New Kid Triggers Newport Freshman Carey Sauer Has Grizzlies In Running For State A Basketball Title

In 1993, the Newport Grizzlies girls basketball team finished 0-20 in coach Mike Frederick’s second season.

Three years later, the Grizzlies are headed to the State A basketball tournament, which begins a four-day run in Tacoma on Wednesday, for the first time in 11 years.

One of the biggest reasons behind Newport’s success is 6-foot-1 guard Carey Sauer. Sauer led the Northeast A League in scoring with an 18.6-per-game average and was named to the NEA’s second team.

What’s amazing, however, is that the 14-year-old Sauer is a freshmen, two days shy of her 15th birthday.

Her crowning achievement thus far in her short high school career came last Saturday night in a winner-to-state, loser-out game against Colfax at Mead High School.

Sauer scored a career-high 36 points, 15 of Newport’s 17 first-quarter points, and drained 9 of 11 from the free-throw line to beat the Bulldogs, the state’s sixth-ranked team.

More importantly, she showed the poise and maturity of a veteran leader, scoring 11 points, including 5 of 6 from the line, in the fourth quarter to put the game out of reach.

Sauer will have to show that same readiness when the Grizzlies meet the state’s No. 1 ranked team, undefeated Lynden Christian, in the first round at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday.

“She is extremely level headed, but it has been an adjustment for her,” Frederick said. “That’s a lot of pressure to put on a 14-year-old.”

Sauer was able to surprise some teams during the first half of the season because they had not seen her play.

“The second half of the season was harder because all the teams knew I was going to score,” Sauer said.

Like a veteran, Sauer stepped her game up a notch with the added recognition beginning with the first game of the second round of NEA league play against Deer Park.

Sauer scored 20 points in that game, followed by 23 against Kettle Falls, 22 against Chewelah, 30 - 26 in the first half - against Medical Lake and 26 against Freeman. All were wins and the Grizzlies found themselves in a tie for first place with Lakeside.

“I just think our team has played well together,” said Sauer, who has scored 20 or more 10 games this season.

Although just a freshman, she has played with this team in summer leagues since leaving the sixth grade, helping produce a togetherness that Frederick hopes will keep this team winning.

“I’ve worked really hard on keeping this as a team,” said Frederick, who along with Sauer’s dad, Larry, doubles as the coach of the Newport Junior High girls team. “Our whole philosophy is were not looking for standouts. We want to be a team.”

The team around Sauer is solid. Michele Carrara does all the dirty work inside, averaging nearly 10 rebounds per game this season. Heidi Schulz can score and is a great defender. Laurie Vallieres, the only senior starter, is the captain and overall floor leader. And Jenny Casey is the point guard and runs the offense with precision.

“I’ve played with them for so long, I don’t know what it would really be like without them,” Sauer said. “Nobody could have scored as many points as we did if we didn’t have our team healthy.”

As for state, Sauer doesn’t know what to expect.

“Since last summer in summer league, our whole goal was to go to the Tacoma Dome,” Sauer said. “As long as we play well, I will be happy.”

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Color Photo