Players to Watch:
Addie Hiler, Bishop Kelly
Logan McCarthy, Bishop Kelly
Selena Chaves, Caldwell
Mylie Mills, Columbia
Ellie Robertson, Columbia
Hailee Stephenson, Emmett
Alex Barrass, Skyview
Alondra Osuna, Vallivue
Paige Upson, Vallivue
Written by: Lucas Gebhart
The 4A Southern Idaho Conference is in for a major shakeup this season as the league’s best team over the better part of the last decade, Middleton, is now a 5A school as this year’s realignment sent both Middleton and Nampa up to 5A but also returned Skyview to 4A.
Middleton has won at least a share of the regular-season district title in each of the last six years and is responsible for five of the league’s nine state championships, the latest coming in the 2016-17 season.
The last time a school other than Middleton won the regular-season district title outright was in 2015-16 when Kuna, another school that’s now 5A, won the title. You have to go all the back to the 2014-15 season to find the last time a school that’s currently in the conference won the out-right district title.
That school was Bishop Kelly, who now appears to be the front-runner to win the league.
But the reigning player, Mylie Mills, is returning for her senior year at Columbia, making them a contender as well and many think newcomer Skyview will also contend for a district title as well.
BISHOP KELLY KNIGHTS
Record Last Year: 19-8
Season Result: Lost in Consolation Championship
Head Coach: Derek McCormick
With Middleton moving up to 5A, Bishop Kelly instantly becomes the favorite to win the 4A SIC crown.
The Knights return several pieces from last year’s 19-win team, headlined by all-conference wing Addie Hiller. In all, head coach Derek McCormick says he’s returning eight contributors from last season, including post Caroline Knothe, and guards Logan McCarthy and Jordyn Carnell.
“The experience we have with eight returning players is exciting,” he said.
The Knights simply couldn’t solve the Middleton puzzle last season as both of BK’s conference losses came to their former 4A foe. The Vikings even had the Knight’s number in the state tournament, beating BK for a third time in the state consolation game.
Still the Knight’s run in the state tournament may have been longer than some expected. BK grabbed the 8th and final seed to the 4A dance but drew unbeaten Blackfoot in the quarterfinals. The loss bumped BK to the consolation side of the bracket, but a win over Mountain Home in the consolation semis showed promise moving forward.
“We are usually able to cause some turnovers which in turn gives us more chances to score,” McCormick said.
COLUMBIA WILDCATS
Record Last Year: 17-9
Result Last Season: Lost in State Play-in Game
Head Coach: Neal Robertson
Columbia played third fiddle to Middleton and Bishop Kelly last season despite having the conference’s best scoring defense and the conference’s best player in Mylie Mills, who is back for her senior season.
“She’s the reigning player of the year and she has every right to be,” said Skyview head coach Kacy Bonds. “She’s tough and she’s the leader of that team.”
With only 2.5 seeds up for grabs out of the SIC last season, the Wildcats were the odd team out and Columbia was forced into a state play-in game with a tough Skyline team, a school that not only beat Columbia by 24 in the state play-in game but went on to upset unbeaten Blackfoot in the state semifinals before falling to Burley in the state championship. Had Columbia won that game, it would have been the first state tournament appearance in years.
Now, led by their stingy defense and Mills’ senior leadership Columbia figures to be in the mix for not just a state tournament bid, but a bid at a district championship as well.
SKYVIEW HAWKS
Record Last Season: 8-14 (5A)
Season Result: Missed State
Head Coach: Kacy Bonds
Skyview is back in the 4A SIC this year after spending the last four seasons in 5A and could instantly become a contender given their track record against Idaho’s 4A class.
The Hawks only win eight games last season but played a tough 5A schedule and went 3-1 against 4A Idaho schools with wins over Columbia, Bonneville and Nampa, a school that has since moved on to 5A.
The school’s only state title also came during their last 4A stint back in 2014.
But nearly every player in this year’s rotation is new to the varsity game. Senior forward Alex Barrass is literally the only player returning from last year’s varsity roster. It’s something Skyview head coach Kacy Bond’s isn’t worried about too much.
“A couple of our girls play for our varsity volleyball team, so we are not worried about their ability to perform under pressure,” said explained. “Our other newcomers play on our varsity soccer team, and they had a pretty good season.”
Skyview was one of the smaller 5A SIC teams a year ago, but Bonds says adding girls like Maren Lungren, Brinley Perrine, Shelby Rudy into the rotation will add some much-needed height to the lineup.
“We had one post in the 5A S.I.C. last year,” she said. “We got killed on the boards… We are excited to welcome some size to the program.”
While the line-up may be taller, it is younger and more inexperienced. Still, the Hawks figure to be right in the thick of it come late January and early February.
“Our X-Factor will be getting enough quality reps before the district tournament,” Bonds said. “If we show up for every game like it’s the most important game of the year, we should be in a good position going into the district tournament.”
VALLIVUE FALCONS
Record Last Season: 5-13
Season Result: Missed State
Head Coach: Andrew Lopez
The Falcons are hoping to take a big step forward as head coach Andrew Lopez’s enters second season.
Despite winning just five games last season, many within in the program still feel as if Lopez has Vallivue moving in the right direction.
Vallivue won just six games in the two years prior to his arrival and return some key pieces this year including Alondra Osuna, first-team all-conference selection and Paige Upson, an all-conference honorable mention.
“Alondra and Paige can both get to the hoop and also knock down some jumpers,” Lopez said.
The returning experience along with the addition of some new young talent could vault Vallivue into the top of the SIC’s second tier. Lopez says two players in particular, freshman point guard Danica Gonzalez and sophomore center Edelyn Lopez-Osuna are expected to make an impact early in the season.
“I'm excited to go into my second year at Vallivue after seeing tremendous growth after year one,” Lopez said. “We have built a great culture and this staff has to be one of the best hands down.”
EMMETT HUSKIES
Record Last Season: 10-14
Season Result: Missed State
Head Coach: Mark Priano
Emmett is once again beginning the season with a new head coach, the program’s third in the last three seasons.
Mark Priano took over this offseason, inheriting a program that’s still looking for its first state tournament appearance since jumping up to 4A.
Despite the turnover, last year was Emmett’s best since joining the 4A ranks.
The 10-win campaign was led by Kamryn Alder, a first-team all-conference selection and Layci Andrews, an honorable mention. But Emmett is now without both as Alder and Andrews have since graduated, meaning there will be a lot of new names filling up Emmett’s stat sheet this winter.
CALDWELL COUGARS
Record Last Season: 0-22
Season Result: Missed State
Head Coach: Ashley Green
After back-to-back trips to the state semifinals and three consecutive state tournament appearances, Caldwell High took went from one of the best teams in the state, to the worst.
The Cougars went winless last season and will look to climb their way back into contention this year. Caldwell will be led by senior Selena Chaves, an all-conference honorable mention from a year ago.
This season is already off to a better start as the Cougars snagged an opening night win over New Plymouth to begin the season.
RIDGEVUE WARHAWKS
Record Last Season: 3-19
Season Result: Missed State
Head Coach: John Walker
New head coach John Walker is Ridgevue’s fifth head coach since the school opened seven years ago.
No coach has lasted longer than two seasons and the Warhawks have yet to win more than three games in a season.
The Warhawks will also be without their best player as Jasmin Villa, a second-team all-conference selection has been lost to graduation. It will be up to the new faces within the program to get things moving in the right direction.