Preseason Coaches Poll
1. Council
2. Tri-Valley
3. Salmon River
4. Garden Valley
5. Cascade
6. Meadows Valley
7. Horseshoe Bend
Players to Watch
Rhianna Iveson, Council
Sydney Nichols, Council
Hope Zollman, Council
Charlee Hollon, Salmon River
Raney Walters, Salmon River
Bailey Whitener, Tri-Valley
Katy Wentz, Garden Valley
Kyler Nitzel, Cascade
Torey Tschida, Horseshoe Bend
Written by: Brandon Baney
The Tri-Valley Titans not only reigned supreme in the Long Pin Conference last season, but coach Jeff Springer's squad also won the 1AD2 state championship.
But a lot of talented players walked off in caps and gowns. The Conference Co-MVPs (Emma Hollon and Josey Jones) have both moved on, as has post Zoe Ertel. Bailey Whitener saw valuable time off the bench last year, and will be counted on to lead a young Tri-Valley team in 2021-22.
So if Tri-Valley is poised to take a step back, who will fill the void? "It should be a tight race between Council, Tri-Valley and Garden Valley," Council coach Paula Tucker says. "But I think the Council girls are hungry and they’re ready to play hard."
Tucker enters her first season as the coach at Council after a long and storied career at Salmon River. "We are all new to the girls basketball program at Council," Tucker says. "But I am excited to have the wealth of experience that (assistant coaches) Brodie Nichols, Layne Paradis and JC Tucker will bring to the team."
As for the players on the court, senior wing Sydney Nichols was a 1st Team All-Conference selection a year ago, while point guard Rhianna Iveson and wing Hope Zollman also earned postseason honors as freshmen last season. Junior Isabelle Eppich and sophomore McKayla Hart will anchor the inside game for the Lumberjacks.
Garden Valley earned second place in the Long Pin standings a year ago, but were upset by Richfield in a state play-in game and missed out on the tournament. Senior Katy Wentz is back to led the Wolverines in 2021-22.
With Paula Tucker no longer coaching at Salmon River, her son Levi Tucker takes the reins of the Savages program. Levi Tucker was previously the boys coach at Salmon River. "We lost 4 seniors that all started," Levi Tucker says. "They carried Salmon River for the past 3-4 years." Leading the way for this year's Savages squad will be senior guard Charlie Hollon and sophomore post Raney Walters.
Cascade went 2-12 overall last year, but the Ramblers boast one of the most dynamic players in the Long Pin in Kyler Nitzel. How the supporting cast steps up will determine Cascade's fortunes this year.
A young Horseshoe Bend team went winless a year ago. But the Mustangs just won the 1AD2 state volleyball title with a sophomore-laden lineup. Sophomore Torey Tschida is a returning All-Conference selection for Horseshoe Bend.
After not having enough players to field a varsity team in previous years, Meadows Valley returns after a two-year hiatus. The Mountaineers will be coached by Kaytlyn Gilliam.