By Aaron Coe
Herald Writer
Who is going to emerge in girls basketball this year?
Last year’s senior class — which many feel was the strongest ever in this area — has moved on to other things, leaving several openings in the limelight.
Gone are Kayla Burt’s fourth quarter heroics, Kristen O’Neill’s stifling defense, Kirsten Brockman’s interior dominance and Kayla Huss’ picture-perfect jump shot.
Huss recently helped her Santa Clara team beat a Washington team for which the other three of last year’s standouts play.
The departure of those stars, however, did not leave the Western Conference cupboard bare.
Though it may be light on blue-chip recruits, there is still plenty of talent in the area playing for several solid teams.
Huss may not be sinking 3-point shots for Cascade this year, but she was the only senior on a 23-7 team.
LuAnn Anderson is not the classic 6-foot-3 center Division I colleges crave, but the Cascade forward uses all of her 5-foot-11 frame to get the job done.
"I’m not intimidated very easily," said Anderson, who has a 3.95 grade point average and was one of the league’s top rebounders last year.
"She’s stronger and in real good shape," Cascade coach Dave Roberts said. "She’s quick, strong and athletic. She’s worked hard the last couple of years to become a threat from the outside and she can put the ball on the floor. That makes your team a lot better when you can have a 5-11 player do that."
Roberts’ brother — Snohomish coach Ken Roberts — also knows something about versatility.
So much so, that he doesn’t know yet where he will play Anne Bailey, a 6-foot senior point guard/wing/forward/center who will play for Gonzaga next year.
Bailey averaged just eight points and six rebounds last year, but will be called upon to score more now that all-league players Danielle Markey, Tiffany Speer and Crystal Hopkins are gone. And that’s not including Brockman, who missed her senior season with a knee injury.
"She’s a good all-around player," Ken Roberts said. "She’s not great at any one thing, but is very steady. She’ll have to help out with scoring more this year."
The Roberts’ teams will likely be battling for the top spot in the North Division as they did last year, when Snohomish’s only league loss came to Cascade.
In the South Division, Kamiak has their own version of Anne Bailey. Kelsey Larsen will spend more time close to the basket, but like Bailey, can do anything her coach asks.
"Kelsey is the kind of player that does all the little things," Kamiak coach Doug Montzingo said. "She blocks out, she dishes the ball out and plays really great defense."
The 6-foot forward will have to help fill the void left by Lindsay Page, who is a freshman on the Yale basketball team.
Larsen will be aided by the return of 6-foot-2 post Danell Garski, who did not play last year. Point guard Christina Petersen is one of the top playmakers in the league.
Will that be enough to bring down the mighty Meadowdale?
"Kamiak has to be the favorite," Meadowdale coach Karen Blair said.
"No, we don’t want to be the favorite, it has to be Meadowdale," Montzingo said.
The O’Neill sisters are playing for the Huskies these days, but there’s no need to shed a tear for the talented Mavericks.
Meadowdale, a 3A school in a 4A league, has a strong chance to win the conference before splitting off to compete in the 3A Northwest District playoffs. The Mavericks have finished no worse than fourth in the state playoffs the last four years, including a title in 2000.
Replacing Kristen O’Neill will not be easy. The Mavericks hope to get some of those missing 20 points from sophomore guard Anne Martin, who finished strong as a freshman.
"We believe she has the potential to do that, but we don’t want to put too much pressure early on a sophomore," Blair said.
O’Neill was perhaps one of the best defensive guards in state history, and that aspect of her game will have to be replaced by a team effort, according to Blair.
Jennie Swerk, a 6-foot forward, is known for her harassment of rival post players, and Jacci Baker is a 5-foot-3 guard who enjoys being a defensive pest.
Though the dominant players are not evident this year, Blair believes some will emerge from the younger classes.
"With the senior class, there may not be a lot there this year state-wide — that’s what the college coaches are saying," Blair said. "But, there are some very talented incoming freshman."
Perhaps it will be the youngsters who will emerge, or at least offer a glimpse of the glory of last year’s senior class.
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