Girls basketball preview: Team capsules for Greater Spokane League, Eastern Washington and North Idaho

In alphabetical order by league. Overall record listed for Washington schools from spring 2021.

Greater Spokane League 4A

Central Valley (11-1): The Bears were poised to defend their 2019-20 state title last season but never got the chance. Instead, they settled for “East Region” champions in coach Felice Orrell’s second season at the helm. All five starters and a top sub from that team have graduated, and several program players enrolled at Ridgeline, so it’s a whole new crew. “We’re a very young team with limited varsity experience,” Orrell said. Junior guards Autumn Agnew and Skylar Neumann will be asked to grow up quickly.

Gonzaga Prep (5-7): The dean of coaches in the league, Mike Arte, is back for his 34th season with the Bullpups. He has seven letter winners and two starters back, including all-league selections senior post Sitara Byrd and junior point guard Lucy Lynn, who has “good scoring ability and superb decision making,” according to Arte. “We have a lot of interchangeable parts,” he said. Transfer Ashlee Everstine will be an impact player.

Lewis and Clark (8-5): The Tigers went 5-2 in league in the spring for 10th-year coach Gabe Medrano but lost four starters from that team. Junior forward Brooklyn Jenson will be the leader, with senior guard Katie MacKenzie and junior guard Vy Tran in support. “We’re a young team with players taking on new rolls,” Medrano said. “We will need to adjust quickly to the speed and intensity of the games and playing in the always tough GSL.”

Greater Spokane League 3A

Cheney (4-8): The Blackhawks are starting over with a new coach and five new starters. Veteran coach Ken Ryan takes over as a late hire and quickly get up to speed. “They’re willing to work together as a team,” he said. “Hard-working group that wants to improve every day.” Senior Megan Schuller and junior Tatum Sloan provide leadership for the young squad.

Ferris (5-9): Fourth-year coach Scott Ward has 10 letter winners and three starters back, including junior first-team all-league guard Kendall Omlin, senior honorable mention guard Kacey Spink and senior guard Elliot Hencz, who has committed to play at Carroll College next year. “We have our most experienced team in years,” Ward said. “To be successful we need to build depth and be more efficient on offense.”

Mead (9-3): The Panthers got plenty of mentions as one of the toughest teams in the league this season from opposing coaches. Mead has all five starters and eight letter winners returning from a team that played in the “East Region” championship game in the spring for 11-year coach Quantae Anderson. Senior guards Olivia Moore and Alicia Suggs – teammates since grade school – are impact players while sophomore guard Teryn Gardner is a spark.

Mt. Spokane (4-8): The Wildcats have three starters back from the spring team, but no seniors – junior guards Destiny Kamalu-Vargas and Bryten Gumke were supporting players on the 2019 that finished fourth at state. Allie Nelson is the third returner, a sophomore wing. Sixth-year coach David Pratt likes what he’s working with. “We are quick, decent perimeter-shooting team,” he said. “We just need to gain as much experience as possible.”

North Central (3-9): Fourth-year coach Tim Lamanna has two starters and four letter winners back this season. “The strength of this team is our guard play,” he said. “We are a young team that is eager to learn and compete.” Key returners include junior guards Greta Marko and Jenna Wilcox, and sophomore guards Shalene Irvin and Marlee Schoffler.

Ridgeline (n/a): Clyde Woods might be in his first season as coach of the Falcons, but he’s no stranger to the GSL, having spent five years as an assistant at Gonzaga Prep, in addition to six seasons at Othello. Juniors Kaydin Renken and Trinity Frazier will provide minutes and leadership for the young squad. “We are fortunate to have freshmen that have played at high-level AAU ball, playing up in age in several tournaments,” Woods said.

University (4-8): Former Gonzaga star Jazmine Redmon returns for her second season at U-Hi and has three starters and seven letter winners back from the short spring season. Junior point guard Eliannah Ramirez, who earned honorable mention last season, is a budding star, while seniors forward Katie Christensen and wing Krista Elliott form a solid supporting cast. Ninth-grade wing Abby Priddy will get lots of minutes.

Greater Spokane League 2A

Clarkston (14-0): The Bantams outscored opponents 75-30 in the spring, but GSL 2A MVP and all-state guard Ashlynn Wallace is now playing for the Idaho Vandals. Ninth-year coach Debbie Sobotta has another Wallace to lean on – sophomore guard Kendall. Joining Wallace in the starting lineup are seniors Erika Pickett, Maggie Ogden and Alyssa Whittle.

East Valley (9-3): Coach Rob Collins returns for his 13th season, but the Knights only had nine players turn out this season. Senior guard Ellie Syverson brings veteran leadership to a program sorely in need and ninth-grader Willow Burrill will add energy.

Pullman (5-7): Second-year coach Angie Barbour has five letter winners and three starters back, and seniors Elise McDougle and Audrey Pitzer will be the leaders of this young squad. “We’re still learning a new system and new coach from last year,” Barbour said. “We need to get comfortable with the system.”

Rogers (0-12): The Pirates have three starters and eight letter winners returning who are familiar with fourth-year coach Lindsay Hernandez. Senior post Sydney Vining and senior guard Jalayia Brown are key returners. “We have some upperclassmen that are really starting to make things click.” Hernandez said. “They are ready to get back to a full season and have some fun on the court.

Shadle Park (6-7): First-year coach JT Johnson has four starters back from the spring team that went 4-3 in league. There’s a good bunch of athletes here, led by three-sport star junior Kyleigh Archer, senior guard Josey Lawrence and senior post Kate Pomerinke. “What we may lack in size we must make up for with speed and quickness.” Johnson said. “We must play great team defense and everyone must be a threat to score.”

West Valley (10-2): Senior first-team all-league guard Nevaeh Sherwood is going to miss her senior season to injury, but four other starters are back, including sophomore all-league guard Chloe Deharo and senior posts Aliyah Henry and Madison Carr. Senior Delani Walker, who transferred from Montana and is headed to Eastern Washington for soccer, will make an impact on the wing. “Our goal is to pressure our opponents into turnovers, have an up-tempo offense and build good chemistry,” coach Rick Jones said.

Northeast A

Colville (7-7): Good things could be in store for the Crimson Hawks – five starters and eight letter winners return for eighth-year coach John Foulkes, including senior first-team guard Mckenna Reggear and junior second-team forward Jordyn True. “We hope to be a contender to compete for one of the top three spots (in league) this season,” Foulkes said.

Freeman (13-1): Aaron McLean is back for his sixth season with five returning letter winners and two starters, including his daughter and first-team all-league point guard and four-year starter Sydney McLean and junior second-team forward Jaycee Goldsmith. “We’ll need a couple kids to step up this season,” McLean said.

Lakeside (2-11): The Eagles have six letter winners and three starters back for new coach Bernice Tobeck, but it’s a young group, led by junior guard Sophia Stadler and sophomore guard Ayanna Tobeck. Sisters Madison (sophomore) and Macy (freshman) Cummings will play a lot.

Medical Lake (9-5): Eighth-year coach Kyle Lundberg has seven letter winners and two starters returning – sophomore all-league guard Chardé Luat senior guard Ellie Haas.

Northeast 2B

Asotin (0-6): The Panthers had a tough go of it in the spring, but nine letter winners and all five starters return for first-year coach Kyle Palmer, who was a 10-year college assistant at Lewis-Clark State College. Senior Izzy Bailey is the leader.

Colfax (2-4): Senior guard Asher Cai is one of the better players in the league, and with fellow senior Hannah Baerlocher form a formidable backcourt for new coach Jordan Holmes. Cai has signed with Central Washington for next season.

Davenport (8-3): The Gorillas start from scratch this season as just three letter winners and no starters return for coach Stacia Soliday’s 10th season. Junior post Lena Waters and sophomore guard Jensyn Jacobsen will have to carry the load. “We will need to get accustomed to a faster pace and more physical style of play than most of our players are used to,” Soliday said.

Kettle Falls (9-5): Coach Tyler Edwards returns for his 17th season with four starters and eight letter winners back, including senior all-league point guard Mya Edwards and junior center LaVay Shurrum. “This is an experienced team that performed well in the shortened season,” Edwards said.

Liberty (12-4): Sophomore point guard Teagan Colvin is rated as one of the top players in her graduating class in the country, having already received more than a dozen Division I offers. She averaged 21 points, 13 rebounds, five assists and three steals as a ninth-grader and will be the focus of every team the Lancers play. Fifth-year coach Chris Colvin returns all five starters, including second-team all-league junior guard Ellie Denny.

Northwest Christian (7-6): Third-year coach Geoff Tibbetts has just one starter back – junior guard Mackenzie Ritchie. “We have a very coachable group and are working hard to get better each and every day,” he said. Junior post Azelea Vlietstra is a transfer from Camas.

Reardan (2-3): Bob Swannack is back for another stint at Reardan and has a solid crew to work with, starting with senior guards Ayden Krupke and Mady Dewey.

St. George’s (4-8): A trio of juniors will pace the Dragons this season for first-year coach Brad Kirsch: guards Margreit Galow and Clara Witner and forward Anni Bergquist.

Northeast 1B

Cusick (3-6): Fifth-year coach Marcella Haynes has four starters back, including seniors LaNia Thompson and Teresa Campbell.

Northport (5-4): Four starters and five letter winners are back for fourth-year coach Erik Stark. He has enviable size at the level with 6-foot-3 senior post Madison Straayer and 6-foot junior forward Belle Stark, an all-league pick in the spring. Two more Stark daughters, Alexus and Olivia, will get plenty of playing time in their ninth-grade season.

Odessa (6-2): Junior all-league guards Grace Nelson and Ashlyn Neilsen were all-league selections their ninth-grade seasons and sophomore post Hayden Schuh will provide an inside presence for fifth-year coach Travis Schuh.

Selkirk (8-2): The spring champs from the NE 1B has a new coach, Michelle Bennett, and two starting junior guards back: Madison Chantry and Britney Lyons.

Southeast 1B

Colton (7-2): Clark Vining returns for his 17th season with three starters and six letter winners back, including all-league senior guard Maggie Meyer. “We have some experience back from last year,” Vining said. “We need to define roles which will develop as the season goes along.”

Garfield-Palouse (5-3): The Vikings have four senior starters back for eighth-year coach Garrett Parrish, led by three-time all-league forward Kenzi Pedersen. Maci Brantner, MaKenzie Collier and Madi Cloninger made an experienced lineup.

St. John-Endicott/LaCrosse (0-4): The Eagles didn’t get many games in last spring, but six letter winners and four starters are back for second-year coach Jeff Gates. Brooklyn Bailey, a senior all-league guard, is the leader.

Tekoa-Rosalia (n/a): The Timberwolves didn’t play in the spring and have a new coach, Jillian Bruce – a former T-R player giving back to her school. Senior guard Emily Kramer played on the 2019-20 team and ninth-grader Clare Wilkins is a key newcomer.

Inland Empire 5A

Coeur d’Alene (18-3): The Vikings start from a position of strength with a pair of all-state players: senior guard Skylar Burke and junior forward Madison Symons. Third-year coach Nicole Symons lost five letter-winners though, so mixing in new starters will present challenges early.

Lake City (13-7): Fifth-year coach James Anderson has to replace post Brooklyn Rewers, who’s at Michigan State, but has three solid returners in guards Kendall Pickford and Sophia Zufelt, and forward Emberlyn Reynolds.

Post Falls (14-9): The Trojans qualified for state last season and return seven letter winners, including all-league senior guard Trinidie Nichols and junior post Capri Sims. Guard Lexi Heath returns from injury. “This team’s outlook will depend on its ability to play pressure defense and cause turnovers,” 11th-year coach Marc Allert said.

Inland Empire 4A

Lakeland (9-11): Senior all-league wing Addie Kieger returns for coach Steve Seymour, entering his 27th season with the Hawks. Junior guard Kenna Simon will be counted on for quality minutes.

Moscow (2-15): It was a tough season for the Bears and first-year coach Alexa Hardick last season. Two senior all-league players return though: guard Angela Lassen and forward Peyton Watson.

Sandpoint (12-12): Coach Will Love is back for his fourth season at the helm, but lost five players from last year’s graduating class. Junior guard Kelsey Cessna is back from injury.

Intermountain

Bonners Ferry (14-6): Badgers coach Travis Hinthorn is back for his fifth season in his second stint with a pair of all-league returning sophomore guards: Asha Abubakari and Avery Bayer. Senior guard Mia Blackmore is a leader.

Kellogg (8-10): Ninth-year coach Jana Nearing has five starters back, including senior forward Hailey Cheney and senior guards Grace Nearing, Emma VanHoose and Darian Hill. “With all five starters coupled with some versatile newcomers we have the depth and experience to go a long way this year,” Nearing said.

Priest River (4-15): The Spartans lost their two top scorers to graduation but return five letter winners, including junior guard Lilly Freitas for 14-year coach Gary Stewart.

Timberlake (23-2): The Tigers took the Idaho 3A State title last season for the second year in a row under Matt Miller, but the seasoned coach lost four starters and seven letter winners to graduation, including back-to-back state players of the year Taryn Soumas and Brooke Jessen. The lone returning starter is senior guard McKennah Kronenberg, while junior guard Ciara Soumas will step up.

Central Idaho 2A

St. Maries (8-11): Second-year coach Gary Krumheuer lost all five starters and seven letter winners to graduation. Three juniors will be counted on: wing Taci Watkins, post Stacie Mitchell and guard Berkli McGreal.