Players to Watch:
Piper Scarlett, Clark Fork
Hannah Thompson, Clark Fork
Ella Martin, Genesis Prep
Sienna Williams, Genesis Prep
Kimberly Pluff, Lakeside
Kyleigh Wolfe, Lakeside
Bethany Phillips, Wallace
Kylee Phillips, Wallace
Written by: Brandon Baney
The Class 2A (previously 1A Division 1) Scenic Idaho Conference is shaping up to be one of Idaho’s most intriguing leagues in 2024-25.
Consider: Lakeside and Wallace traded blows last season, alternating wins and losses until the Knights finally emerged victorious over Wallace in the district championship game.
And yes, it’s true that Genesis Prep went winless in league play last season, but the Jaguars just advanced to the state volleyball tournament for the first time in school history a month ago, and many of those same athletes have traded the volleyball kneepads for basketball shorts.
And Clark Fork, the longstanding power of the Class 1A North Star League, has moved up to the 2A ranks due to a swelling student population. Where will the Wampus Cats fit in amongst the hierarchy?
As the defending district champs, Lakeside enters the season as the prohibitive favorites in the Scenic Idaho Conference. Veteran coach Chris Dohrman returns to guide the Knights, and he’ll rely on three juniors with plenty of varsity experience in Kimberly Pluff, Kyleigh Wolfe and Zymri Hodgson. Lakeside figures to once again push the pace on offense, and hound the opposition defensively, forcing turnovers that lead to easy fast break opportunities.
Wallace, meanwhile, would prefer to play a half-court game and lean into its size and strength inside. “We will rely on our experienced senior post players, Bethany Phillips and Kayla Hasz,” says 8th year head coach Nichole Farkas. “And junior Kylee Phillips isn’t new, but she missed all of last season due to an ACL injury. It will be fun to see what she can do this year.”
The younger Phillips will play on the perimeter, along with junior Aubrey Birdsell and sophomore Khepri Wood. If the Miners can find a little depth off the bench, they’ll be right in the mix again in 2023-24.
Genesis Prep went 0-5 against Lakeside and Wallace last season, but 7-6 in the rest of their contests. Only two seniors departed via graduation, which gives second-year head coach Nate Frisbie a good nucleus to build around. Senior point guard Ella Martin will facilitate the Jaguars attack, and senior guard Summer Nelke will join her in the backcourt. Genesis Prep doesn’t have a ton of height down low, but posts Sienna Williams and Kinzie Lawler are athletic and could be tough matchups inside.
Clark Fork not only faces a brand new league, but it’s a bit of a rebuild for the Wampus Cats in 2024-25, as well. Point guard Lilly Rueter, the North Star MVP, is gone. So is shooting guard Eloise Shelton and center Amari Printz-Hay.
Those graduation losses are significant, and then the Wampus Cats received more bad news, as Amie Mattison also departed. “We were excited for her to take a big step forward after some of the older girls graduated,” says head coach Chris Cavanaugh. “Unfortunately, she had to move and we lost her.”
Cavanaugh is entering his first season as the Clark Fork head coach after spending the past three seasons as the Wampus Cats’ JV coach. In a straight swap, former head coach Jordan Adams is now Cavanaugh’s top assistant.
“It’s a bit of a reset for us,” says Cavanaugh. “We lost six girls from last year’s team, out of 11 total. We’re really excited to see the returning girls step up into leadership roles both on and off the court. With six freshman and a new head coach, we can really start working now on building the culture that the girls who just graduated started to build.”
Junior point guard Piper Scarlett and senior shooting guard Hannah Thompson will be key members early on this year, while junior post Priscilla Mayorga also has great potential. “Priscilla has dealt with some injuries in the past and is looking healthy and determined now,” says Cavanaugh. “She is a little short for a traditional post player, but if she can use her strength and athleticism well, she can be the person that takes our team to the next level.”