PLAYERS TO WATCH:
Jaci Capson, Blackfoot
Lauren Christiansen, Blackfoot
Diana Peterson, Bonneville
Berkley Pope, Bonneville
McKenzie Gatluak, Hillcrest
Cameron Taylor, Hillcrest
Macy Cook, Idaho Falls
Aliyah Jones, Idaho Falls
Sarah Kidman, Shelley
London Williams, Shelley
Macy Marlow, Skyline
Madison Merzlock, Skyline
Written by: Marlowe Hereford
The 5A High Country Conference has maintained a steady trend of girls basketball teams playing for trophies on championship Saturday at the state tournament in recent seasons. Blackfoot and Skyline both reached the state tournament last year, with Blackfoot reaching the third place game and Skyline reaching the consolation final.
The conference also featured the all-time scorer in Idaho girls basketball history last season in Skyline guard Shay Shippen, who concluded her four-year varsity career with 2,372 total points and is now continuing her career at Columbia. Including Shippen, 24 seniors graduated from the six High Country Conference teams. Who will step into the shoes vacated by those accomplished seniors this winter?
BLACKFOOT
The Broncos went 19-7 overall and 8-2 in league play last season, winning the district title for the third time in four seasons. Blackfoot graduated five players from that team including First Team All-Conference guard Addison Tanner and First Team All-Conference center Cambrie Waterhouse.
Senior shooting guard Lauren Christensen (Second Team All-Conference), senior guard Jaci Capson (Honorable Mention All-Conference) and sophomore point guard Lexi Jackman (Honorable Mention All-Conference) are among the returning varsity athletes for Blackfoot.
“I’m excited about this team because they are a very competitive group,” Blackfoot head coach Raimee Odum said. “We are smaller than we have been in quite some time, but don’t let that fool you. Our quickness, speed and competitive nature will keep us in a lot of games.”
Odum commended Blackfoot’s speed on offense and aggression on defense, adding that the Broncos seek to be cleaner on rebounding and improve their overall shooting.
“We will be a great shooting team this year,” Odum said. “We have some quickness that will help us get to the rim as well. We will try to play fast and score in transition. We will be aggressive and quick. We hope to disrupt teams' offenses with our aggressive play. We tend to play man-to-man, but will put a zone here and there to change up the flow.”
SKYLINE
Skyline went 17-10 overall last season and 9-1 in league play, reaching the state tournament for the third time in four years.
High Country Conference Player of the Year and Idaho’s Gatorade Player of the Year Shay Shippen made history last season, averaging 23.6 points, 10.6 rebounds, 3.3 assists per game and leading Skyline in steals and blocks on the way to becoming Idaho’s all-time leading scorer in girls basketball. She and wing Ella Price were Skyline’s lone seniors last season, but left big impacts on the program.
“Shay and Ella covered the majority of our boards,” Skyline head coach Ty Keck said. “Losing the all- time scoring leader will take multiple parts to help relieve the scoring pressures. I think you will see a lot of dynamic ball movement and players using advantage from playing together to create opportunities to score. I would not be surprised to see our defense be a strong scoring defense as well. We have a lot of ball savvy guards that understand how to penetrate and some strong shooters they feel comfortable with.”
Senior guard Abby Muir (Honorable Mention All-Conference), senior forward Madison Merzlock (Honorable Mention All-Conference), senior guard Nelly Nunez and junior guard Macy Marlow (All-Conference Defensive Player of the Year), senior wing Paige Peebles and junior guard Natalya Garcia all return for Skyline on varsity, and the Grizzlies also add junior guard Isley Dixon.
Getting more players involved with scoring and improving on rebounding will be focal points for the Grizz this season.
“We are quick, fast and athletic,” Keck said. “It will be a good mix of defenses and full court pressure. It will be a different defensive look than we have ever had with limited size.”
SHELLEY
The Russets went 11-15 overall and 4-6 in league play last season. Shelley graduated shooting guard/power forward Jade Kelly, guard Grace Pascoe, First Team All-Conference shooting guard Mia Williams and Honorable Mention All-Conference center Kaylee Packer. Junior guard Londyn Williams, senior forward Riley Carlson and senior guard Sarah Kidman are among the returning varsity players for Shelley, and the Russets also add junior forward/guard Jenna Kauer to varsity.
Head coach Jessica Jones described the Russets as a small, but quick and well-rounded team this season.
“We have some great shooters and our general style of play is to get quick shots in transition,” Jones said. “We will look to balance our shooting game with more attacks on the rim. We have also been a predominately perimeter shooting team, and this year we need to improve on getting the ball inside of the paint.”
Jones said the Russets run a pressure man defense and they look to add to that repertoire this season.
“We will look to add more pressure in the backcourt, as well as running more zone,” Jones said.
HILLCREST
The Knights went 14-10 overall and 6-4 in league play last season. Hillcrest graduated guard Audrey Christensen, forward Saylor Holland, First Team All-Conference guard Lexie Kesler and Second Team All-Conference guard Alexis Pickett from that team. Kesler and Pickett were team captains.
“We will miss their scoring, their leadership, and their fingerprints on our team culture,” Hillcrest head coach Ryan Taylor said.
Second Team All-Conference junior guard and leading scorer Camryn Taylor, Honorable Mention All-Conference senior forward and rebounding leader McKenzie Gatluak and junior point guard and assists leader Kaia Kesler are among the returning varsity athletes for the Knights.
Blackfoot head coach Raimee Odum said the Knights are a team to watch in the conference this season.
“They have some great shooters on their team,” Odum said.
IDAHO FALLS
The Tigers went 11-13 overall and 2-8 in league play last season. Idaho Falls graduated forward Kendal Shelley, Second Team All-Conference post Emma Vollmer and First Team All-Conference shooting guard Brynlee Riedle from that team.
Junior guard Macy Cook and senior guard Aliyah Jones, who both received Honorable Mention All-Conference last season, are both among the returning varsity players for the Tigers, as well as senior guard Ashley Anglin.
BONNEVILLE
The Bees went 7-16 overall and 1-9 in league play last season. Bonneville graduated six from that team, including Second Team All-Conference selection Kaitlyn Nelson and Honorable Mention All-Conference selection Kaycie Cook.
Senior guard/forward Berkley Pope and senior guard Diana Peterson, both Honorable Mention All-Conference selections, are among the returning varsity athletes for the Bees, as well as senior guard Alli Sutherland.