FORKS — Forks hopes to equal if not surpass the Spartans’ surprise run to a second-place finish in Evergreen League play with a senior-laden squad focused on playing together.
“We will be deep this year, I think we can legitimately play all 10 guys on our roster,” Forks coach Rick Gooding said.
Senior point guard Seth Johnson is a first-team All-Evergreen League returner, along with second-teamers in forward Braton Armas and and sharp-shooting Cort Prose.
“Seth has been super committed, he and Brandon [Baar] were at everything this summer,” Gooding said. “He went from a quiet shy kid that barely said a word his freshman year to a kid that everybody looks up to on the team.
“Cort can shoot the ball, Braton is a big strong kid for us.”
And Gooding said all of his guys were busy in the offseason.
“We played in the Montesano Summer League which was cool. We went to Lynden Christian’s tournament, the Port Angeles Tournament and Ilwaco’s tournament.
“We got in some basketball this summer.”
Tony Hernandez-Flores is a sophomore guard that impresses with his fleet footwork.
“Tony will be a terror defensively,” Gooding said. “His shooting is improving and his ball-handling getting better. He’s a guy I expect to be an absolute spark plug. He’s so quick.”
Trey Baysinger, another sophomore, is a player that will be counted on down low, but Gooding said he can play every position on the floor.
“We play him as a post, but he could be a guard. He’s a super-athletic kid.”
Others who figure to see playing time include first-year senior Carson Ness, Joseph Reaume and Iziah Morton.
“We’ve spent a lot more time this year talking about roles and nobody on the team feels like we are relying on any one player,” Gooding said.
“We talk a lot about the guy who gets in the paper will be the guy who scores the most points, but so many things happen in a basketball game that can affect the outcome.
“It’s about developing that mentality where guys believe that if they can set a good screen, if they can play good helpside defense than they can help us win.
“That little bit of personal sacrifice will lead to good things for our team.”
Despite being surrounded by tall timber out west, Forks lacks height.
“Last year we played a little bit bigger than what we were and we will have to do that again,” Gooding said. “Braton and Trey are probably are tallest posts, and they are 6-3 and 6-1.
“So the question becomes can we make that up with athleticism? Can we make our shots? I think every team has the same exact questions at this time of the year. Are we going to buy into defense?
Are we going to get that buy in, are we all going to be great with our role and how will we work as a team?”
Gooding answered himself in the affirmative: “I believe in this group,” he said.
Forks Spartans
• Coach: Rick Gooding (7th season, 60-66 )
• Last season: 15-6, second in Evergreen League. 1-2 in district tournament.
• Returners: Seth Johnson (Sr., G, 5-1o); Cort Prose (Sr., F, 6-0); Braton Armas (Sr., F, 6-3); Trey Baysinger (So., F, 6-1); Joseph Reaume (Sr., G, 5-8); Tony Hernandez-Flores (So., G, 5-7); Brandon Baar (Sr., G, 6-1); Iziah Morton (Sr., F, 6-1)
• Varsity Newcomers: Jerrid Davis (Jr., G, 5-7), Carson Ness (Sr., F, 6-3).
• Key games/tournaments: Gooding expects the Evergreen League to be pretty balanced this season.
“Tenino is improved. Hoquiam will be pretty tough. Monte lost some kids, but they are such a big strong athletic school, and have best coach in the league,” Gooding said. “Elma will be the sleeper, you saw what they were capable of in football. They have a big core of juniors, an athletic group. I think our league will be fairly balanced.”
Forks also is playing a tough nonleague schedule with games against 2A Tumwater, 3A Auburn-Mountainview and a post-Christmas trip to Leavenworth for a tournament that will include at least one game against Vashon.
“This is probably the toughest nonleague schedule we have had and it was by design,” Gooding said. “We have a good group that is capable of making a run. And we want to be ready when league starts, we want to be tested before league starts. And we want to play teams that will push and see what we will need to work on.”
The Cascade trip grew out of a Forks connection.
“Paul Fraker grew up in Forks and is the head coach at Cascade and he invited us over,” Gooding said.
“We’re kind of after that feeling of going to a tournament. Our kids don’t get the chance too often to go to play some games and stay in the hotel and do some bonding, so we are looking forward to that.”
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Sports reporter Michael Carman can be contacted at 360-417-3525 or mcarman@peninsuladailynews.com.
Keith Thorpe/Peninsula Daily News Forks’ Cort Prose, right, was a second-team All-Evergreen League pick last season.
