EDMONDS — If there is one word that best describes the Edmonds-Woodway boys basketball team it probably would be “familiarity.”
Eleven of the 12 players on the varsity roster are seniors and of those seniors, 10 began their high school careers together on the freshman team four years ago. Eight of the 11 seniors appeared in one or more varsity games last year.
So naturally Edmonds-Woodway coach Rob McMains knows exactly what his team’s strengths are and which players he’ll be relying on this season.
Well, not so fast.
While McMains describes the seniors as an amazing group of individuals who are fun to coach, dedicated to improving their game and academically strong students, he’s not sure who his go-to players are going to be.
“I think we’re a mystery,” McMains said. “We have good chemistry on and off the court but we’re a mystery as far as who’s going to be our leaders and who’s going to be our scorers.”
Last year, Edmonds-Woodway relied to a large extent on first-team, all-league center Jason Hopkins and honorable mention guard Josh Griffin. Their departures leave some important roles that need to be filled.
Returning senior guards Mackenzie Thoms and Huston Conti averaged 10 and 8.5 points per game, respectively last season and will continue to be integral parts of the offense, according to McMains.
“Those two will look to score a lot but we need other people to do something as well,” he added.
The returning senior class not only shares a common basketball lineage but possesses about the same level of talent. No one really stands out among the group.
“They all bring different things to the table,” McMains said. “As a coaching staff our task is going to be putting the pieces together. The pieces are here. We’ve just got to put them together at the right time, doing the right things.”
Centers Andrew Donaldson and Stewart Schaefer are two important pieces to the Warriors’ puzzle. The 6-foot-5 seniors, who are the team’s tallest players, are expected to see a lot of playing time.
If Donaldson and Schaefer aren’t available, then Edmonds-Woodway would be forced to turn to sophomore forward Casey Hamlett, who McMains admits is 6-2 on a good day.
“We’re going to need Schaefer and Donaldson to play a lot of minutes because we’re not very big outside of those two guys,” McMains said. “We need one of those guys to step up inside.”
An injury to Griffin midway through last year forced Kyle Baeder into the starting point guard role and he responded well, McMains added.
“It’s going to be a more guard-oriented game,” Conti said. “Because of our small height, (the guards) are going to have to crash the boards more to help out the forwards.”
Edmonds-Woodway plans to take advantage of its athleticism, according to Thoms.
“We’re not very big but we’re quick and fast,” he said. “We’re going to be a running team and a defensive team.”
The Warriors head into the season with some momentum based on their strong finish last season and taking into account the success of other teams at the school.
District rival Mountlake Terrace edged Edmonds-Woodway 53-52 in a winner-to-state/loser-out game at the district tournament last season.
The heartbreaking loss stayed with the players far longer than most losses.
“We had a great time in the playoffs and we were excited to be there and have a chance (to go) to state,” McMains said. “But it was very difficult to come that close and not make it. Hopefully it has stayed with the guys. Hopefully it will motivate them. We’ve talked about that and how we want to take it a step further.”
The players, in some ways, draw strength from the disappointment.
“Whatever doesn’t kill you makes you stronger,” Conti said. “I think that just made us stronger as a team. It made us more anxious to come back this year.”
Thoms remembers the loss but has shifted his focus to the future.
“Last year was a great run,” Thoms said. “We had a good team, a great team. I think this year we can have more success. We still talk about it (loss) a little bit this year. We moved on. We’ve gotten ready for the season.”
The success of the football team, which advanced to the state tournament for the first time in school history this fall, and of the baseball team, which made it to the state playoffs last season, only helps motivate everyone, McMains said.
The players are coming into the season with an expectation of making it to the playoffs.
“It takes heart,” Thoms said. “We have the heart. Everybody talks about it on the team. There is not one person that doesn’t want to be here. Our main thing is to work hard, have fun, work together and be a family. Our goals for this year are similar to last year’s, but of course we were one point away from state last year. Our goal is to get over the hump.
“This is our last season. We just want to leave it all out on the court.”
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