducks are getting kicked out of the nest early. Like any good flock, they must fly together. “One goal we have is that every practice, every game, to get better as a team,” Coach Eric Swanson said. “Our team goal is to play as a team. Play for each other.” While Swanson and his team keep most of their team goals amongst themselves, junior
guard/forward Scott Miller and junior guard Radley Risner both agreed that the ultimate goal is to make Spokane, home of the 2B state tournament. However, the team’s success is dependent on coming together, Miller said. “That (a state berth) won’t happen unless we make each other better,” Miller said. “Being a good player is one thing, but playing as a whole, as a team, is the best thing we could do this season.” Swanson pointed to his team’s depth, especially on the offensive end, as one of Toutle’s biggest strengths. The team’s chemistry seems right up there with it. “Guys seem to be really com-
mitted to each other and really working hard as a group. We’re not trying to play as individuals,” Swanson said. “All set goals, and what’s nice about this group is we have really balanced scoring. Anybody can go get double digits, even guys off the bench.” Swanson is in his 24th season with Toutle Lake. That continuity, especially at a small school, holds a big advantage. “You have that from your high school kids down through your elementary school kids. It’s nice,” he said. While the Ducks lack size, Miller and Risner said blocking out and making stops can help neutralize that disadvantage. — Ryan Horlen / The Daily News
2012-13 2011-12 2010-11
FAST BREAK For the first time in three years, Coach Swanson welcomes a group he was able to work with while they were young. “It’s pretty important in this day and age that they get hit with the fundamentals at an early age,” Swanson said. 51
Toledo Indians
Onalaska Loggers
Adna Pirates
Mossyrock Vikings
Napavine Tigers
Pe Ell Trojans
TOLEDO BOYS INDIANS | CENTRAL 2B | WIAA ENROLLMENT: 208 Grant McEwen
PROJECTED STARTERS * ’13-’14 All-league; returning starters bold
G* G G* F F
Brent Wood Forrest Wallace Grant McEwen Joey Wallace Donevin Merly
5-10 5-10 5-10 6-2 6-6
Sr. Sr. Sr. So. Sr.
IN THE ROTATION
G Connor Vermilyea G Riley Bowen G/F Gabe Fuentes F Isaiah Johnson POINTS SCORED POINTS ALLOWED
6-0 6-1 5-11 6-2
Jr. Sr. So. Sr. 54.1 44.6
2013-14 season
HEAD COACH GRADY FALLON, 1ST SEASON
TROPHY CASE 28 state tournament trips (last: 2014) 13 trophies, 1 state title (2013)
’13-’14 LEAGUE SCHEDULE Wood. L 51-44 LC W 45-44 SC W 70-37 at KWC L 56-50 Ilwaco W 76-29 at Kal. L 51-43 at Stev. W 62-46 CR L 54-34 at Wood. L 49-44
WS W 66-30 at WS W 57-31 at LC L 63-43 at SC W 65-47 KWC W 43-37 at Ilwaco W 73-25 at Kal. L 58-56 Stev. W 73-43
Overall: 18-9, sixth at state
’14-’15 LEAGUE SCHEDULE Dec. 11 Dec. 13 Dec. 16 Dec. 18 Dec. 20 Jan. 6 Jan. 8 Jan. 10 Jan. 13 Jan. 16 Jan. 21 Jan. 23 Jan. 24 Jan. 28 Jan. 30 Jan. 31 Feb. 4 Feb. 6
Toutle Lake at MWP Onalaska Winlock at Mossyrock Pe Ell Wahkiakum Napavine at Adna Mossyrock at Napavine at Toutle Lake MWP at Onalaska at Winlock at Pe Ell at Wahkiakum Adna
W 55-44 L 72-50 W 58-36 W 51-10 –– 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m.
THE TREND League wins past four seasons 2013-14
Win
Loss
Indians’ pursuit of banners remains with new coach In his 18 seasons at Toledo, Scott Merzoian made 13 trips to state and, in 2013, brought home the school’s only title. As former assistant Grady Fallon put it, “Scott’s got banners.” Now, after Merzoian stepped away to pursue opportunities with the Longview School District, Fallon, a 1994 Toledo grad, will take over a veteran Indians team thinking about a deep postseason run in its drop to 2B. “It’s gonna be hard to fill Scott’s shoes,” senior Grant McEwen said. “But if there’s anybody who can do the job, it’s definitely Grady.”
McEwen — the reigning TDN player of the year — is one of four starters returning from the group that took sixth at 1A state a season ago. He and point guard Brent Wood each averaged more than 17 points per game last season and form one of the most talented backcourts around. They should again lead the way for the Indians, but the team also expects big things from much-improved senior forward Donevin Merly. “Our two guards are topnotch,” Fallon said. “Now we have a big guy who’s gonna be a threat.” Fallon said he hasn’t changed much from Merzoian’s tenure — expect the same tough-nosed, defense-first Toledo team. In fact, Merzoian’s hands are still all over the Indians’ program.
After one early-season practice, when no one could quite remember how to start one of Toledo’s plays, Fallon had to call the former coach to refresh his memory. A bigger transition than the coaching change might be Toledo’s move from the Southwest 1A Trico Division to the Central 2B League. While the Trico was no picnic, the Central 2B is stacked top to bottom with quality teams, including defending state champion Morton/White Pass. Fallon said anyone expecting the Indians to glide their way to state is mistaken. “It’s good for the rivalries and the packed gyms. That will be fun,” Fallon said. “But as far as getting your butt to state, it’s not any easier.” — Kevin Dowd / The Daily News
2012-13 2011-12 2010-11 52
FAST BREAK Due to the Toledo football team’s run to the state quarterfinals, the start of the Indians’ season was delayed until Dec. 11. The team practiced 20 times before its first game. “It was brutal,” Grant McEwen said. Kind of like trying to tackle Toledo RB Taylor Hicks.
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53
Morton/White Pass Timberwolves
Wahkiakum Mules
ake s
Winlock Cardinals
WAHKIAKUM BOYS MULES | CENTRAL 2B | WIAA ENROLLMENT: 109 Brandon Budd
PROJECTED STARTERS Winlock/Toledo * ’13-’14 All-league; returning starters bold
PG G G/F F P
Brady LaBerge Joey Moore Brandon Budd Ryan Quigley Zach Brown
Warhawks or United
5-8 5-7 6-0 6-2 6-1
Sr. Jr. Sr. Jr. Fr.
IN THE ROTATION
G F
Hank Ferguson Cody Terpsma
5-10 So. 5-10 Fr.
POINTS SCORED POINTS ALLOWED
59.3 51.7
2013-14 season
HEAD COACH TODD SOUVENIR, 1ST SEASON
TROPHY CASE 13 state tournament trips (last: 2013) 11 trophies, 0 state titles Best finish: 2nd (1979, 2004, ’07)
’13-’14 LEAGUE SCHEDULE at Napa. Winlock Pe Ell MWP at Ony Mossy. at TL Adna
W 68-62 W 70-58 W 64-34 L 80-51 L 46-43 L 82-72 L 61-47 L 48-46
at Win. W 49-42 Napa. L 46-45 at Pe Ell W 73-54 at MWP L 77-66 Ony W 50-44 at Mossy L 55-52 TL W 54-39
Overall: 12-10, eliminated at districts
’14-’15 LEAGUE SCHEDULE Dec. 4 Dec. 9 Dec. 11 Dec. 13 Dec. 16 Dec. 18 Jan. 6 Jan. 8 Jan. 13 Jan. 16 Jan. 21 Jan. 23 Jan. 24 Jan. 28 Jan. 30 Jan. 31 Feb. 4 Feb. 6
Adna L 53-30 at Pe Ell L 63-40 Winlock W 71-35 at Mossyrock L 52-41 Morton/White Pass L 83-43 at Napavine L 77-52 Onalaska 7 p.m. at Toledo 7 p.m. Toutle Lake 7 p.m. at Adna 7 p.m. Pe Ell 7 p.m. at Winlock 7 p.m. Mossyrock 7 p.m. at Morton/White Pass 7 p.m. Napavine 7 p.m. at Onalaska 7 p.m. Toledo 7 p.m. at Toutle Lake 7 p.m.
THE TREND League wins past four seasons 2013-14 2012-13 2011-12 2010-11 54
Win
Loss
New faces ready to power Mules’ return to playoffs Brandon Budd knew things would be different this winter — just not this different. The last contributor left from the 2012-13 team that took third in 2B, and only starter returning from the 2013-14 club, there was little doubt this was his year to take control on the court. But to do it without Bill Olsen — the Mules’ coach for the past 18 seasons? “That was a big shock,” Budd said. With Olsen stepping down a few weeks prior to the season — after a difficult year off the court in which close family members died — a program already in transition
received a double-dose of unfamiliarity. Todd Souvenir took the reins in mid-November. Now, the longtime assistant is trying to retool a roster that lost all of its size and most of its experience. “It’s definitely different and a challenge for them ... to where we lived around the post player, to where we don’t have that presence right now,” said Coach Souvenir. “We knew we were going to have to try to play up-tempo and get out in the open court.” That all begins with Budd. An athletic 6-foot wing with solid ball-handling skills and a nose for the basket, the senior assumes a heavy burden on offense after playing a supporting role the past two seasons. A few weeks into the schedule, he appears to be handling it just fine. He scored 37, 22, 28 and
22 points during one four-game stretch in early December. Coach Souvenir hopes there’s more where that came from. “He’s going to have to be that guy,” he said. Outside of Budd, the Mules must rely on three- and sometimes four-guard lineups, with a freshman, 6-1 Zach Brown, patrolling the post. In the rough-and-tumble Central 2B, where 6-5 and 6-6 posts roam, that promises to provide further strain on a program already dealing with plenty. “We play in a tough league,” Souvenir said. “It’s definitely going to be a challenge to get these guys up and ready to play and be competitive on a daily basis.” Added Budd, “We have a lot of work to do.” — Matt Schubert / The Daily News
FAST BREAK The loss of all-league post Shane Souvenir doesn’t have to be a big one. Freshman Zach Brown could be in for a huge year, if you listen to Brandon Budd. “He’ll definitely get a lot of points and a lot of rebounds,” Budd said. “He’s got a lot of moves and can really box people out. He’s really physical.”
WINLOCK BOYS CARDINALS | CENTRAL 2B | WIAA ENROLLMENT: 148 PROJECTED STARTERS * ’13-’14 All-league; returning starters bold
G G F F P
Adair Garibay Shad Coleman Wyatt Dean Evan Mitchell Dawson Hall
5-11 6-2 6-1 6-1 6-2
Jr. Sr. So. Sr. Sr.
IN THE ROTATION
G Jose Keim G Zach Weinert F Stardog Delao G Nicholas Patching POINTS SCORED POINTS ALLOWED
5-8 Sr. 5-10 So. 6-0 Jr. 5-7 Fr. 44.8 61.3
2013-14 season
HEAD COACH DENNIS TAUSCHER, 3RD SEASON Record at school: 12-35 State tournament trips: 1 (1-2)
TROPHY CASE 11 state tournament trips (last: 2013) 3 trophies, 0 state titles Best finish: 4th (1995, 2009)
’13-’14 LEAGUE SCHEDULE Adna at Wah Mossy Napa TL Ony at MWP Pe Ell
L L L L L L L L
56-47 70-58 58-44 63-53 54-50 68-31 84-36 68-54
Wah L at Adna L at Mossy L at Napa L at TL L Ony L at Pe Ell L MWP L
49-42 61-52 68-34 57-37 47-40 66-29 60-57 83-36
Overall: 1-19, missed playoffs
’14-’15 LEAGUE SCHEDULE Dec. 4 Dec. 9 Dec. 11 Dec. 13 Dec. 16 Dec. 18 Jan. 6 Jan. 8 Jan. 13 Jan. 16 Jan. 21 Jan. 23 Jan. 24 Jan. 28 Jan. 30 Jan. 31 Feb. 4 Feb. 6
at Pe Ell L 69-26 Morton/White Pass L 86-18 at Wahkiakum L 71-35 at Onalaska L 64-25 Toutle Lake L 70-34 at Toledo L 55-10 Mossyrock 7 p.m. Adna 7 p.m. at Napavine 7 p.m. Pe Ell 7 p.m. at Morton/White Pass 7 p.m. Wahkiakum 7 p.m. Onalaska 7 p.m. at Toutle Lake 7 p.m. Toledo 7 p.m. at Mossyrock 7 p.m. at Adna 7 p.m. Napavine 7 p.m.
THE TREND League wins past four seasons 2013-14
Win
Loss
Stardog Delao
Cardinals undergo rebuild with eye toward future Two years removed from an improbable state quarterfinal run, the Winlock boys basketball program is back at the ground floor of a rebuilding project. The Cardinals finished 1-19 last season, and this year’s squad is short on experience at the varsity level. Third-year coach Dennis Tauscher hopes that focusing on accomplishing small goals will add to bigger results. “We want to see progress,” he said. “We want to make state every year, but we adjust some of those goals to make them a bit more realistic and attainable.” The idea is that attainable goals, like winning the rebounding battle or limiting turnovers, will pay dividends. If not in this year’s win-loss record, then certainly for years to come. “We want to get our young players experience, so when they become juniors and seniors, they’ll be better,” senior forward Evan Mitchell said. Several players, including Mitchell and sophomore guard Zach Weinert, played football together and were part of a summer league basketball team. Both players agreed the chemistry built should aid the team. “A lot of us played together in football, so we understand how we respond to different situations and how to work together,” Mitchell said. For young teams, building continuity and good habits are the foundation of success. Weinert said guys are putting in the extra work to get better.
“We’ve had a lot of young guys step up and play really well and be pretty good leaders so far,” sophomore guard Zach Weinert said.
They’ll need to be if the Cardinals hope to make some noise in the crowded Central 2B. — Ryan Horlen / The Daily News
2012-13 2011-12
FAST BREAK
2010-11
The Cardinals probably feature the catchiest name in the state with junior forward Stardog Delao. 55
NASELLE BOYS COMETS | 1B INDEPENDENT | WIAA ENROLLMENT: 73 PROJECTED STARTERS * ’13-’14 All-league; returning starters bold
G G G F F
Gino Juarez Adrian Corona Tony Lopez Conner See Cole Bergeson
6-0 5-8 5-10 6-1 6-0
Jr. Sr. Sr. Sr. Sr.
IN THE ROTATION
C G C
Matt Carter 6-7 Sr. Hayden Gudmundson 5-10 Jr. Kyler Wulf 6-2 Sr.
POINTS SCORED POINTS ALLOWED
44.3 59.1
2013-14 season
HEAD COACH BRIAN MACY, 11TH SEASON Record at school: 117-81 State tournament trips: 0
TROPHY CASE 34 state tournament trips (last: 2003) 19 trophies, 0 state titles Best finish: 2nd (1967, ’78, ’83, ’84, ‘92)
’13-’14 LEAGUE SCHEDULE WV NB NWC at Ray. SB at Oco.
L 69-38 L 82-26 L 56-47 L 48-28 W 58-52 L 69-44
at WV at NB at NW Ray. Oco. at SB
L L L L L L
65-38 81-51 48-33 57-38 89-61 43-40
Overall: 4-15, missed playoffs
’14-’15 1B SCHEDULE Jan. 3 Jan. 9 Jan. 16 Jan. 23 Jan. 31 Feb. 6
Twin Valley at Mary M. Knight Oakville at Twin Valley vs. Mary M. Knight at Oakville
7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m.
THE TREND League wins past four seasons Win
2013-14 2012-13 2011-12 2010-11
Loss
Matt Carter
Towering Carter could help Naselle reach next level Matt Carter is 6 foot 7. That height alone can make the senior a weapon for the Comets at the 1B level. But a Naselle team planning on a postseason run will only reach its full potential if Carter reaches his. In a Dec. 10 loss to South Bend, the big man scored seven points, grabbed six rebounds and blocked five shots. The 2B Panthers won by 18 points, but Coach Brian Macy was still encouraged because of what he saw from Carter. “Tonight was a step up for him, from how he has played,” Macy said after the game. “He needs to build on that going forward.” The two have a tough-love relationship. Macy doesn’t try to hide Carter’s importance to Naselle’s team, or the senior’s need to keep improving. “He knows,” Macy said. “I don’t talk behind his back. I tell him right to his face. He knows where he stands. “This was his best game of the year so far. If he can build on that, our offense will take off.” Led by the backcourt of Gino Juarez and Adrian Corona, the Comets got off to a slow start this winter. But that’s partly by design: Macy wanted to play moretalented teams in December to better prepare Naselle for the regular-season games that count — and perhaps beyond. While Carter doesn’t enjoy the losing, he does appreciate the lessons it can teach. “These guys are muscly,” he said. “There are gonna be muscly guys around the state and in
our league that we have to play. So for me, guarding a bigger guy at the beginning of the season and learning now is way better than learning in January or February.” Carter said the Comets have their “eyes on state, eyes on
playing in March.” If Juarez and Corona keep scoring and the rest of the pieces fall into place, there’s a chance. There’s also, of course, always the chance Carter inches up to 6-8. “Hopefully,” he said. — Kevin Dowd / The Daily News
FAST BREAK Coach Brian Macy admitted Knappa (Ore.) was in a different class than the Comets during an 83-31 Naselle loss at the Warrenton Tip-Off Tournament. But it would have been closer if the Comets were at full strength — guard Tony Lopez and senior Matt Carter had to miss the game to take the SAT. 56
REGIONAL POWER 8 THE BEST POUND-FOR-POUND IN SOUTHWEST WASHINGTON GOING INTO LEAGUE PLAY
hkiakum Mules
oledo
son dians s
Morton/White Pass Timberwolves
Onalaska
Mark Loggers Morris Monarchs
1. Morton/White Pass — Defending 2B state champs are still loaded, look like favorites to repeat. R.A. Long Adna Pirates Lumberjacks
WashougalMossyrock Panthers
Vikings
Toledo Indians
Adna Pirates
. Long berjacks
Washougal Panthers
Hockinson Hawks
Columbia River Chieftians
Napavine Tigers
Woodland Pe Ell Beavers Trojans
Castle Rock Rockets
Columbia (aka White Salmon) Bruins
3. Woodland — Not lots of scoring here. The defense of 6-foot-11 center Bryce Mulder could determine Beavers’ fate. Onalaska Loggers
Onalaska Loggers
Adna Pirates
Adna Pirates
Mossyrock Vikings
Mossyrock Vikings
Napavine Tigers
Pe Ell Trojans
Toutle Lake Ducks
4. Toledo — A 22-point loss to MWP on Dec. 13 tempers expectations of Indians dominance at 2B. Mossyrock Vikings
Napavine Tigers
Hudson’s Bay Eagles
Woodland Beavers
5. Washougal — Guard Noah Prangley has the Panthers Kelso Prairie Fort Vancouver Hilanders Falcons race. poised to contend in tight league Trappers R.A. Long Lumberjacks
Mark Morris Monarchs
Life Christian Mossyrock
Vikings
Fort Vancouver Trappers
Chief Leske
Tacoma
Napavine Baptist Tigers
RidgefieldToutle Lake Spudders Ducks
Kalama Chinooks
Washougal Panthers
Hudson’s Bay Eagles
Pe Ell Trojans
Toutle Lake Ducks
Wahkiakum Mules
Napavine Tigers Pe Ell Trojans
Wahkiakum Mules
Woodland Beavers
Columbia River Chieftians
Morton/White Pass Timberwolves
7. Life Christian — Two years removed from one-win Kelso Prairie Hilanders Eagles off Falcons season, to a flawless 7-0 start. 8. Fort Vancouver — Wins over La Center and Skyview highlight a solid start for the Trappers.
LOCAL 1. Mark Morris 2. Woodland 3. Toledo 4. Clatskanie 5. Kelso 6. Three Rivers Christian 7. Castle Rock 8. Toutle Lake
STATE 1. Rainier Beach 2. Morton/White Pass 3. Zillah 4. Eastside Catholic 5. Lynden 6. Issaquah 7. Clarkston 8. King’s
R.A. Long Lumberjacks
Washougal Panthers
GIRLS
Hudson’s Bay Eagles
Woodland Beavers
Ridgefield Spudders
1. Mark Morris — Karley and Kourtney Eaton and Ashley Coons could beat many area teams playing 3-on-5. Wahkiakum Mules
Morton/White Pass Timberwolves
Winlock Cardinals
2. Toutle Lake — Tough to slow down the Ducks when they orbit talented shooters around junior post Makala Gardner. La Center Wildcats
Stevenson Bulldogs
Seton Cougars
King’s Way Knights
Winlock/Toledo Warhawks or United
Ridgefield Spudders
6. Columbia River — High-scoring Chieftains appear the class of the GSHL 3A, but could have unexpected competition.
3. Kalama — With sophomores Parker Esary and Kaelyn Shipley, no team around can match the ‘Nooks frontcourt. Pe Ell Trojans
Toutle Lake Ducks
Toutle Lake Ducks
Wahkiakum Mules
Wahkiakum Mules Morton/White Pass Timberwolves
Morton/White Pass Timberwolves Winlock Cardinals
4. Napavine — Talented but inexperienced Tigers expected to be tough in the Central 2B. Morton/White Pass Timberwolves
Winlock Cardinals
5. Wahkiakum — Veteran Mules have been here before, have the talent to expect a long postseason run. Ridgefield Spudders
Winlock/Toledo Warhawks or United
Winlock/Toledo Warhawks or United
6. Woodland —KelsoThe Beavers’ swarming defense should Prairie Fort Vancouver FalconsCan they challenge MM? serve them wellHilanders in the GSHL 2A. Trappers Winlock/Toledo Warhawks or United
7. Columbia River — Chieftains might make some noise on the statewide scene. Winlock Cardinals
8. Morton/White Pass — Off to a 6-0 start, the MWP girls are trying to follow in boys’ undefeated footsteps. Winlock/Toledo Warhawks or United
LOCAL 1. Mark Morris 2. Toutle Lake 3. Kalama 4. Wahkiakum 5. Woodland 6. Ilwaco 7. Kelso 8. Naselle
STATE 1. Gonzaga Prep 2. Mark Morris 3. Cleveland 4. Colton 5. W.F. West 6. Lynnwood 7. Lynden Christian 8. Colfax
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umbia River Chieftians
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Ridgefield Spudders
Toledo Indians
Onalaska Loggers
Mark Morris Monarchs
2. Mark Morris — Once big man Geordi Morrow gets healthy, Monarchs will have as good a starting five as anyone in 2A.
Woodland Beavers
Adna Ilwaco Fishermen Pirates
Hockinson Hawks
BOYS
Winlock/Toledo Warhawks or United
son’s agles
Winlock Cardinals
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Winlock Cardinals
THREE RIVERS CHRISTIAN BOYS 1000
1500
EAGLES | COLUMBIA VALLEY 1B | WIAA ENROLLMENT: 68
2000
PROJECTED STARTERS * ’13-’14 All-league; returning starters bold
PG* SG* F F/P P
Danny Hull Eric Powell Matthew Hull Ian Hoffman Caleb Moore
6-2 6-1 6-2 6-3 6-3
Sr. Sr. Fr. Sr. Sr.
IN THE ROTATION
G/F Karsten Rentner G* Seth Carns
6-1 Sr. 5-10 Sr.
POINTS SCORED POINTS ALLOWED
64.5 42.9
2013-14 season
HEAD COACH JIM MURPHY, 5TH SEASON Record at school: 53-30 State tournament trips: 1 (3-1)
TROPHY CASE 1 state tournament trips (last: 2014) 1 trophy, 0 state titles Best finish: 4th (2014)
’13-’14 LEAGUE SCHEDULE at WSD Col.Ad. at FF Pope
W 69-27 WSD W 59-22 W101-29 at Col.Ad. W 76-34 W 68-23 FF W 73-35 W 68-23
Overall: 22-4, 4th at state
’14-’15 LEAGUE SCHEDULE Jan. 8 Jan. 13 Jan. 15 Jan. 23 Jan. 27 Jan. 29 Feb. 3 Feb. 5
WSD 7 p.m. at Columbia Adventist 7 p.m. Firm Foundation 7 p.m. at Pope John 7 p.m. at WSD 7 p.m. Columbia Adventist 7 p.m. at Firm Foundation 7 p.m. Pope John 7 p.m.
THE TREND League wins past four seasons Win
2013-14 2012-13 2011-12 2010-11
Loss
Ian Hoffman
‘Beast Mode’ key to Eagles’ state trophy hopes To view Three Rivers Christian in its element is to be lost amid a sea of arms and energy. The Eagles at their best, after all, are an intertwined defensive unit, seemingly attached to one another on a string, shifting together in unison with all eyes on the ball, ready to pounce on the slightest hesitation. “We love it,” TRC senior Danny Hull said. “Last year that’s what we were kind of known for — our ‘Beast Mode’ zone. And that’s what we want to be known for this year, too. “We want to be known as a team that shuts you down on defense and drives it down the hole on offense.” That mind-set was readily apparent in the Eagles’ earlyseason win over Shorewood Christian, a team that beat TRC in the 1B quarterfinals last March. It was a game where TRC’s uncommon length — the Eagles boast six players 6-1 or taller — strangled every drive into the middle and cut off every angle on the perimeter. The Eagles’ patience on the other end wore down the Lions as well — the probing, the backand-forth passing, the insistence on attacking the paint again and again. “They know that offensively we don’t have the punch that I like, so this is our way to win,” Coach Jim Murphy said. “We’ve got to create turnovers, we’ve got to force them to shoot from the outside and we’ve got to rebound the ball. “For us to win, they have to buy in to it.”
It isn’t a hard sell. That recipe carried the Eagles to their first state trophy a year ago and could produce the same results this season with all but one starter back. Hull is the heady steady hand at the point, Eric Powell and Seth Carns the can’t-leave threats on the perimeter, and Ian Hoffman and Caleb Moore the active, tough-as-nails post players. Throw in a versatile sixth man in Karsten Rentner, and a beyond-hisyears freshman in Matthew Hull on the wing, and the Eagles have all the tools to challenge the 1B elite.
“Last year we had (league MVP) Zach Martinez on our team, who was really an intense, physical player, and that helped us as a team to be more intense and physical,” Danny Hull said. “We saw that helped us get to state last year, so we really wanted to continue that this year. “You really just got to come together as a team and say this is what we want to do — we want to grind it out, and that’s who we’re going to be. If you all get on the same page, then you will be very tough to beat.” — Matt Schubert / The Daily News
FAST BREAK With a weak league slate, the Eagles looked elsewhere to fill their schedule with games that will get them ready for the road to Spokane. Among the opponents: 1B placers Shorewood Christian and Tulalip Heritage and state hopeful Mount Rainier Lutheran. “Our league is not super strong, so that’s why scheduled these really, really tough games, because they show us where our weaknesses are,” senior Danny Hull said. 58
STATE OUTLOOK STATE CHAMPIONSHIP FAVORITES AND DARK HORSES FOR EACH CLASSIFICATION IN WASHINGTON CLASS 4A BOYS Favorite — Federal Way: Race is wide open, but Eagles are high-flying. Dark horse — Kentridge: Chargers are SPSL’s best. GIRLS Favorite — Gonzaga Prep: Bullpups might be better than last year’s title-winning vintage.
CLASS 3A BOYS Favorite — Rainier Beach: Dejounte Murray posted 52 points, 20 rebounds in earlyseason win. Dark horse — Garfield: Transfer Alphonso Anderson has all the talent in the world.
GIRLS Favorite — Cleveland: New coach Jamie Dark horse — Moses Redd takes over 2Lake: State’s east side time defending state is packed with talent. champs. Dark horse — Lynnwood: Royals join the 3A ranks.
CLASS 2A BOYS Favorite — Lynden: Last year’s runnersup have eyes on the crown.
CLASS 1A BOYS Favorite — Zillah: Can’t pick against a team called the Leopards.
Dark horse — Mark Morris: Will Burghardt gives MM new dimension.
Dark horse — King’s: 6-5 sophomore guard Corey Kispert is legit.
GIRLS Favorite — Mark Morris: Eaton twins equal frontrunner status. Dark horse — East Valley (Spokane): Knights could break MM/WFW’s hold on 2A title.
GIRLS Favorite — Lynden Christian: The Lynx have enough talent back to defend their title.
CLASS 2B BOYS Favorite — Morton/ White Pass: All-state performer Zach Walton leads a juggernaut. Dark horse — Brewster: Reclassified 2B got a whole lot tougher. GIRLS Favorite — Colfax: The only team to beat Toutle Lake last year.
Dark horse — KalDark horse — Okanama: Are ’Nooks ogan: Bulldogs took ready for the big time? fourth at 1A a season ago.
CLASS 1B BOYS Favorite — Neah Bay: The Red Devils have the athletes to run teams out of gym. Dark horse — Three Rivers Christian: “Beast Mode” is no joke. GIRLS Favorite — Colton: Six-time defending state champs favorites until proven otherwise. Dark horse — Sunnyside Christian: Knights have challenged Colton in the past.
GO
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Way to Go Eagles!
TRCS CHEERLEADERS 2013-14
MONARCHS MONARCHS!
1B League Academic State Champions (Highest GPA in state)
BOYS BASKETBALL took 4th at State Championships
BOYS CROSS COUNTRY State Participants
GIRLS VOLLEYBALL State Participants 8 years; Academic State Champions 5 years running
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ALL-AREA GIRLS DAILY NEWS SPORTS REPORTER KEVIN DOWD BREAKS DOWN THE REGION’S BEST KOURTNEY EATON, SR., G, MARK MORRIS The numbers: 15.1 points, 8.6 assists, 4.1 rebounds, 3.9 steals The skinny: Yes, she’s still here. As a sophomore, Kourtney was the 2A state player of the year. If the Monarchs live up to their potential and return to the state title game, she might make it a double dip. MM coach Steve Rooklidge: “She will fill up the stat sheet. She’s an all-around player who’s versatile and who’s gonna do a little bit of everything. I think she also really elevates the play of the people around her.” KARLEY EATON, SR., G, MARK MORRIS The numbers: 14.0 points, 5.1 assists, 4.3 rebounds The skinny: While Kourtney plays the point and defends the top of the MM zone, Karley has become the Monarchs’ de facto post presence. She’s also the usual recipient of her sister’s most impressive passes. MM coach Steve Rooklidge: “The fact that Karley is willing to play down low and mix it up, a lot of players who are her caliber who are guards wouldn’t want to do that. But she’s willing to do whatever it takes.” SAM WOODLEY, JR., G, TOUTLE LAKE The numbers: 15.2 points, 6.8 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 3.5 steals The skinny: The biggest reason the Ducks like their odds of returning to the 2B state title game, Woodley showed just what she can do in an early-season win over Mossyrock, posting 30 points, 10 rebounds and 13 steals. TL coach Brian Hockett: “Sam’s just got a lot of savvy, a lot of basketball instincts. She’s got all kinds of crafty moves. Inside, outside, midrange — she can pretty much do everything.” JESSICA FLANAGAN, JR., G/F, WOODLAND The numbers: 11.5 points, 5.3 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 3.7 steals The skinny: Flanagan plays like the coach’s daughter she is, making smart basketball plays on both ends of the floor while running the show for the Beavers and serving as their primary scoring threat. Woodland coach Glen Flanagan: “She’ll play point guard one possession and then guard a post if we need her to. She does a little bit of everything. She’s not too flashy, but she’ll get the job done.” KAELYN SHIPLEY, SO., F, KALAMA The numbers: 15.0 points, 8.2 rebounds, 3.5 steals The skinny: Teaming with classmate Parker Esary, Shipley gives the Chinooks a rare tandem of 6-footers who are primed to terrorize the Trico for years to come. Kalama coach Brynan Shipley: “She’s just a great athlete. She can shoot outside, but she’s also got some post moves and she runs the floor well for a 6-foot post. She can kind of play every position except point guard, and she might even do that here sometime soon.” 60
SECOND TEAM G G G G P
Loryn Musgrove Ashley Coons Baylee Olsen Jamilee Iddings Sarah Luedke
THIRD TEAM Sr. Sr. Sr. Sr. Sr.
Kelso Mark Morris Wahkiakum Kelso R.A. Long
G Sam Boyce G Jasmine Coffin G/F Jenny Westlund F Makenzie Kaech P Makala Gardner
Sr. Sr. Sr. Fr. Jr.
Wahkiakum Ilwaco Rainier Ilwaco Toutle Lake
ALL-AREA BOYS DAILY NEWS SPORTS REPORTER KEVIN DOWD BREAKS DOWN THE REGION’S BEST BRENT WOOD, SR., G, TOLEDO The numbers: 17.5 points, 2.5 assists The skinny: The sharp-shooting guard set the school record for 3-pointers made last season and spent the offseason retooling his jumpshot to become even more dangerous. Toledo coach Grady Fallon: “Brent was in the gym every day this offseason. He’s come a long ways. He’s expanded his range and his dribbling. He’s tough to guard.” BLAKE HAMPTON, SR., G., KELSO The numbers: 12.8 points, 1.7 assists The skinny: Hampton holds the keys to an up-and-down Hilanders attack that values speed over size. The point guard is equally adept at distributing to Kelso’s other options or looking for his own shot. Kelso coach Joe Kinch: “Mentally, he’s matured as much as anybody I’ve had in a while. He really sees the floor and passes the ball well.” GRANT MCEWEN, SR., G, TOLEDO The numbers: 17.1 points, 11.3 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 4.5 steals The skinny: McEwen fills up the stat sheet like few players in the area. He embodies the high-effort, defensefirst style the Indians have employed to great success in recent seasons — including a 2013 state title. Toledo coach Grady Fallon: “He is a phenomenal defender. He’s a guy who can lock somebody down. With all his accolades, nobody talks a lot about his defense, but we all know.” GRANT GIBB, SR., F, MARK MORRIS The numbers: 15.3 points, 4.5 rebounds The skinny: The 6-foot-5 wing’s greatest strength is his jump shot, but Gibb can do it all. With Monarchs center Geordi Morrow sidelined with an injury, Gibb has been a consistent inside-out presence. MM coach Bill Bakamus: “Grant’s probably as fine a shooter as we’ve had come through this program. He can really stretch the defense. We’re just gonna concentrate on getting him the shots he needs.” MASON KLINGBERG, SR., F, CASTLE ROCK The numbers: 15.0 points, 9.5 rebounds The skinny: A menace on the glass, Klingberg is the Rockets’ go-to post presence. He provides the interior muscle and guards Ty and Brock Johnson patrol the perimeter. CR coach Kevin Johnson: “Pound-for-pound, he’s as good a rebounder as you’re going to find. He’s pretty athletic, and he just goes after the ball. That sounds kind of simple, but it’s actually hard to find guys willing to go after every single ball.”
SECOND TEAM G G G G P
Will Burghardt Ty Johnson Brock Johnson Payton Miller Jake Rosenbalm
THIRD TEAM So. Sr. Jr. Sr. Sr.
Mark Morris Castle Rock Castle Rock R.A. Long Woodland
PG Troy Flanagan G/F Radley Risner G/F Brandon Budd F Nate Solomon P Hunter Esary
Sr. Jr. Sr. Sr. Jr.
Woodland Toutle Lake Wahkiakum Kelso Kalama 61
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Wishing you all the best for a great season!
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Bud Clary Supports Local Prep Sports
Visit us at www.budclary.com LONGVIEW
BUD CLARY WWW
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BUDCLARY.
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Bud CLary CheVroLet 1030 COMMERCE AVENUE, LONGVIEW, WA
360-423-1700 or 1-800-899-1926