A quick postseason exit last season left the Lady Wolves basketball team with higher goals for this year.
It was the Sequim girls’ first trip back after a two-year absence going 10-10 in the regular season. A core of eight girls who played in or watched the 41-31 loss to Franklin Pierce return this year.
“All those girls who were there now have that experience,” said head coach Evan Still.
“It’s a lot faster pace but if we focus on what we do best, we’ll we can go far.”
Nerves might have played into the game, Still said, as the girls took seven minutes to score their first points but they rallied and were without second-leading scorer Caitlin Stofferahn.
She injured the ACL in her right knee 30 seconds into the last regular season game of the year in Bremerton. But this season she’s fought her way back working with a personal trainer, she said.
“All the things that made me weak in the knee I’ve strengthened,” Stofferahn said.
Stofferahn, who scored 9.5 points and 3.2 rebounds per game and shot 31 percent from 3-pointers, will be relied on, Still said, to fill the scoring shoes of graduated senior Alexas Besand who averaged 11.4 points, 10.2 rebounds, 2.3 steals and 1.5 blocks per game.
“I’ve been working on my shot with different moves and trying not to settle on 3-pointers,” Stofferahn said.
“I’ve got to be stronger with the ball and go for rebounds. (My goal is to) raise my scoring average, rebounds and especially assists because without that my team isn’t getting involved.”
If healthy, Stofferahn will return to the starting lineup with seniors Elise Beuke and Victoria Cummins in the post and guards McKenzie Bentz and Kylee Williams.
Cummins, who returns for her third year on varsity, said the girls are definitely motivated to win this year.
“We have six seniors this year and it’s clicking faster,” she said. “It’s taking a lot less time get in the groove.”
She said she and Beuke took it upon themselves to fill in some of Besand’s defense and offense.
“(Elise) and I have been best friends since we were young,” Cummins said.
“It’s so much easier to see the gaps and since we’re both playing the exact same position we see each other better.”
Still said Beuke and Cummins are a good tandem.
“They feed off each other and should get a lot of rebounds,” he said.
Many of the girls participated in summer ball and Williams, a junior, was all-around improved, Still said, by dominating several games and stepping up at point guard.
“Now we have another point guard option so that McKenzie isn’t the only one bringing the ball up,” Still said.
Change of plans
This season, Still plans to enact a matchup-zone defense, which allows for man-to-man and zone defenses depending on the situations and where the ball goes.
“It’s tough to run but if we run it correctly, it’ll be hard to play against,” he said.
Cummins said she’s seen the team improve a lot on defense.
“It’s really starting to come together,” she said. “You can tell we want it and we are doing the little things. (For example), if a girl is helping (on defense) she is just literally taking those two steps to help.”
Offensively, Sequim will set a lot more plays, Still said, looking for layups, open 3-pointers and more high percentage shots.
If Stofferahn isn’t ready to go by the beginning of the season, senior Katherine Landoni may step in to start.
“She’s smart and can play great with confidence,” Still said.
Cummins said Landoni is one player for the Wolves who is under the radar.
“She’s the one setting the perfect screen and working her butt off,” she said. “(Landoni) is one of the smartest players on the court and definitely patient.”
Still said all of the girls have accepted their roles. “They have the thinking that it’s all for the common good and to follow our goal to go to the state tournament,” he said.
This year, five teams from the Olympic League, instead of four participate in districts.
Many teams in the league lost depth with graduating seniors, Still said, and Sequim will be competing for the league title likely with Port Angeles, Olympic and Kingston.
He said the seedings to districts will be go down to the last week of the season.
Sequim opens its season Tuesday, Dec. 2, at Bainbridge Island and hosts Klahowya Friday, Dec. 5.
SHS girls basketball
Head coach: Evan Still (third season)
2013-2014 record: 10-6 in Olympic League, 10-11 overall
Returning players: McKenzie Bentz, Elise Beuke, Victoria Cummins, Katherine Landoni, Hailey Lester, Jordan Miller, Caitlin Stofferahn, Kylee Williams
Newcomers: Alyse Armstrong, Ella Christiansen, Adrienne Haggerty-Hill, Jordan McMinn
Key games: Dec. 5 vs. Klahowya, Dec. 15 at Port Townsend, Jan. 9 vs. Port Angeles, Jan. 16 vs. Bremerton, Jan. 30 vs. Port Angeles
