Prep girls basketball: 2021-22 season preview

WESCO 4A

COACHES POLL

The predicted order of finish, as voted on by the league’s coaches. Included is the average placing for each team, with the number of first-place votes in parentheses.

1. Lake Stevens (3) — 1

2. Jackson — 2

3. Glacier Peak (1) — 2.3

4. Kamiak — 2.7

Note: Coaches were not allowed to vote for their own team.

FAVORITE

Lake Stevens

Led by a talented senior quartet that includes three Division I or Division II college signees, the Vikings are the clear-cut Wesco 4A favorites. Lake Stevens’ frontcourt is a massive headache for opposing teams, with a pair of Eastern Washington University-bound senior forwards in 6-foot-4 Camille Jentzsch and 6-foot-2 Cori Wilcox. And as if that’s not enough for opponents to deal with, the Vikings also have a pair of skilled senior guards in West Virginia State University-bound Baylor Thomas and Chloe Pattison. Both are off to hot starts this season, with Thomas averaging 17 points per game and Pattison averaging 14. Two years ago, these four players were among the top five scorers on a Lake Stevens team that reached the Class 4A state regionals. Now, after a 5-3 campaign during this past spring’s abbreviated season, they have the Vikings poised for another big year. Lake Stevens is off to a 3-1 start, with its lone loss being a six-point defeat to fellow 4A state contender Emerald Ridge. With perennial league nemesis Glacier Peak likely to take a step back this winter, the Wesco 4A crown is there for the Vikings’ taking. And with their combination of talent and experience both inside and on the perimeter, this could be a dangerous team at the state level.

CONTENDERS

To be determined

Lake Stevens is the definite favorite in Wesco 4A, but it should be an interesting battle between the league’s other three teams to see if any can emerge as a true challenger to the Vikings. Glacier Peak has dominated Wesco 4A in recent years, having won three of the past four league titles. During that span, the Grizzlies went 53-2 in conference play and earned three top-four trophies at the 4A state tournament. But Glacier Peak graduated a slew of standouts from its uber-talented 9-0 spring team — including four All-Area selections and three Division I-bound players. This year, the Grizzlies don’t have a single player with significant previous varsity experience. They do, however, have a talented freshman point guard in Brynna Pukis, who is averaging 15.8 points per game during the team’s 3-2 start. And though they’ll likely need some time to gel and mold their identity, it’d be foolish to count out coach Brian Hill’s squad. That being said, there’s an opportunity this season for Jackson or Kamiak to slide into the upper half of this four-team league. Jackson is off to a 3-1 start and has a skilled sophomore point guard in Giselle Dogan, who scored 25 points against Redmond on Monday and is described by coach Corey Gibb as a “walking basket with great ball-handling skills.” Kamiak, meanwhile, is off to a 1-4 start. But the Knights returned three starters from their 6-4 spring team — including sophomore guard Bella Hasan, who averaged 18 points per game during the spring season. These three teams are all works in progress, so the key will be which one can find its groove by the time league play starts in January.

WESCO 3A/2A

COACHES POLL

The predicted order of finish, as voted on by the league’s coaches. Included is the average placing for each team, with the number of first-place votes in parentheses.

1. Arlington (6) — 1.25

2. Snohomish (2) — 1.75

3. Stanwood (1) — 3.5

4. Lynnwood — 4.6

5. Everett — 5

6. Archbishop Murphy — 5.1

T-7. Meadowdale — 6.9

T-7. Mountlake Terrace — 6.9

9. Cedarcrest — 7.4

10. Shorecrest — 9.6

11. Edmonds-Woodway — 9.9

12. Shorewood — 11.1

13. Monroe — 11.5

Notes: Coaches were not allowed to vote for their own team. Four coaches did not participate in the voting.

FAVORITES

Arlington

Led by an elite one-two punch in versatile 6-foot-2 junior Jenna Villa and senior guard Keira Marsh, the high-octane Eagles are eyeing another deep state run. Villa, a matchup nightmare with her height and floor-stretching ability, is averaging 20.8 points per game this season. Last week, she broke a school record with 10 3-pointers in a 34-point performance against Mountlake Terrace. Marsh, a Division II-bound Cal State East Bay signee, is netting 13.3 points per game this season after averaging 18 points, four rebounds, three assists and four steals per contest during Arlington’s 7-2 spring campaign. Two years ago, Villa and Marsh were among the top three scorers on an Eagles squad that placed third in the 3A state tournament. This year, along with what coach Joe Marsh described as a “do-it-all” sophomore guard in Samara Morrow, they spearhead another talented group that’ll look to race past opponents with their high-pressure defense and lightning-quick pace. Arlington has already made some major statements during an impressive 4-0 start, with an 18-point rout of 2020 3A state runner-up Lake Washington and a victory over perennial 1A juggernaut Lynden Christian. After four top-four state finishes in the past eight full-length seasons, the Eagles appear to have the makings of a team that could contend for the 3A state crown.

Snohomish

Under longtime coach Ken Roberts, the Panthers have been perennial Wesco 3A title and state trophy contenders. But with four returning starters, an impact freshman and an improved bench, Roberts said this is the deepest team he’s had since Snohomish High School split in 2008 with the formation of Glacier Peak. It all begins with four-year starting guard Ella Gallatin, who is averaging 21.6 points per game. The Eastern Washington University signee hit a game-winner at the buzzer in the Panthers’ season opener against 1A powerhouse Lynden Christian and scored 34 points in their win over Kamiak on Wednesday. Gallatin is complemented in the backcourt by junior Jada Andresen and senior Cheyenne Rodgers. Andresen is averaging 14 points per game, while Rodgers is a three-year starter who is netting 9.6 points per contest. The frontcourt is strong too, with promising 6-foot freshman post Tyler Gildersleeve-Stiles — who made her season debut Wednesday after missing the first four games with a sprained ankle — and sophomore forward Addyson Gallatin. Snohomish is off to a 4-1 start, with wins over Lynden Christian and Glacier Peak and a two-point loss to fellow 3A state contender Lincoln-Tacoma. After earning three top-four state trophies in the past five full-length seasons, the Panthers figure to be in the mix for more state hardware this year.

CONTENDER

Stanwood

If there’s a team that can contend with Arlington and Snohomish for the Wesco 3A/2A crown, it’s likely the Spartans. After a 5-3 spring season, Stanwood returns seven players with varsity experience and looks to take the next step forward with a core group that’s played together for a long time. The Spartans are led by 6-foot-4 junior post Vivienne Berrett, who averaged 15 points and 5.8 rebounds per game in the spring and is coming off a 23-point performance against Lynnwood last week. Senior forward Ava Cook, who posted 17 points and 10 rebounds against Lynnwood, also provides a strong interior presence. They’re complemented by junior guards Tatum Brager and Chloe Santeford, who highlight a talented backcourt. Stanwood is off to a 3-0 start under first-year coach Alex Iverson, a 2011 Lake Stevens alum who previously was an assistant coach in the Arlington and Lake Stevens boys programs. Iverson is the Spartans’ third different head coach in the past four seasons since longtime coach Dennis Kloke retired following back-to-back 3A state appearances in 2017 and 2018. If things come together for this potential-laden group, Stanwood could return to the state tournament this season.

EXTRA POINTS

Which other teams will emerge in Wesco 3A/2A?

Arlington, Snohomish and Stanwood are widely considered to be the top three teams in Wesco 3A/2A. But who else in this 13-team league could earn a spot in the upper portion of the conference standings? Archbishop Murphy looks like a good bet. The Wildcats went 7-3 in the spring and are coming off an 11-point win over Lynnwood on Wednesday. They have an impact freshman in Ava Marr, who is averaging 15.3 points per game. And they have a trio of senior guards — Taylor Reed, Taylor Campbell and Tamiah Joseph — who are each averaging at least eight points per contest. Led by those four players, Archbishop Murphy could be a serious factor in Wesco 3A/2A, as well as a 2A state contender. Another team to watch is the aforementioned Lynnwood, which is looking to build on a 5-5 spring season. The youth-laden Royals are led by a pair of sophomores in point guard Aniya Hooker and Kayla Lorenz. Hooker averaged 10.7 points per game this past spring, while Lorenz hit eight 3-pointers and finished with 33 points in their spring finale against Kamiak. And keep an eye on Everett, which was picked fifth in the league coaches poll and nearly beat Glacier Peak last week.

Sultan looks to build on breakthrough spring

The Turks are coming off a breakthrough 10-4 spring campaign that marked their first winning season since 2009-10. Sultan earned a share of the Emerald Sound Conference’s Coho Division title, finishing tied for first in the lower division of the new two-tiered league. The Turks return senior guard and reigning Coho Division player of the year Grace Trichler, who averaged 23.5 points per game in the spring. Trichler and Sultan have rolled to a 5-0 start this season — including 4-0 in league play — while outscoring opponents by 26.4 points per contest. Trichler is having another big year, averaging 17.4 points per game. And she’s surrounded by a strong freshman class that provides the bulk of the Turks’ remaining scoring. Sultan and South Whidbey are the only two teams in the eight-team Coho Division that are still unbeaten in league play. They’re slated to square off next Wednesday in the first of two matchups that could ultimately determine the division title.

4 local teams opt for competitively balanced schedules

Due to a large discrepancy in talent level across the local prep girls basketball scene, there have been a slew of lopsided games in recent years. In an effort to combat that, four Wesco teams that have often been on the losing end of those blowouts — Cascade, Mariner, Marysville Getchell and Marysville Pilchuck — elected to form the competitively balanced Polk Division. It’s named after the late former Everett School District athletic director Robert Polk, who was a strong proponent in moving toward competitively balanced divisions. These four teams will play one another twice, for a total of six league games apiece. The result should be more competitive league games for these teams, as well as the flexibility for them to fill the rest of their schedules with games against comparable opponents. There’s still a path to the postseason for these four teams. For Cascade, Marysville Getchell or Marysville Pilchuck to qualify for the 3A District 1 Tournament, they have to go 6-0 in the Polk Division and then beat the lowest district seed in a play-in game. For Mariner to qualify for the 4A District 1/2 Tourament, the Marauders have to go 6-0 in the Polk Division, beat the last-place Wesco 4A team (the Marauders are facing each of the four Wesco 4A teams once in the regular season) and then beat the lowest bi-district seed in a play-in contest.