PLAYERS TO WATCH
Sahira Arevalo, Glenns Ferry
Maddie Spriggs, Glenns Ferry
Allison Asher, Hagerman
Payton Lopez, Hagerman
Valeria Alvarez, Murtaugh
Emma Benites, Murtaugh
Taylin Beck, Oakley
Dakota Wadsworth, Oakley
Sadee Knudsen, Raft River
Ryan Udy, Raft River
Melina Tellez, Shoshone
Mattea Thomas, Shoshone
Lexi Huettig, Valley
Joanie Lewis, Valley
Written by: Dallin Fryar
Three teams in the Snake River Conference finished with a 7-1 conference record. One of those teams, the Oakley Hornets has a theme for the 2024-25 season, “3 P’s” Prepare, Perform, and Progress. Taylin Beck, who head coach Kristin Jones described as one of the purest shooters to come through the program, will be one of the leaders of this veteran squad.
Coach Jones said this with excitement about her squad, “We bring a combination of experience and talent that really complement each other. I am excited about our inside/outside game, and ability to push the ball down the floor.”
Another team that finished 7-1 is Murtaugh. The 2023-24 Consolation Champions of 1A D1 will have a new head coach in Kristan Young. Young, also the new Athletic Director after 12 years at Filer, brings a wealth of experience to a squad she is eager to get to know.
Murtaugh graduated quite a few seniors last season and will look to rebuild quickly during the 2024-25 season. Young noted, “I am excited after watching most of them play volleyball together and to see that talent going into basketball season.”
Rounding out the returning 7-1 squads is Raft River. They will be a team littered with seniors and after missing out on the state tournament despite their great regular season record, are hungry to return back to glory as they did in 2022-23 winning the state championship.
Coach Derek Malone of Valley not only surprised the state by leading the youngest team in the state tournament last season but ended up winning a game there as well. They return every member of that state-qualifying squad and are looking to make an even deeper run this season.
First team all-conference and all-tournament team selection Lexi Huettig and second team all-conference performer Joanie Lewis will lead a group of athletes who like to get out and run. They also add some much needed height to the team in freshman post Emily Huettig. If there is one team to keep an eye on this season it might be Valley.
Winning is contagious, and in smaller schools where a lot of the same athletes are playing multiple sports, that can be something to watch out for. This describes Hagerman who is riding a high after the volleyball season.
Despite being one of the smaller schools in the newly established 2A Snake River Conference and a less than stalwart 2023-24 campaign, another coach in the conference said, “Hagerman could be a team that could surprise a lot of people this season.”
Glenns Ferry finished last season with a winning record, despite only going 3-5 in the conference. They may have been a product of just how difficult this conference is to play in. Karli McHone enters her third season at her alma mater with a team that is looking to fill the void of four seniors from the 2023-24 campaign.
Rounding out the Snake River Conference is Shoshone. Melisa Martin returns for her second season at the helm after posting a 7-13 record and 2-6 in conference play.