High school girls basketball: The top teams, players in the South Sound in 2021-22
The never-ending pandemic nightmare is still raging on, forcing the cancellation of numerous basketball games and other high school sports and activities so far this winter. Despite that fact, games are being played when teams are healthy and virus-free. We’ll keep our fingers crossed that state tournaments — particularly the Class 3A and 4A basketball tournaments right here in the Tacoma Dome in early March — will be able to safely take place, preferably with full crowds in place.
Already, high school student-athletes missed out on state tournaments during the 2020-21 school year. They were all cancelled because of the pandemic. Most leagues around the state opted for shortened, league-only seasons last spring, cramming an entire school year’s worth of sports into the span of a few months.
With the omicron variant sending covid cases spiking nationwide, weeklong or multi-week pauses will be inevitable for most high school athletics programs at this point. That doesn’t mean that games won’t continue to be played, however. Seasons will be completed. If the past year and change has shown us anything, it’s that athletic directors aren’t taking no for an answer. They went as far as constructing open-air basketball courts at the Puyallup fairgrounds last spring, just so student-athletes could finally play some games.
The show will go on. Here’s what to watch for in high school girls basketball in the South Sound between now and March.
4A NPSL
Tahoma is the team to beat, led by reigning league MVP Hope Hassmann, a junior who recently verbally committed to play her college basketball at Cal Poly. Hassmann, a 5-foot-8 guard, led Tahoma to a 14-0 record and the NPSL championship in the spring season, averaging 23.5 points, six assists, 3.8 rebounds and 3.2 steals. A lethal shot maker, Hassmann shot 54 percent from the field, 41 percent from behind the arc and 85 percent from the free throw line, leading a constantly up-tempo Bears team. Tahoma is 5-0 this season, collecting an impressive win along the way over Sumner, another one of the area’s top Class 4A teams. Realistically, it’s hard to see anyone challenging Tahoma for the league crown this year. Kentwood, Kentridge and Decatur are in the next tier of teams vying for positioning. Kentwood is led by junior guard Jersey Huerta, a first-team all-league selection in the spring. Kentridge senior Naomi Hall-Schiffner is one of the league’s top forwards and Decatur is paced by junior guard Jewel Young.
4A SPSL
We like Sumner’s chances to win the league this winter. Senior Alyson Deaver, who missed part of her sophomore season with a knee injury, came out swinging as a junior, averaging 19 points, 9.7 rebounds and 1.7 points during the spring season en route to being named the league MVP and first-team selection to The News Tribune’s All-Area team. It was the program’s first league title in the 4A SPSL since the 1995-96 season and Deaver, a 6-foot-1 forward with a high motor, was a matchup nightmare slashing into the paint. She’s complemented by senior sister Catelyn Deaver, who was also first-team selection in the spring, averaging 12.4 points, 8.3 rebounds and 2.2 assists. Emerald Ridge is also a contender in the 4A SPSL. The Jaguars fielded a young team last spring, so Katie Akeson’s squad returns its entire starting five this winter. The Jaguars have jumped out to a 6-1 overall record with the lone loss coming to Sumner, 74-55 on Dec. 17. Other than that, the Jaguars have been dominant, paced by trio of spring first-team all-league selections in senior shooting guard Kali Haizlip, junior point guard Monique Carter and junior forward Maya Barnett.
3A NPSL
Auburn won the league in the spring and has come out hot again this winter, amassing a 5-1 record early on, collecting wins over in-district rivals Auburn Mountainview and Auburn Riverside along the way. The Trojans return reigning league MVP Madelyn Brown, a senior guard who was a second-team selection to The News Tribune’s All-Area team last spring. Auburn also returns senior forward Ialissa Frederickson, a first-team all-league selection from the spring season.
3A PCL
It’ll be Lincoln and Bonney Lake likely duking it out for the 3A Pierce County League title this year. Lincoln is the favorite, winning games with a by-committee scoring approach and balanced team effort on both ends. Sophomore Ciona Wells runs the point, while returning first-team all-league selections Malani Warren and Jaleigha Robinson are the team’s leading scorers, with DeAndrea Woods-Singleton just behind. The Abes are 5-0 this season, with an impressive 53-51 win over Ferris on Dec. 17. The showdown against Bonney Lake will have to wait, as the teams’ Jan. 5 meeting was canceled because of weather. Bonney Lake has the one thing Lincoln lacks this year: a legitimate post player. The Panthers will need returning first-team all-league selection Jazmyn Shipp to be at her best to beat the Abes. Shipp averaged 19 points and 10 rebounds per game as a freshman during the spring season. Junior guard Mariah Preston and senior forward Brooke Mansfield are both second-team all-league returners for Bonney Lake, which returned its entire starting five this winter.
3A SSC
Gig Harbor is the team to beat, led by 5-foot-9 guard Baylee Young, who was a first-team selection when the Tides played up in the 4A South Puget Sound League in the spring. Gig Harbor also returns sophomore Taylor Schwab, another first-team selection from the spring in just her freshman year. Schwab runs the point, which has allowed Young to move to her more natural shooting guard position, benefiting both. Schwab is a true facilitator, averaging four assists per game, and can also put the hoop in the bucket, averaging a team-high 16.5 points. Young is averaging 11 points and three steals and junior post Riley Peschek is averaging 14 points and 9.6 rebounds. Gig Harbor is 5-0, recently picking up a 60-50 win over North Thurston, another contender. North Thurston is led by senior forward Tay Birdtail, who was a second-team all-league selection last spring, averaging 18.4 points, 5.4 rebounds and 3.6 steals. Keep an eye on Yelm and Peninsula as well. Yelm returns second-team all-league selection Lilli Williams, a sophomore point guard, and Peninsula features one of the league’s top up-and-coming players in guard Kaylia Heidelberg, an elite shooter.
2A SPSL
White River lost a ton to graduation: league MVP Kara Marecle and first-team all-league selections Taylor Schmidtke and Rylie Lund. So it was fair to wonder if the Hornets might be in rebuild mode. Oh, how naive that fleeting thought proved. White River has simply reloaded, extending its winning streak of league games to a stunning 105 games early in the season, despite this being one of the youngest teams coach Chris Gibson has fielded, with just one senior on the roster. Lightning-fast sophomore Lexie Banks won’t put up gaudy numbers, but she runs the show at point guard, averaging five assists and six points. Junior guard Morgan Greene is the team’s top scorer, averaging 17 points, scoring over 20 in several games. Sophomore forward Ava Bright and senior forward Brooke Mahler are also productive scorers for the Hornets. Enumclaw, led by forward Rosie Penke, figures to be White River’s toughest competition and will have the best shot to end the league winning streak.
2A EVCO
Tumwater and W.F. West will battle for the league crown this winter, with Tumwater holding the advantage so far. The T-Birds, one of the state’s top teams, have amassed an 8-1 record, beating W.F. West 57-42 in the process. Tumwater returns all three of its first-team all-league selections from last spring in senior forward Natalie Sumrok (15 points, five rebounds last spring), senior guard Isabella Lund (eight points, three assists, five rebounds, three steals) and senior guard and Dixie State commit Aubrey Amendala (13 points, six assists, five rebounds, four steals). This is a deep, veteran, experienced group that we’d expect to make a deep run in the 2A state tournament, along with Ellensburg this winter. W.F. West returns the reigning league MVP in 6-foot-2 Drea Brumfield, a Pepperdine commit. Brumfield, a forward, averaged 17.4 points, 9.9 rebounds, 4.8 blocks, 2.7 assists and 2.5 steals last spring, playing anywhere from the low post to beyond the 3-point arc, where she knocked down 41 treys last season. Junior Kyla McCallum runs the point for the Bearcats.
SMALL SCHOOLS
Despite losing Julianna Walker — the state’s No. 3 all-time leading scorer and The News Tribune’s 2021 spring All-Area player of the year — Annie Wright is off to another good start, racking up a 7-2 record (4-0 1A Nisqually) so far with wins over league foe Cascade Christian, Class 3A Todd Beamer, 4A Kennedy Catholic and 6A Liberty (Oregon). 5-foot-5 senior guard Jazmyn Stone, a College of Charleston signee, is one of the area’s top playmakers, averaging 26 points, 3.2 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 4.6 steals so far this season. In 2B, Chief Leschi is 5-1 and has a 2-1 mark in the 2B Pacific League.
36 PLAYERS TO WATCH
Addie Ainsworth, Black Hills, sr.
Aubrey Amendala, Tumwater, sr.
Jenai Ancheta, Rogers, sr.
Zionna Barbee, Franklin Pierce, sr.
Maya Barnett, Emerald Ridge, jr.
Tay Birdtail, North Thurston, sr.
Madelyn Brown, Auburn, sr.
Monique Carter, Emerald Ridge, jr.
Alyson Deaver, Sumner, sr.
Catelyn Deaver, Sumner, sr.
Atreonia Garner, Spanaway Lake, jr.
Morgan Greene, White River, jr.
Kali Haizlip, Emerald Ridge, sr.
Naomi Hall-Schiffner, Kentridge, sr.
Hope Hassmann, Tahoma, jr.
Kaylia Heidelberg, Peninsula, soph.
Lainee Houilloian, Sumner, soph.
Jersey Huerta, Kentwood, jr.
Jasmyne James, Lakes, jr.
Isabella Lund, Tumwater, sr.
Hailey Meyer, Puyallup, sr.
Rosie Penke, Enumclaw, sr.
Hailey Rath, Eatonville, sr.
Jaleigha Robinson, Lincoln, soph.
Taylor Schwab, Gig Harbor, soph.
Jazmyn Shipp, Bonney Lake, soph.
Alyssa Smith, Bethel, jr.
Jazmyn Stone, Annie Wright, sr.
Kiara Stone, Bellarmine, soph.
Natalie Sumrok, Tumwater, sr.
Taylor Teeple, Bellarmine, jr.
Malani Warren, Lincoln, jr.
Lilli Williams, Yelm, soph.
Ava Wolin, Olympia, sr.
Baylee Young, Gig Harbor, jr.
Jewel Young, Decatur, jr.
TNT preps reporters Tyler Wicke and Jordan Whitford contributed to this story.
This story was originally published January 10, 2022 at 5:00 AM.
