Preseason favorites no lock for district playoffs

Like last year, most of the preseason boys hoops hype in the Western Conference 4A South Division surrounds a team that returns its entire starting lineup.

Coaches and players are quick to rattle off the strengths of a veteran Shorewood squad, much the same way Everett was singled out a year ago.

According to our records, Everett didn’t even qualify for the playoffs. The Seagulls seemed like a sure thing on paper, but were sunk by a rash of injuries.

So even though his Thunderbirds enter the season as the consensus favorite in the race for the Wesco South title, third-year Shorewood coach Jeff Denny has his reservations.

“I’ve talked to these guys almost daily about the level of competition in this league,” Denny said. “We’ve got a lot of guys coming back, but we can’t rest on the fact that we’ve got some experience.”

The Thunderbirds are making noise around the league mainly because of junior swingmen Rob Diederichs and Sean Tracey, who combined for more than half of Shorewood’s offense last season.

Diederichs was the only sophomore to earn first-team, all-league honors last year and ranked second in the division in scoring. Tracey put up 16 points in all three of Shorewood’s district playoff games and was a second-team selection.

“We’re cautiously optimistic about the season. Our league is going to be super-tough again,” Denny said, pointing to teams like Mountlake Terrace, Mariner and Meadowdale.

“It’s going to be similar to last year, where it came down to the last couple weeks. That made it kind of fun.”

Mountlake Terrace knocked the Thunderbirds out of the playoffs en route to claiming its second state berth in four years. The Hawks lost much of last year’s roster, but have reloaded with the addition of transfers Justynn and Christiaan Hammond, the cousins of junior point guard Luke Hammond.

“We were awfully battle-tested last year when the playoffs came around because our league was so tough,” said Hawks coach Nalin Sood. “I think that’s going to be true again this year.”

Jackson was another victim of Mountlake Terrace’s dash to the Class 4A state playoffs. The Timberwolves graduated three double-digit scorers off a team that closed out the season by winning seven of its final nine games, but should be in the running for a district berth.

Mariner is missing four all-league honorees, but the defending division champs possess a flashy inside-outside combo in 6-7 junior forward Tommy Craddock and first-team, all-league senior guard Delvaughn Livingston-Tinned.

“I think the Wesco South championship goes through Mariner because they won it last year and those guys know how to win,” Sood said.

Of the remaining 4A teams, Edmonds-Woodway appears to have the best shot at landing a trip to the playoffs. With an influx of guards and outside shooters, the Warriors are ditching the post-up game they favored in the past for more of a fastbreak attack.

Jason Hopkins was one of six E-W players to average between five and 10 points per game last year and the 6-6 senior can score in the paint and on the perimeter.

Coming off its sixth-place showing at last season’s state tournament, Meadowdale is far and away the standout among the league’s three 3A schools.

The Mavericks bring back three starters — guards Jake Linton and Larod Lover and center Colin Matteson — and three key reserves from last year, and should challenge the top 4A teams for the Wesco South crown.

“The league’s so tough, you’ve always got to bring it,” Meadowdale coach Chad McGuire said. “If a team gets hot, you could see any number of teams fighting for that league title. I think we’ll be in there competing as well.”

Lynnwood and Shorecrest will vie for Wesco’s other automatic berth to the 3A playoffs. The Royals swept the season series and advanced to districts last year, but Shorecrest received a boost with the arrival of transfer Chris Chase and could be ready to climb out of the cellar.

It didn’t take second-year Shorecrest coach Bill Liley long to determine it’s more than the players that make Wesco South such a competitive league.

“The coaching in this league is so good,” Liley said. “Guys really do a nice job preparing their kids to play. It makes a huge difference. I have a ton of respect for the guys in this league.”Charlie Laughtland and David Pan cover sports for The Enterprise Newspapers. Questions and comments may be sent by e-mail to entsports@heraldnet.com, by fax to 425-774-8622 or by mail to Sports editor, The Enterprise, 4303 198th St. SW., Lynnwood, WA 98036.