Frontier Girls Basketball

In predicted order of finish:

Colville Indians

1999-2000 records: 15-7 overall, 12-6 league

Coach: John Foulkes

Years coaching, record: 8th, 2nd at Colville, 113-33

Key players: Shannon McGrane, sr., 5-7 sr.; Candi Doolin, sr., 5-9 post; Audrey Adams, jr., 5-10 guard; Alyssa Meinhold, jr., 5-10 post; Karlie Pein, jr., 6-1 post; Kara Pein, fr., 5-9 guard.

Returning starters: 3; McGrane, Meinhold, Karlie Pein.

Bonus shot: There are only two seniors on a young Indians team and its leading scorers, Ellen Shaw and Katie Fondell, have graduated, but the team utilized its bench abundantly last year, so the team shouldn’t suffer greatly.

Coach’s comments: “We’re really unproven, but we’re a deep team. I think that’s to our advantage.”

Outlook: Last year, the Indians were the highest-finishing Border League team from Washington, and while young has good size. Foulkes thinks it’s a team that could peak later in the season.

West Valley Eagles

1999-2000 records: 10-11 overall, 9-9 league

Coach: Shelli Totton

Years coaching, record: first

Key players: Becky Nowaski, sr., 5-5 guard; Shannon Erdahl, sr., 5-5 guard; Shannon Groh, 5-9, sr., post/wing; Amanda Holstrom, sr., 5-7 guard; Chelsey Thomas, sr., 5-9 wing; Tayler Knapp, sr., 6-0 post.

Returning starters: 4; Nowaski, Groh, Holstrom, Thomas.

Bonus shot: New coach Totton, a former Mead athlete, will install an up-tempo, defensively-oriented style. The Eagles graduated three players, including leading scorer Vanessa Parvey, but the returnees all have third- and fourth-year varsity experience.

Coach’s comments: “The kids have responded well to a different coach with a different system. Most of our players are veterans who know what’s going on.”

Outlook: It may take some time to adapt to their new coach, but the Eagles have the experience and memory of last year’s two-point district loss to Cheney, which prevented them from a regional trip, to spur them on.

Cheney Blackhawks

1999-2000 records: 9-14 overall, 7-11 league

Coach: Marty Jessett

Years coaching, record: 10th, 163-71

Key players: Kelly Brannan, sr., 5-10 post; Julie Marsh, junior, 6-1, post; Brittney Van Matre, soph., 5-8, wing; Bree Swenson, jr., 5-9, post; Ali Camp, soph., 6-1 post; Kristen Whitfield, sr., wing.

Returning starters: 2; Marsh, VanMatre.

Bonus shot: The Blackhawks are no strangers to postseason play, having reached state or regionals six straight years.

Coach’s comments: “We’re inexperienced and young. I’m throwing a lot at them and seeing how much they digest.”

Outlook: Marsh and VanMatre averaged nearly eight points apiece last year. VanMatre missed the last six games, including postseason with a knee injury. Bree Swenson is a transfer from Liberty. Expect the Blackhawks to mature late.

Clarkston Bantams

1999-2000 records: 2-18 overall, 2-16 in league

Coach: Len Kelly

Years coaching, record: 13th

Key players: Ellen Smith, sr., 5-8, guard Brittany Ball, sr., 5-5 guard; Rikki King, sr., 5-2, guard; Megan O’Kelly, sr., 5-3, guard; Anna Gribble, sr., 5-9, post; Jordon Woodbury, soph, 6-0, post; Leah Larson, sr., 5-7 post; Chelsie Atkinson, soph., 6-0, post.

Returning starters: 3.

Bonus shot: The Bantams have set high goals, despite winning just 12 games over the previous five seasons. Encouragingly, they’ve won and lost in overtime in their first two Border League outings this year.

Coach’s comments: “We’re going to try and push the ball up the floor and use pressure defense to force some turnovers and get some easy transition baskets more than we have in the past.”

Outlook: The Bantams return their top two scorers in Smith and Atkinson, but scoring remains a concern for Kelly. If the points come, the Bantams could return to the thick of things.