Girls Preview

Mossyrock Vikings

Record: 16-8

Coach: Gary Stamper

First-round opponent: Kittitas

Route to state: Fourth out of District 4, beat Wahkiakum 64-49 to qualify.

Top players: Jennifer Oakerman, 5-9 sr., guard, 16 ppg; Mandy Hendrick, 5-8 soph., forward, 11.2 ppg; Tori Nelson, 5-4 fr., guard, 8.0 ppg.

Fast fact: The Vikings are back after a year’s absence, when they finished fifth.

Outlook: There are only three seniors on the roster, the No. 3 scorer is a freshman and the tallest player is 5-11 junior Jennifer Cournyer, who played in just nine games. A trophy is a long shot.

Kittitas Coyotes

Record: 19-3

Coach: Tim Ravet

First-round opponent: Mossyrock

Route to state: Only team from District 5, beat Sunnyside Christian 50-38 to qualify.

Top players: Alyssum Myrick, 5-9 sr., guard, 12.9 ppg; Judy Schomer, 5-9 soph., guard, 11.7 ppg; Mary Johnson, 5-11 jr., 10.6 ppg.

Fast fact: Ravet coached the boys team, which qualified for last two state tournaments, through the summer before switching to girls.

Outlook: Six girls return from state team that went 0-2 last year. After first round, that experience could help against teams with better records.

St. John-Endicott Eagles

Record: 21-5

Coach: Lorin Carlon

First-round opponent: No. 7 Summit

Route to state: Second out of District 9, beat DeSales 57-51.

Top players: Tricia Lamb, 5-10 sr., guard-forward, 23.4 ppg; Brooke Bafus, 5-6 sr., guard-forward.

Fast fact: Four of the five losses for defending state champion were to Whitman County rival Tekoa-Oakesdale.

Outlook: There are five freshmen on the roster but with Washington State signee Tricia Lamb on the court, they always have a chance. It could be hard to beat Ritzville for a third time in the semifinals. Lamb is seventh in state scoring with 238. If the Eagles get four games and she maintains her average, she could finish No. 2 behind Jennifer Stinson.

Summit Invaders

Record: 23-1

Coach: Kevin Davis

First-round opponent: No. 4 St. John-Endicott

Route to state: Won District 1-2-3 by beating Clallam Bay 38-34, qualified by beating Watson Groen Christian in semifinals 54-50.

Top players: Lexi Rhodes, 6-0 soph., center, 12.65 ppg; Artese Hawkins, 5-8 soph., guard, 12.3 ppg; Yuuki Terada, 6-0 sr., guard, 12.0 ppg; Nicole Countys, 5-9 sr., forward, 10.2 ppg.

Fast fact: The Invaders qualified for the first time last year and went 0-2.

Outlook: The well-balanced Seattle team had seven juniors on last year’s team, including Terada, and the experience could mean a first win at state, but probably not against defending champ.

Watson-Groen Christian

Record: 20-4

Coach: Stan DeYager

First-round opponent: No. 6 Ritzville

Route to state: Fourth out of District 1-2-3, beat Snohomish County Christian 72-30 to qualify.

Top players: Heather Broekhuis, 5-8 sr., guard-forward, 11.7 ppg., 8.9 rpg; 6.4 apg; 5.1 spg.

Fast fact: The Seattle school is making its 11th appearance, but missed last year and has never played in a trophy game.

Outlook: Broekhuis does everything for the Crusaders, but another player must step up to get that first trophy. Five other players average between 5.3 and 9.7 points.

Ritzville Broncos

Record: 22-4

Coach: John Foulkes

First-round opponent: Watson Groen Christian

Route to state: First from District 7, qualifier was 45-42 win over Reardan.

Top players: Megan Yerxa, 6-1 soph., center, 17.3 ppg., 7.7 rpg; Shannon Russell, 5-10 jr., guard, 13.22 ppg., 5.3 apg., 5.7 spg; Megan Wellsandt, 5-7 sr., guard, 9.0 ppg, 5.8 apg.

Fast fact: Ritzville has picked up trophies in six of its eight visits, but has not been back since going 1-2 in ‘93. The Broncos won it all in 1979.

Outlook: Ritzville lost twice to St. John-Endicott, but beat Wilbur-Creston three times, which beat Tekoa-Oakesdale, which beat St. John-Endicott four times. With that kind of experience against state teams, we expect the Broncos to get revenge against St.J-E and make the finals. And the Broncos only have three seniors.

Northport Mustangs

Record: 23-4

Coach: Mike Burke

First-round opponent: No. 4 Rainier

Route to state: Fourth out of District 7, beat Northwest Christian 52-20 in qualifying game.

Top players: Karen Sauvola, 5-11 soph., center, 16.3 ppg; Jessica Sell, 5-3 sr., point guard, 14.2 ppg.

Fast fact: Two sets of sisters start for the Mustangs: Elizabeth Young and Kendra Sauvola are seniors, Candance Young and Karen Sauvola are sophomores. In both cases, the sophomores score more.

Outlook: The Mustangs won the first A-B title in 1978. A lack of state experience means the big trophy is out of reach, but a trophy is a realistic goal. They have only three seniors, but all start.

Rainier Mountaineers

Record: 21-3

Coach: Jack Mehn

First-round opponent: Northport

Route to state: First out of District 4, beat Mossyrock 70-49 to qualify.

Top players: Chante Schutz, 5-7 sr., guard, 18.7 ppg; Jacque Morse, 5-8 fr., forward, 8.1 ppg.

Fast fact: Won first trophy, eighth, last year in fourth appearance.

Outlook: The Moutaineers can be a factor with Chante Schutz, who is a deadly shooter who can drive. Should improve on last year’s finish.

King’s West Warriors

Record: 23-4

Coach: Tom Oliver

First-round opponent: Pateros

Route to state: Third out of District 1-2-3, qualified with a 53-50 win over Crescent. Top players: Beth Ellis, 5-9 fr., guard-forward, 13.1 ppg; Trina Swift, 5-8 sr., guard, 10.6 ppg., 4.6 apg; Sonja Kuske, 5-9 sr., forward, 8.6 ppg., 6.5 rpg; Beck Beard, 5-6 soph., guard, 6.6 ppg., 4.3 apg; 4.9 spg.

Fast fact: Went two-and-out last year when the Bremerton school made its first appearance.

Outlook: Top five scorers last year were all underclassmen, including two freshmen, but the night bracket may be too tough to get that first trophy. Top scorer is a freshman.

Pateros Billygoats

Record: 20-4

Coach: John Ellis

First-round opponent: King’s West

Route to state: Got the lone berth from District 6, beating Entiat 54-34 in the finals.

Top players: Marcy Stennes, 5-8 sr., guard, 21.2 ppg; Annie Neuneker, 5-7 jr., guard, 13.0 ppg; Brooke Libbey, 5-8 sr., guard, 11.4 ppg.

Fast fact: Last visit, Pateros’ third, was in ‘94 when it lost to eventual undefeated state champion St. George’s but finished third with 25-3 record.

Outlook: Tough league could help, but many teams in the Billygoats’ half of the bracket are from even tougher leagues. A second trophy could be hard to come by.

Reardan Indians

Record: 18-8

Coach: Bryce Wilson

First-round opponent: Toutle Lake

Route to state: Third out of District 7, qualified with 58-34 win over Sprague-Harrington.

Top players: Katie Supinger, 6-0 sr., center, 15.2 ppg; Kristen Turner, 6-1 jr., forward, 14.2 ppg; Janelle Krupe, 5-7 sr., guard, 10.1 ppg.

Fast fact: The Indians won their 11th trophy last year, finishing seventh after giving eventual champion St. John-Endicott a tough battle in the second round.

Outlook: Law of averages says the Indians will trophy, since they have 11 in 14 years, but the tough bracket is going to be a challenge.

Toutle Lake Ducks

Record: 19-5

Coach: Cal Buker

First-round opponent: Reardan

Route to state: Second in District 4, qualified with 74-69 upset of top-ranked Wishkah Valley in overtime.

Top players: Dawn Murphy, 5-9 sr., forward, 19.0 ppg; Erin Dahlquist, 5-10 sr., forward, 16.6 ppg; Beth Andrew, 5-11 sr., forward, 11.1 ppg.

Fast fact: Made back-to-back appearances in 1992-93 and got trophies both times, fifth and eighth.

Outlook: The night bracket makes it unlikely the Ducks will go three-for-three when it comes to a trophy. Front line averages more than 36 points but backcourt is young.

Wishkah Valley Loggers

Record: 21-3

Coach: Rick McDougall

First-round opponent: No. 5 Clallam Bay Route to state: Top-ranked most of the year, the Loggers were third in District 4, qualifying by beating Willapa Valley 51-34.

Top players: Mindy McElliott, 6-0 sr., center, 23.3 ppg; Abbie Pierce, 6-2 sr., forward, 18.9 ppg; Amber Mathews, 5-5 jr., point guard, 10.0 ppg.

Fast fact: The Loggers were third last year, losing to St. John-Endicott in the semifinals, and won the year before.

Outlook: The Loggers, ranked No. 1 most of the year before stumbling in league and district, certainly could play Saturday night, but they’ll have to beat two top-five teams just to get to the semifinals. Expect a trophy - which one is a tough guess, but we’ll say fourth. McElliott and Pierce are biggest 1-2 punch in tourney.

Clallam Bay Bruins

Record: 20-2

Coach: Mike Jannausch

First-round opponent: No. 1 Wishkah Valley

Route to state: Second out of District 1-2-3, qualified by beating Watson Groen Christian 54-50.

Top players: Casey Soeneke, 5-8 sr., forward, 24.9 ppg., 10.0 rpg., 3.3 spg; Deborah Sangel, 16.8 ppg; 10.9 rpg., 3.4 apg., 3.3 apg; Lindsay Ritter, 5-4 fr., point guard, 5.4 ppg., 4.4 apg., 3.3 spg.

Fast fact: Before last year’s 0-2 appearance, the Bruins had never been to state.

Outlook: There was only one senior on last year’s qualifier, which lost its opener by one in overtime and fell by two in the loser-out game. Any other bracket and the Bruins could hope for an extended stay, but the prospects aren’t good. Sangel and Soeneke can match any duo in scoring but not Wishkah’s pair in size. Freshman point Ritter has to handle the pressure.

Wilbur-Creston Wildcats

Record: 20-5

Coach: Steve Jantz

First-round opponent: No. 2 Tekoa Oakesdale

Route to state: Second out of District 7, the Wildcats got in with a 63-44 win over Northport.

Top players: Janelle Allen, 5-7 sr., forward, 11.7 ppg; Alyssa Erickson, 5-8 soph., point guard, 11.1 ppg., 4.3 apg., 3.5 spg.

Fast fact: The Wildcats clawed out a trophy in all four previous appearances, including fourth last year. Before Wilbur and Creston hooked up, Creston had two firsts and a second in three appearances, dating to the early 1980s.

Outlook: WC beat Tekoa-Oakesdale in early December with a late 3. If the Wildcats do that again, the prize is likely the No. 1 team. The win over T-O was without Erickson, and now post Mindy Bandy (13.6 points and 8.1 rebounds) is out. Still, the trophies should keep coming.

Tekoa-Oakesdale Nighthawks

Record: 23-3

Coach: Mark Stinson

First-round opponent: No. 3 Wilbur-Creston

Route to state: Won District 9, beating St. John-Endicott 52-50 for the fourth time this season.

Top players: Heather Cox, 6-0 soph., forward, 13.1 ppg; Sally Palmer, 5-7 sr., guard, 12.8 ppg.

Fast fact: Another team accustomed to success, with 10 appearances and 10 trophies, including a second to Wishkah Valley in its last visit in ‘95. T-O won state over Ritzville in ‘87 and WC in ‘91.

Outlook: Can you say revenge, for one of this season’s losses and the title game to Willapa Valley two years ago? We can, and predict the Nighhawks will win it all, even with just two seniors.

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Color Photo

MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: PLAYERS TO WATCH Tricia Lamb, 5-10, sr., wing, St. John-Endicott. Erin Dahlquist, 5-10, sr., forward, Toutle Lake Chante Schutz, 5-9, sr., guard, Rainier Mindy McElliott, 6-0, sr., post, Wishkah Valley Katie Supinger, 5-11, sr., post, Reardan

Predicted placings 1. Tekoa-Oakesdale 2. Ritzville 3. St. John-Endicott 4. Willapa Valley 5. Wilbur-Creston 6. Reardan 7. Rainier 8. Northport -Dave Trimmer