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Grangeville High School
School Info
Conference: 2A Central Idaho League
Classification: 2A
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Head Coach: Larson Anderson
Years as Head Coach: 20th season
Previous Experience: None
Record Last Year: 20-5
State Titles: 8 Time State Champions
Assistant Coaches:
Elaine Anderson
Shaun Bass
Who do you have coming back this year?
10 Hailey Sullivan 5-7 JR,
12 Addie Lutz 5-7 SR,
14 Erica Fortin 5-3 SR,
20 Lizz Forsmann 5-7 SR,
24 McKenzie Kennedy 5-7 SO,
32 Kaleala Bass 5-7 SR,
42 Madison Brown 5-10 SR
Do you have any new incoming “impact” players?
4 Sarah Wilson 5-3 JR,
34 Ahni Anderson 5-10 JR,
44 Elizabeth Gourley 5-10 SR
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Photo By: Brandy Brown - #10 Hailey Sullivan |
Team Preview
Written by: Will Hoenike
Sure, losing a player the caliber of Chantel Key will be hard on the Grangeville Bulldogs. First-team All-Staters don’t grow on trees, y’know. Not even for a program that has reached the state tournament eleven times in the past twelve years.
But don’t cry for Larson Anderson and the rest of his Bulldog program. There’s still plenty of gold in the coffers to make a run at yet another appearance in Boise at the 2A state tournament in February.
The Bulldogs return seven letter-winners off of last season’s 20-win team that claimed the 2A consolation title after a first-round loss in the state tournament. It’s a well-balanced group led by Hailey Sullivan (5’7”, Jr.) and Madison Brown (5’10”, Sr.)
“Balance will be our strength,” Anderson said. “Teams will have to worry about everyone scoring.”
That duo will be supported by Addie Lutz (5’7”, Sr.), Erica Fortin (5’3”, Sr.), Lizz Forsmann (5’7”, Sr.), Kaleala Bass (5’7”, Sr.) and McKenzie Kennedy (5’7” Soph.). Anderson points to a pair of players that may be relative unknowns to the fans to provide critical depth – Ahni Anderson (5’10”, Jr.) and Elizabeth Gourley (5’10”, Sr.). That list of players, along with others, should give Bulldog fans reason to think another district title and trip to the state tournament could be within their reach.
But there is an area that the 20-year veteran bench boss would like to see his team improve.
“At State, the games are more physical than we are used to,” Anderson observed. “We need to be more prepared for physical games.”
To that end, Anderson has scheduled aggressively, including a home-and-home against 4A Moscow and another home-and-home against the six-time State B champion from neighboring Washington, Colton High School.
For a program that is coming off a 20-win season and is a regular qualifier for the state tournament, you’d think there’s not much Anderson would like to see changed. But there is something – he’d like to see Idaho add a shot clock in basketball.
“It makes a good defensive effort for 35 seconds have more value,” Anderson reasoned. “It is better for the fans and the players. More scoring opportunities and (it) changes the foul situations at the end of a game.”
Will he get his wish? To be determined when it comes to the shot clock. As for another district title and a shot to win the school’s ninth state championship in girls basketball, the Bulldogs will have to hold off the improving teams at Coeur d’Alene Charter and St. Maries to do it, but the team seems to have enough weapons in the arsenal to do it.
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