PLAYERS TO WATCH

Rylie Quilin, Carey
Marillia Cabrito, Castleford
Sahira Arevelo, Glenns Ferry
Karlee Gentert, Lighthouse Christian
Courtney Jensen, Murtaugh
Ady Stanger, Murtaugh
Jentry Hawker, Oakley
Chloee Larson, Oakley
Reagan Jones, Raft River
Ryan Udy, Raft River
Lexi Huettig, Valley

Written by: Jesse Richens

The Raft River Trojans started the 2023 1AD1 State Tournament with a record 21-3. Two of the three losses came to their rivals, the Oakley Hornets, but Raft River exacted revenge with a 38-34 win in the state championship game.

The Trojans are expecting similar success this season, as a high-scoring team a year ago returns several key members. The Trojans averaged 56 points per game last season, and had a single-game high of 84 points. It’s true that Snake River Conference Player of the Year Caroline Schumann graduated, but coach Bart Deters returns Reagan Jones and Ryan Udy to this year’s team.

As for Oakley, the Hornets feel confident about the upcoming season after taking second place at last year’s state tournament. Longtime coach Matt Payton hung up his whistle in the offseason, and assistant coach Kristin Jones now assumes command.

The first-year head coach is enthusiastic about her team despite losing seven seniors to graduation. “We will have a different dynamic than last year’s team because of our personnel,” Jones says. “I am excited to develop their strengths and help them create their own identity.”

Senior Jentry Hawker is Oakley’s lone returning All-Conference player from a year ago, and she’ll split point guard duties this year with promising sophomore Livee Berlinguet. They’ll be joined in the backcourt by junior Dakota Wadsworth and sophomore Taylin Beck. Seniors Kaymbri Beck and Chloee Larson will operate as the Hornets’ posts.

“We have a smaller, quicker, team, and we would like to use that quickness to our advantage,” says Jones. “We will have some good perimeter shooters, and we’ll also be able to push the ball up the floor. With Livee Berlinguet taking on more of the point guard duties, we will be able to use Jentry Hawker’s versatility in other roles.”

Another first-year coach in the conference this year is Ashleigh van Vliet at Lighthouse Christian. Van vliet has spent the past several seasons coaching overseas, leading U-18, U-19 and U-23 teams in England and Malta, She also coached a second-team senior women’s team in France.

So naturally, there’s a bit of a learning curve with the Lions. Coach van Vliet will rely on junior wing Karlee Gentert and a pair of sophomores in guard Sophie Munsee and post Payton Thornquest. “This is a very young group with not much experience,” van Vliet says. “The upside is we have a great group who encourages and supports each other. This will be a great season for them to gain experience at the varsity level and develop individually, but also to start to find their identity as a program.”

Castleford will have a similarly young team in 2023-24. After going 3-16 in Buck Taylor’s first year as head coach, he’s hoping that the on-the-job training his girls experience a year ago will pay dividends. “With only one senior last year, the returners should be easier to coach,” Taylor says. “I am so pleased with how these ladies get along. They genuinely like each other. We may not be ready to make a state run yet, but it is such a pleasure to coach a group that gets along.”

Castleford’s lone senior a year ago was four-year starter Jehta Matkovich, a significant loss. The Wolves also saw sophomore Alynia Ruiz transfer to Class 3A Buhl. But seniors Marilia Cabrito and Kila Matkovich are ready to lead Castleford this year. “Marilia, we ask her to do just about everything,” Taylor says. “And with Kila, if we can harness the attitude, focus the energy, and funnel it into her natural athleticism, she could be a game-changer for this team.”

The Murtaugh Red Devils have been painstakingly close to breaking through, both in the conference and at the state tournament, and veteran coach Todd Jensen is hoping this is the year that everything coalesces into a deep run. Seniors Ady Stanger and Courtney Jensen both picked up All-Conference honors a year ago, and Katie Alcala and Ashlee Stanger are tremendous post players.

“Murtaugh has a lot of experience and they all play well together,” says Oakley coach Kristin Jones. Castleford coach Buck Taylor adds, “With the insane height Murtaugh possesses, it would be a shame if they can’t put it together.”

The Carey Panthers are in a similar boat as Murtaugh. The Panthers had an impressive 17-6 mark in 2022-23, yet in this loaded conference, it was only good for fourth place. Longtime coach Merrilee Sears has several athletes with potential, and Carey will be a tough out once again.

Shoshone was feisty a year ago, finishing one game behind Lighthouse Christian for fifth place in the Snake River standings. Do-it-all senior Karlie Chapman graduated, and her dad, longtime coach Tim Chapman, retired, so the Indians are hitting the reset button somewhat. Melisa Martin is the new varsity coach, and has experience as Shoshone’s head volleyball coach the past several years.

Glenns Ferry and Valley are trying to punch their way into the upper half of the league standings in 2023-24 and are each led by dynamic scorers. At Valley, first-year head coach Derek Malone will lean on junior point guard Lexi Huettig.

Former Glenns Ferry standout Karli McHone enters her second season as head coach at her alma mater, and has several young sophomores and juniors that were thrown into the fire a year ago. Keep an eye on sophomore forward Sahira Arevalo. Castleford coach Buck Taylor says, “As a freshman, I thought she played as well as anybody in our league.”

Hansen went 3-16 a year ago, but the Huskies did sweep Castleford in two matchups. As Teejay Berry enters his third season on the Hansen sidelines, player participation will be key for one of the conference’s smallest schools.