Quilcene
■ Head coach: Tiffany Parks (first year).
■ Last year: 8-6 in 1B Sea-Tac, 13-10 overall; reached 1B tri-district.
■ Returning starters: None.
■ Top newcomers: Ceare Williams (Fr., G/F), Delores Perez (8th grade, C), Samantha Rae (Fr., G).
■ Outlook: The Rangers made great strides in Joe Whitsett’s final year as coach, coming within one win of the program’s first state trip since 2004.
With seven seniors and five starters all gone from that team, coach Parks has some rebuilding to do.
Neah Bay
■ Head coach: Lisa Halttunen (sixth year).
■ Last year: 6-0 in league, 25-2 overall; finished fourth in 1B (3-1 at state).
■ Returning starters: Cherish Moss (5-8, Sr., G/F), Rebecca Thompson (5-8, Sr., G), Courtney Winck (5-10, Sr., F), Cierra Moss (5-8, So., G/F), Merissa Murner (5-8, So., F).
■ Top newcomers: Faye Chartraw (5-10, Fr., F), Hailey Greene (5-3, Fr., G), Kaela Tyler (5-8, Fr., F/G).
■ Outlook: The Red Devils are loaded for another run at state.
Four of five starters return from a team that finished a school-best fourth in 1B last winter. There’s lots of young talent coming up behind them as well.
“The upperclassmen are motivated this year, especially the Moss girls and Rebecca,” coach Halttunen said. “They’re at the gym regularly, working on their game.”
All five of Halttunen’s teams have reached state since she took over in 2006, and each has won an NOL title.
The last two seasons, the Red Devils have gone a combined 48-4.
Clallam Bay
■ Head coach: Kelly Gregory (10th year).
■ Last year: 3-3 in NOL, 12-7 overall; reached 1B tri-district.
■ Returning starters: Melissa Willis (5-11, Sr., F), Jazzmin Randall (5-9, Jr., F/C), Kenna Welever (5-5, Fr., PG).
■ Top newcomers: Inga Erickson (5-6, Fr., F/C), Kyla Wilson (5-5, Fr., G), Jeddie Herndon (5-2, Fr., G), Neah Corpuz (5-4, 8th grade, G).
■ Outlook: The Bruins have been No. 2 in the NOL pecking order for quite some time.
While Neah Bay has been racking up championships, Clallam Bay has been taking the league’s second playoff spot with regularity.
That included last year’s squad, which was able to qualify for the 1B tri-district despite having just one senior on the roster.
The Bruins remain young this winter, and with starting point guard Jaime Parker not coming back for another season, they are green at key positions.
“This will be the most inexperienced team I’ve coached,” coach Gregory said.
“It’s just going to take a while. Hopefully I can get them to gel a little bit before league in January.
“It will be tougher this year than last year.
“I think I just got to build some confidence in them.”
Crescent
■ Head coach: Brian Scott (first year; second overall).
■ Last year: 0-6 in NOL, 3-14 overall; missed playoffs.
■ Returning starters: Sara Moore (Sr. F/C), Catherine Youngman (Jr., G), Kellie Bedford (Jr., G) and Tori McGowen (Jr., F/C).
■ Top newcomers: Bonny Hazelett (Jr., G), Shannon Williams (Fr., F/C), Lauren Hartley (Fr., G), Jade Blazek (Fr., F/C).
■ Outlook: Coach Scott returns to the program after taking a couple of years off to fight a cancer diagnosis.
He returns in good health to a program that’s had its share of struggles, including four straight winless campaigns in NOL play.
The preseason practice emphasis was conditioning and defense.
Now the job is to rebuild trust in a basketball program that has had six different coaches the last seven seasons.
“The outlook is positive for rebuilding. The key will be consistency, discipline and attitude,” coach Scott said.
“Players are being asked to focus on composure and be in control at all times. With only one senior, the future looks good.
“The team is laying a good foundation for the future of the Lady Loggers basketball program.”
Matt Schubert
