Players to Watch:
Kaity Haan, Boise
Avery Patricco, Boise
Alison Turcke, Boise
Kya Davis, Borah
Nakiyia Percell, Borah
McKenna Chavez, Capital
Eden Francis, Capital
Jada Ojukwu, Capital
Ginger Allred, Centennial
Berkley Jones, Eagle
Porter Wood, Eagle
Jaeda Morrison, Kuna
Sarah Walker, Kuna
Morgan Dick, Meridian
Kendrie Judd, Mountain View
Quincy Keller, Mountain View
Riley Beck, Owyhee
Josie Davis, Owyhee
Mikale Roy, Owyhee
McKenna Durrant, Ridgevue
Myra Martinez, Ridgevue
Hollund Miller, Ridgevue
Logan Sailors, Rocky Mountain
Campbell Wilson, Rocky Mountain
Ashlyn Graklanoff, Timberline
Lexi Moore, Timberline
Written by: Lucas Gebhart
New classification enrollment numbers sent Middleton and Nampa back down to what is now 5A, but with Nampa playing an independent schedule the now 6A Southern Idaho Conference (SIC) will remain at 12 schools as the league welcomes in Ridgevue.
Ridgevue petitioned down for some fall sports, but their recent success in girls basketball keeps them in Idaho’s top class. The Warhawks are one of three schools who were one win away from the state tournament (Timberline and Eagle also lost in state play-in games) meaning this year’s SIC is not only deep, but it’s full of schools hungry to grab one of the four or five spots to this year’s state tournament.
THE NEW KID:
RIDGEVUE WARHAWKS
Head Coach: John Walker, 3rd season
2024/25 Record: 15-9, lost in Winner-to-State Game in 4A District Tournament
Ridgevue moves to Idaho’s highest classification after spending its first 8 seasons in Idaho’s second highest class, now 5A, but formally known as 4A.
In the 4A class, it took Ridgevue a while to put together a winning formula, but things finally came together last season as the Warhawks finished with a 15-9 record and boasted the 4A SIC’s second best scoring defense (39.8 PPG).
But just when things seemed to come together, comes Ridgevue’s next challenge – playing a bigger, faster and deeper 6A SIC.
Head coach John Walker’s squad is led by junior McKenna Durrant, one of the 4A SIC’s leading scorers from last season (8.7 PPG).
Durrant, now a junior, leads the senior-heavy lineup which returns three seniors in Maya Martinez, Hollund Miller and Emma Bratvold.
The Warhawks are still looking for the school’s first state tournament appearance, a search that was one win away last year.
Ridgevue took the second seed into last year’s district tournament, but lost to three-seeded Columbia in last year’s winner-to-state game at ICCU Arena in Downtown Boise.
“Normally jumping up a division can be a tough obstacle for teams but I think Coach Walker does a great job and has some returning talent that will make them a sleeper team,” Capital head coach Matthew Creech said. “If you don’t show up they will beat you.”
THE FAVORITES
BOISE BRAVE
Head Coach: Kim Brydges, 20th season
2023-24 Record: 24-2, Third Place at State
Without one of Idaho’s all-time greats, the road to a state championship seems much longer this season.
The 2024-25 season will mark two decades since the Brave last won a state championship in 2005, a drought many thought would end during Avery Howell’s senior season.
Now, as Howell takes her laundry list of awards to USC and the BIG10, Boise is determined to prove its state championship window isn’t closed.
20-year head coach Kim Brydges says this year’s Brave team will have not one, but three captains in Kaity Haan, Avery Patricco and Alison Turcke and will rely on a more balanced scoring attack.
“We graduated some great kids but have a veteran core of experienced players with high Basketball IQ,” Brydges said.
Howell led the state in scoring last season and the Brave finished with the state’s best scoring defense (32.81 PPG) and Idaho’s second highest scoring offense (60.5 PPG).
Haan and Patricco both ended the year with second-team all-conference honors while Turcke brought back an honorable mention. All three are in their senior year.
OWYHEE STORM
Head Coach: George Rodriguez, 1st season
2023-24 Record: 18-9, State Consolation Champions
No team in the SIC returns as much talent as Owyhee and last year’s state consolation champions have even higher expectations entering the new year.
First year head coach George Rodriguez returns 4-of-5 starters and 8 seniors from last year’s 18-win team, including Josee Davis, Riley Beck and Mikale Roy, who are all 4-year varsity players entering their senior campaign.
Rodriguez takes over for Jordan Axe, who led the program for the first three seasons, making Rodriguez the program’s second head coach.
Rodriguez won back-to-back state championships with Borah’s boys program while serving as an assistant before taking over Borah’s girls’ basketball program during the pandemic. As the head coach at Borah, he helped lead the Lions to one state tournament appearance in two seasons, finishing with a 25-11 record.
EAGLE MUSTANGS
Head Coach: Jeremy Munroe, 4th season
2023-24 Record: 16-10, Lost in State Play-in Game
With Idaho’s second leading scorer, Paige Cofer, leading the way, the Mustangs maneuvered their way to another winning season, but fell one win short of the state tournament.
Now, with Cofer at Utah Tech, the Mustangs will have to fill the void with a “hungry” group of mostly sophomores and juniors, but head coach Jeremy Munroe says this younger roster is ready for the challenge.
“This team is hungry after how last season ended,” Munroe said. “They have worked hard and they are excited to compete.”
The Mustangs return sophomore Berkley Jones, who played in important role as a freshman, along with senior Porter Wood, an all-conference honorable mention from last season along with senior post Charlotte White.
The group will need to replace not only Cofer, but Molly Johnson as well. Both were high level players with leadership that will be missed, Munroe says.
Cofer averaged nearly 20 points per game her senior year and was a three-time all-state selection.
STATE TOURNAMENT CONTENDERS
ROCKY MOUNTAIN GRIZZLIES
Head Coach: BJ Humphreys, 6th season
2023-24 Season: 18-8, Lost in State Consolation Final
Just months after losing guard Cece Legaspi to graduation, the Grizz lost their starting point guard, Addy Osterhout for the upcoming season after the junior tore her ACL playing soccer.
Legaspi averaged 9.5 points per game as a senior and is a freshman at California Baptist, a member of the Western Athletic Conference (WAC).
Replacing her and Osterhout won’t be an easy task. Campbell Wilson, another Rocky soccer star, will take over the starting point guard position and will lead an undersized Rocky offense.
“I’m excited to see how our team responds to adversity,” Humpherys said. “We will have to be fast and shoot extremely well to have success.”
The clear leader for the Grizz will be senior Logan Sailors, a player many of the league’s coaches say will be one of the top players in the SIC.
“Really talented player that can pretty much do it all offensively,” Timberline head coach Andy Jones said.
Sailors was Rocky’s leading scorer a season ago, and is one of the SIC’s top returning players.
TIMBERLINE WOLVES
Head Coach: Andy Jones
2024-24 Record: 14-11, Lost in State Play-in Game
Another school already bit by the injury bug is Timberline as head coach Andy Jones tells IdahoSports that junior Emmi Swillie also tore her ACL – this injury happening in May.
Swillie, like Osterhout, will miss the season and was one of Timberlines best players from a season ago, averaging 14 points per game as a sophomore.
“She is simply irreplaceable,” Jones tells said, adding that the rest of Timberline’s lineup will need to step up to fill the void.
“Anyone and everyone can contribute on a given night, including players off the bench,” Jones said.
Seniors Ashlyn Graklanoff and Jamysen Yates along with junior Lexi Moore are players Jones says could step into the bigger roles with Swilie out.
Timberline was one win away from last year’s state tournament, falling to Lake City in a state play-in game.
BORAH LIONS
Head Coach: Ebony Newman, 3rd season
2023-24 Season: 13-11, Two-and-Out in District Tournament, Won Play-in Game
Borah might be ahead of schedule as last year’s freshman-heavy squad led the Lions back to a winning record after back-to-back 3-win seasons.
Two of those freshman, Kya Davis and Nakiyia Percell earned all-conference honorable mentions and appear to be one of the best duos in the SIC.
Borah earned the 7th seed in last year’s district tournament, but went two-and-out at Districts after winning its play-in game vs. Centennial.
The Lions have missed the state tournament the last three seasons, and hope this sophomore core can lead them back to state.
READY TO MAKE A JUMP
CAPITAL EAGLES
Head Coach: Matthew Creech, 3rd season
2023-24 Record: 7-16, Two-and-Out at District Tournament, Won Play-in Game
With eight returning players and one of the conference’s best returning players transferring in, Capital is a popular sleeper pick as many around the league expect the Eagles to make a big jump.
Head coach Mathew Creech is entering his third season, and while most of the program is still young, the Eagles add a key piece to their youth as they welcome in Northern Arizona commit and Centennial transfer Jada Ojukwu.
“I’m excited about this group,” Creech said. “I believe we are at the point where we can start climbing the rankings of the very competitive SIC.”
Juniors McKenna Chavez and Eden Francis were both all-conference honorable mentions last season as sophomores and add balance to Capital’s lineup
“Capital will likely surprise some folks,” Boise head coach Kim Bridges said. “Ojukwu will add a much-needed scoring punch to their squad.”
KUNA KAVEMEN
Head Coach: Katie Holmes, 4th Season
2023-24 Record: 11-11, Lost in District Play-in Game
Kuna returns three starters after its .500 finish a season ago.
Led by guards Sarah Walker and Jaeda Morrison, head coach Katie Holmes, now in her fourth season, says Kuna will have multiple scoring threats.
“We have multiple scoring threats from everywhere on the floor,” Holmes said. “These players have grit. We have great team chemistry and belief.”
Walker carries an all-conference honorable mention into her senior year while Morrison and forward Gabrielle Halverson return to Kuna’s starting line-up.
Under the guidance of Holmes, Kuna has climbed the ranks in the 6A SIC. The Kavemen finished with a 4-18 record back in Holmes’ first season, but by year two, Kuna started playing much better and has finished around the .500 mark the last two seasons.
MOUNTAIN VIEW MAVERICKS
Head Coach: Dereck Pegram, First Season
2023-24 Record: 3-19, Lost in District Tournament Play-in Round
New head coach Derek Pegram is hoping to change the culture at Mountain View, and some around the league have already started to take notice.
“I was really impressed with what I saw from Mountain View this summer,” Capital head coach Mathew Creech said.
After winning back-to-back state championships in 2020 and 2021, things seemed to bottom out for the Mavs after last season. Mountain View finished with three wins and failed to eclipse the .500 mark for the fourth straight year.
But junior Quincey Keller appears ready to take charge of this rejuvenated Mountain View program and seniors Addie Lee and Kendrie Judd will provide the veteran leadership. Freshmen Devry Huff and Ellie Scott could see early playing time as well, Pegram said.
“We are most excited about our change in culture in the program,” Pegram said. “We look at the program as a whole and hope to see improvements not only with our Varsity team but with our JV and sophomore teams as well.”
THE UNDERDOGS
MERIDIAN WARRIORS
Head Coach: Marcus Campbell, 2nd season
2023-24 Season: 7-15, Lost in District Tournament Play-in Game
Head coach Marcus Campbell enters his second season at Meridian and is looking to build off last year’s 7-win team.
After winning its first three games, the Warriors fell into a slump they never recovered from, losing 9 of their next 10.
The Warriors get one of the league’s best three-point shooters back in Keit Martinez and will be in the second year of Campbell’s up-tempo offense.
CENTENNIAL PATRIOTS
Head Coach: Michael Amaya, 1st season
2023-24 Record: 7-15, Lost in District Tournament Play-in Game
Jada Ojukwu’s transfer to Capital leaves a big hole in Centennial’s line up, but the Patriots bring in a new head coach with an experienced track record to lead Centennial into a new era.
New head coach Michael Amaya comes to Centennial from Twin Falls High, where he led the Bruins to one state tournament appearance in three seasons. Amaya takes over for Kerry Angelos, who led the program for the past two seasons.
Ojukwu is committed to play for Northern Arizona following her senior season and was a second-team all-conference selection a year ago.