Sizing Up The Boys

Clallam Bay Bruins

Record: 21-4

Coach: John Wilson, third year

First-round opponent: Toutle Lake

Route to state: Beat Darrington 52-47 at Tri-District Tournament to clinch berth.

Top players: Jamal McGimpsey, 5-6 sr., point guard, 8 apg; Fran Michelena, 6-3 jr., forward, 23 ppg; Robert Whiteshield, 6-2 sr., forward, 15 ppg, 9 rbg; Thomas Sawyer, 6-0 jr., guard, 13 ppg; Caleb Callihoo, 6-3 jr., forward; 9 ppg, 7 rpg.

Fast fact: Clallam Bay’s four losses have been by a combined 11 points.

Outlook: The Bruins’ showing will likely depend on how they respond after a difficult opener.

Toutle Lake Ducks

Record: 23-1

Coach: Eric Swanson, sixth year

First-round opponent: Clallam Bay

Route to state: Beat Rainier 73-65 in District 4 semifinals to clinch berth.

Top players: Chris Wheatley, 5-8 sr., guard, 5 ppg; Kevin Grabenhorst, 6-0 sr., guard, 29 ppg; Jeff Hayden, 6-0 sr., guard, 18 ppg; Dameion Bryan, 5-9 sr., guard, 8 ppg; Jeremy Thompson, 6-0 sr., forward, 8 ppg; Travis Sparks, 6-2 jr., forward, 5 ppg.

Fast fact: Grabenhorst, who injured his ankle before last year’s championship-game loss to Dayton, led all state B scorers.

Outlook: Fourth in ‘94 and second in ‘95, are the third-ranked Ducks ready to rule the pond? Because of suspect size inside, the guess here is a semifinal loss to St. George’s.

Waitsburg Cardinals

Record: 16-8

Coach: Mike White, 19th year (not consecutive)

First-round opponent: Kittitas

Route to state: Beat La Crosse-Washtucna 48-45 at District 9 Tournament to clinch berth.

Top players: Eric Wyatt, 6-5 sr., post, 14 ppg, 16 rpg; Brandon Banks, 6-4 sr., post; 14 ppg; Ellis Erickson, 6-0 sr., wing, 6 ppg, 4 apg; Josh Largent, 5-11 sr., guard, 5 ppg.

Fast fact: Waitsburg, which started the year 0-5, lost three games to L-W before turning the tide in the game that counted.

Outlook: Win or lose what appears to be a competitive opener, hot Waitsburg (16 wins in its last 19 games) should place.

Kittitas Coyotes

Record: 16-6

Coach: Tim Ravet, second year

First-round opponent: Waitsburg

Route to state: Beat Sunnyside Christian 82-81 at District 5 Tournament to clinch berth.

Top players: Jim Hill, 6-4 sr., guard, 19 ppg; Kelly Smith, 6-1 sr., forward, 20 ppg; Charlie Erickson, 6-0 jr., forward, 8 ppg; Miah Grinrod, 5-7 jr., guard, 8 ppg.

Fast fact: The Coyotes, ready for state trip No. 15, are still looking for an elusive title-game appearance.

Outlook: The high-scoring Hill-Smith duo should keep Kittitas around for four days.

Orcas Island Vikings Record: 16-8 Coach: Steff Steinhorst, third year First-round opponent: St. George’s Route to state: Beat Darrington 53-32 at TriDistrict Tournament to clinch berth.

Top players: Jake Knapp, 6-6 sr., post, 10 ppg, 8 rpg; Pete Rutledge, 6-5 jr., forward, 8 ppg, 8 rpg; Sean Roach, 6-6 sr., forward, 7 rpg; Joe Eastman, 6-3 jr., guard, 6 ppg.

Fast fact: The Vikings already traveled east this year, losing two games at the Garfield-Palouse Christmas tournament.

Outlook: Tournament newcomers usually have to pay their dues. That should be the case for the Vikings, who landed a tough opener.

St. George’s Dragons

Record: 24-2

Coach: Jennifer Mountain, second year

First-round opponent: Orcas Island Route to state: Beat Almira/Coulee-Hartline 44-34 at District 7 Tournament to clinch berth.

Top players: Jason Ala, 6-1 sr., forward, 17 ppg; Dylan Averett, 6-1 sr., forward, 12 ppg; Christian Laugen, 5-9 sr., guard, 9 ppg; Meng Tseng, 5-6 sr., point guard, 9 ppg; Luke Kennedy, 6-0 sr., forward, 7 ppg.

Fast fact: Mountain is the second woman to coach a B boys team at state (Karen Heiken guided Indian Heritage in 1983).

Outlook: The seventh-ranked Dragons have won 20 consecutive games, in many cases with late surges. An appearance in their first title game is the call here.

North Beach Hyaks

Record: 22-4

Coach: Larry Moore

First-round opponent: Summit

Route to state: Beat Mossyrock 47-38 at District 4 Tournament to clinch berth.

Top players: Ben Sheaffer, 6-2 sr., guard, 17 ppg; Jeremy Richards, 6-1 sr., guard, 15 ppg; Jon Johnson, 6-5 jr., post, 12 ppg.

Fast fact: North Beach hasn’t placed in three appearances.

Outlook: The 10th-ranked Hyaks are apparently ranked where they belong, which means no Saturday placing game.

Summit Invaders

Record: 17-7

Coach: Brett Smith, third year

First-round opponent: North Beach

Route to state: Beat Orcas Island 51-46 at Tri-District Tournament to clinch berth.

Top players: Doug Sims, 5-8 sr., guard, 13 ppg; Bill Wilder, 6-3 jr., forward, 14 ppg; Tark Lawley, 6-1 sr., forward, 10 ppg; Justin Paul, 6-4 sr., forward, 7 ppg; Mike Tomlinson, 6-1 jr., guard, 8 ppg.

Fast fact: The ready-for-prime-time Invaders shocked a sparse 10 p.m. crowd last year by opening with an upset of defending champ Northwest Christian.

Outlook: Another opening-game win looks probable, but the pickings are slim thereafter.

Morton Huskies

Record: 15-9

Coach: Jim Johnson, fifth year

First-round opponent: Northwest Christian

Route to state: Beat Mossyrock 54-47 in District 4 semifinals to clinch berth.

Top players: Curt Storm, 5-11 jr., guard, 14 ppg; Hugh Herron, 6-1 jr., forward, 10 ppg; Chad Cramer, 5-7 sr., guard, 10 ppg; Brandon Clark, 6-4 sr., post, 7 ppg, 9 rpg; Jack Hope, 5-10 sr., guard.

Fast fact: Johnson coached the runner-up Huskies in ‘93, which capped a seven-year period that included four championship games.

Outlook: The crystal ball sees four games - all close, most wins - for Morton.

NW Christian Crusaders

Record: 17-10

Coach: Danny Beard, second year

First-round opponent: Morton

Route to state: Beat Republic 48-45 at District 7 Tournament to clinch berth.

Top players: Jeremy Affeldt, 6-2 jr., post, 18 ppg; Andy Crouch, 6-0 jr., forward, 10 ppg; Jim Marr, 6-3 sr., forward, 12 ppg; Josh McCormick, 5-8 sr., guard, 7 ppg; Zach Klaja, 5-10 jr., forward, 6 ppg.

Fast fact: NWC’s top two players from last year, Nate Dunham and Jeff Meyers, transferred to Shadle Park.

Outlook: The Crusaders were pure gold (champs) in ‘94 and iron pyrite (out in two) last year. Don’t be fooled by their record; this bunch could place despite a tough draw.

Tacoma Baptist Crusaders

Record: 20-6

Coach: Bill Lemke, second year

First-round opponent: Garfield-Palouse

Route to state: Beat Orcas Island 71-66 at Tri-District Tournament to clinch berth.

Top players: Adrian Russell, 6-8 jr., post, 12 ppg, 11 rpg; Aaron Meyers, 6-5 soph., post, 10 rpg; Aaron Shamp, 5-10 sr., guard, 12 ppg, 5 apg; Ivory Crittendon III, 6-1 sr., forward, 17 ppg, 7.5 rpg; Caleb Shamp, 6-2 soph., guard, 10 ppg.

Fast fact: All-state quarterback Shon Peil subs as a defensive specialist and - no surprise - quality passer.

Outlook: This shakes out to be a bad draw for the sixth-ranked Crusaders, who will have a right to feel proud just to make it to Friday.

Garfield-Palouse Vikings

Record: 20-5

Coach: Tim Coles, 13th year

First-round opponent: Tacoma Baptist

Route to state: Beat LaCrosse-Washtucna 63-58 at District 9 Tournament to clinch berth.

Top players: Jeremy Fox, 6-1 jr., forward, 10 ppg; B.J. Hill, 6-0 sr., point guard; 15 ppg; Logan Coles, 6-3 soph., wing, 11 ppg; Sean Thurston, 6-3 sr., post, 10 ppg; Adam Miller, 5-9 sr., guard.

Fast fact: No other team can boast that this is their fifth consecutive state tourney.

Outlook: Pateros, on Thursday, may be the lone hurdle to trip up the Vikings.

ACH Warriors

Record: 20-4

Coach: Jim Wacker, fourth year

First-round opponent: La Conner

Route to state: Beat Republic 48-35 at District 7 Tournament to clinch berth.

Top players: Cameron Carstensen, 5-10 jr., point guard, 15 ppg; Aaron Murray, 6-0 sr., forward, 15 ppg; Matt Elder, 6-0 sr., guard, 10 ppg; Jason Pierce, 5-10 jr., guard, 6 ppg; Topher Goodwin, 6-1 jr., forward, 8 ppg.

Fast fact: The Warriors (‘91) are one of four former champs in the field (Morton three times, Northwest Christian twice, Garfield-Palouse once).

Outlook: A quarterfinal win against Pateros - which beat ACH during the regular season appears unlikely, but the fifth-ranked Warriors could win out after that.

La Conner Braves

Record: 17-8

Coach: Nate DuChesne, third year

First-round opponent: Almira/Coulee-Hartline

Route to state: Beat Darrington 65-50 at Tri-District Tournament to clinch berth.

Top players: Brandon Odell, 6-1 soph., guard, 15 ppg; Andy Otis, 5-8 fr., guard, 12 ppg; T.J. Sophusson, 6-0 sr., post, 12 ppg; Steve Costello, 5-8 sr., guard, 9 ppg.

Fast fact: During 28 previous appearances at state the Braves have never played for the title and have placed better than seventh just three times.

Outlook: La Conner turned around a sub-.500 season to win the Tri-District title, but the waters get deeper this week.

Mabton Vikings

Record: 17-7

Coach: Andy Affholter, seventh year

First-round opponent: Pateros

Route to state: Beat Sunnyside Christian 52-38 at District 5 Tournament to clinch berth.

Top players: Lupe Maldanado, 5-9 sr., guard; Ricky Maldanado, 5-8 soph., guard; Ray Desmarais, 6-0 jr., wing; Alex Hernandez, 6-3 jr., guard.

Fast fact: Mabton knows how to get here - this constitutes a fourth straight bid - but sixth place is its best finish in 17 previous attempts.

Outlook: Matters should improve after an opener with rugged Pateros.

Pateros Billygoats

Record: 25-1

Coach: Mike Hull, 11th year

First-round opponent: Mabton

Route to state: Beat Manson 71-36 at District 6 Tournament to clinch berth.

Top players: Garrett Zwar, 6-5 sr., post, 23 ppg; Patrick Hunter, 6-1 sr., forward, 13 ppg; Adam James, 6-2 sr., forward, 12 ppg; Parker Barth, 5-9 jr., point guard, 15 ppg; John Neunecker, 5-8 sr., guard, 6 ppg; Jason Crawley, 6-5 sr., post, 8 ppg.

Fast fact: The Billygoats are the lone team this year to defeat Okanogan (20-1), which is third-ranked in Class A. Pateros has averaged nearly 80 points per game.

Outlook: Mark this down in ink: The top-ranked Billygoats are the clear-cut favorite. Enough said.

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Color photo

MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: PLAYERS TO WATCH Garrett Zwar, 6-5 post, sr., Pateros Kevin Grabenhorst, 6-0 guard, sr., Toutle Lake Jim Hill, 6-4 guard, sr., Kittitas Jason Ala, 6-1 forward, sr., St. George’s B.J. Hill, 6-0 guard, sr., Garfield-Palouse

Predicted placings 1. Pateros 2. St. George’s 3. Garfield-Palouse 4. Almira/Coulee-Hartline 5. Morton 6. Toutle Lake 7. Waitsburg 8. Kittitas