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A season after Lapwai's girls basketball team steamrolled its way to the 1AD1 state championship, the Wildcats are again making things laughably easy in 2022-23.

It's true that three starting lineup slots had to be replaced, as Lapwai said goodbye to guards Grace Sobotta and Samara Smith, along with post Sayq'is Greene.  But junior point guard Jordyn McCormack-Marks, the MVP of the 1AD1 State Tournament, is back, along with 5-foot-7 senior Lauren Gould.  

They are joined by a dynamic group of younger players, headlined by four freshmen guards: Jaelyn McCormack-Marks (Jordyn's sister), Madden Bisbee, Skylin Parrish and Taya Yearout (the younger sister of Lapwai boys standout Ahlius Yearout).

Incredible balance and unselfish play have once again been the staples of Lapwai's fast start to the year.  

After Tuesday night's 79-35 win over Clearwater Valley, the Wildcats sit at 11-1 overall and 4-0 in Whitepine League play, good enough for the 10th spot in our debut Top 25 Daily Girls Basketball Rankings.

"Last night, we played great team ball," Lapwai coach Ada Marks said.  "Our defense took a minute to get going, but after we started pressuring, our offense started going.  We were able to work everyone in and each girl contributed on both ends."

Their lone blemish this year came to the team that's ranked number one, Melba.  The Mustangs defeated Lapwai 52-44 in early November, and since then, Lapwai has snapped off a ten-game winning streak that includes overall victories at the Lapwai Invitational and Avista Holiday Tournament in Lewiston.

In their latest triumph over Clearwater Valley, Gould paced the Lapwai attack with 22 points, while Jaelyn and Jordyn McCormack-Marks added 17 and 9 points, respectively.

The Wildcats return to action Friday, January 6th at Troy.  That's followed by a three-game homestand before a rematch with Prairie in Cottonwood.  Lapwai narrowly defeated the Pirates in December 52-50.  There's a good chance that Lapwai will still carry just one loss into that rematch.

Here's the rest of the Top 25 Daily Girls Basketball Rankings:

1. Melba (14-0) 
2. North Fremont (11-1)
3. Cole Valley Christian (12-3)
4. Thunder Ridge (13-0)
5. Mackay (12-1)
6. Boise (11-1)
7. Shelley (11-1)
8. Soda Springs (10-2)
9. Bishop Kelly (11-3)
10. Lapwai (11-1)
11. Lake City (12-2)
12. Rigby (12-2)
13. Parma (11-2)
14. Timberline
15. Weiser (12-1)
T-16. Carey (9-1)
T-16. St. Maries (5-3)
18. Shoshone (10-1)
19. Kimberly (10-3)
20. Ambrose (9-5)
21. Post Falls (14-0)
22. West Side (8-4)
23. Rockland (11-3)
24. Snake River (10-3)
25. Coeur d'Alene (11-2)

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