Ten Bainbridge players make their respective All-Metro teams.
The Bainbridge boys basketball team made it a season to remember, while it was a tougher road this year for the Bainbridge girls basketball team.
The boys dominated the Metro League during the regular season, suffering just one loss while winning the Mountain Division in a historic win over O’Dea and were ranked first for most of the season.
The girls started out with a 4-0 mark, but then lost seven of their next ten games.
They won all three of their Metro League tournament games but were knocked out of the district tournament.
Meanwhile, the boys took home the 3A Sea-King District title, but lost the 3A state title game to O’Dea.
For their efforts this season, six boys made the All-Metro team.
Rudy Sharar and Caleb Davis received honorable mentions.
Four boys, five girls and head coach Scott Orness were selected to this year’s Kitsap News Group All–Kitsap teams, as voted on by the sportswriters from the Bainbridge Review, the North Kitsap Herald, the Central Kitsap Reporter, the Bremerton Patriot and the Port Orchard Independent.
The boys – top coach
Scott Orness, Bainbridge — Orness led the team to their best season ever at 25-4, a number one ranking in the 3A classification, a Metro League Mountain Division title, a 3A Sea-King District 2 title and a second place finish at state, making it their first trophy since 1990.
He was named the All-Metro League Coach of the Year.
Starting five
Guard — Tippy Burk, South Kitsap — Burk has been Mr. Reliable for the Wolves the past three seasons. This year, Burk brought both sides of his game to lead the Wolves to a 15-5 regular-season run. He averaged 13.2 points a game and helped South come from behind to win both the Bridge Division and Narrows League titles.
A 5-foot, 11-inch point guard, Burk also averaged 4.3 rebounds and five assists.
Guard — Steven Gray, Bainbridge — The senior was one of the stars for Bainbridge this season, leading the 3A classification in scoring with 21.3 points. He also had 8.1 rebounds and 5.3 assists per game. A near-lock for his fourth straight AP all-state team, he’ll continue his top play at Gonzaga next season after being nominated as a McDonald’s All-American this year.
He was named the Metro League MVP and selected to the first team, as well as being named to the Seattle Times’ Star Times team, the first Bainbridge boys player to achieve that honor. Gray was also named the MVP of the 3A State tournament and selected to the first team.
Forward — LP Neloms, South Kitsap — A 6-3 wing, Neloms averaged 16 points per game and 6 rebounds for the Wolves. He played a significant part in the Wolves’ title games, scoring 17 points to beat Bellarmine Prep for the Narrows League title in early February.
Forward — Patrick Lewis, Bremerton — Lewis was arguably the most polished post player in the entire Olympic League. The 6-3, 235-pounder averaged 15 points per game while corralling 8.3 rebounds per contest. Lewis kept his opponents off balance with a repertoire of low post moves which proved to be unstoppable. Lewis didn’t allow many opponents to get second-chance points as opponents found it difficult to maneuver around his large frame in the paint.
Forward — Coby Gibler, Bainbridge — The senior was the other stellar bookend to Gray as he averaged 14.1 points and 10 rebounds per game while helping the Spartans to their first Metro League Mountain Division title since their entry into the league. Much improved since his sophomore year, the 6-9 Gibler was named to the Metro League first team and the 3A State tournament first team.
The bench
John Rarig, Klahowya, forward — A key senior leader for Klahowya, Rarig gave all he had to the Eagles’ hoops program in helping turn around a team that was 0-20 his sophomore year. Rarig, at 6-5, has some nice low post moves but has the touch to shoot a 15-foot jumper as well. Averaging 16 points and about 5 rebounds per game, Rarig led the Eagles to their best season yet, advancing to the district playoffs.
Kyle Erickson, North Kitsap, guard — Taking the Viking reins as a sophomore, Erickson was North’s most consistent playmaker and at times its floor general. Though the fledgling squad struggled to pick up wins, it was never lacking for heart and Erickson was no exception. He averaged 14.1 points per game with a fickle jumper and determined drive. He also dished just more than four assists per game.
Rich Smith, Olympic, forward — Smith was a big reason Oly tasted success on the hardwood this season, literally and figuratively. Smith, at 6-8, dwarfed many of his opponents, giving him an inside edge in averaging 14.2 points and about 11 rebounds per game. A senior, Smith helped turn a Trojan team that won only four games the past two seasons into a 13-win team this year.
Joe Pisa, South Kitsap, forward — Pisa was a consistent performer for the Wolves during their impressive regular season. A 6-5 forward, Pisa averaged 12 points per game and 7.3 rebounds. Like Burk and Neloms, Callaghan said it was the seniors’ turn to take charge, and like the others Pisa did.
When defenses would bottle up Neloms or Burk, Pisa would exploit — giving the Wolves’ a sort of triple threat to throw opponents back on their heels.
Ben Wilson, Bremerton, forward — Wilson’s top asset on the basketball court was his versatility. Wilson has the size (6-5) to bang with the big men in the post, and the athletic ability to play on the perimeter. The multi-talented Wilson averaged 13.6 points per game while collecting 7.4 rebounds per contest. Wilson thrived on the offensive boards, using his smarts and expertise to snatch rebounds away from much larger and heavier opponents.
Trace Jordan, Bremerton, guard — Trace Jordan captained the ship for the Knights during the 2006-07 campaign. Jordan’s lead-by-example approach paid off. He may have averaged 14.1 points per game, but it was his leadership qualities that set him apart from the rest of the players in the Olympic League.
Jordan’s tenacity on the defensive end resulted in many transition buckets for Bremerton. Jordan averaged 3.1 steals per game.
Brandon Durham, Central Kitsap, forward — At 6-5 and just a sophomore, the young Durham still has a lot of growing to do for CK. But his youth didn’t keep him from averaging 13 points and 6.1 boards per contest. Even more impressive is his age — Durham should be a freshman. Durham is part of a talented sophomore class that should help offset the loss of several key seniors.
Honorable Mention
Austin Wood, Bainbridge, forward — This 6-7 senior averaged 8.7 points per game as he did most of his damage for the Spartans down low.
He was selected as a All-Metro honorable mention.
Nick Fling, Bainbridge, guard — The junior only averaged 4.5 points a game, but he was instrumental in running the point and taking care of the ball for Bainbridge, averaging 4.5 assists per game.
He was named as a All-Metro honorable mention.
Richard Kendrick, Bremerton, forward — Kendrick’s defensive ability was apparent every time he stepped on the floor for the Knights, as he used his speed and athleticism to shut down opposing teams’ premier players.
Tyler Hopper, King’s West, forward — Hopper was deadly from beyond the three-point arc for KW. He had no trouble picking up the offense during his first season of organized basketball averaging 7.8 ppg.
Taylor Hoffer, North Kitsap, wing — A 6-7 sophomore with the agility of a two-guard, Hoffer exploded onto the Viking scene with a 28-point burst in his first game. Though he lacked consistency, Hoffer’s potential is bigger than his size 15 feet.
Kris Carlson, South Kitsap, forward — Rounding out the Wolves’ starting five, Carlson could be counted on for playing big defense when South fell behind. A 6-5 senior, Carlson averaged four points and five rebounds, but broke the school record for charges taken in surpassing the previous record of 20.
Caleb Leavitt, Klahowya, guard — A junior, Leavitt will be part of a large returning core to help continue Klahowya’s turnaround on the hardwood. Leavitt averaged 10.5 points and 2.2 assists for the Eagles, but added a strong shooting touch, evidenced in his 28-point performance in Klahowya’s district loss.
Brandon Fisher, Olympic, guard — Oly’s Fisher did all the little things that help teams win. Another on a senior-heavy squad, Fisher used his talents to secure 5.5 boards, 2.5 assists and a team-best 2.3 steals per game in the 2006-07 campaign. He also put in 8.9 points per contest.
Michael Dorsey, Central Kitsap, guard — The senior may not have had the numbers of some of his teammates, but Dorsey always seemed to come up with big buckets in key moments for the Cougs. Dorsey is another player that contributes to the game beyond the stats line.
David Skeels, King’s West, guard — Skeels averaged a team-high 14.0 ppg for the Warriors. He was the undisputed leader for KW, the kind of player who literally willed his team to victories throughout his senior campaign.
Josh Koets, Bremerton, sophomore — Koets was a valuable commodity that delivered in crucial situations for the Knights. He looks to be a vital cog in the Knights’ attack for the next two seasons.
Jordan Coover, North Kitsap, guard — The junior was a vital piece of the Viking energy as it seemed any time North would stagnate, Coover would invoke intensity. Be it through a steal, a fast break, a quick drive or a monster block, Coover was a creator.
Garrett Boone, South Kitsap, wing — South could look to five starting seniors for leadership this season, and no one was that more true than Boone. A 6-4 wing, Boone averaged eight points and four rebounds per game this season.
Kyle Spoon, Klahowya, guard — Another key senior for the Eagles, Spoon poured his heart and soul into helping turnaround the upstart Eagles. Spoon averaged 12.8 points per game for Klahowya, a team that went 0-20 when he was a sophomore. Spoon’s main threat was his three-point shooting ability.
DeAndre Warren, Olympic, guard — A senior, Warren was a catalyst for a Trojan team that racked up 13 wins in the school’s top season for a long time. Warren scored 11.5 points per game while dishing off four assists. Warren provided a punch when Oly needed it, taking over games at times.
Daniel Zylstra, Central Kitsap, guard — Zylstra, a junior, fueled the Cougs’ early-season start, averaging more than 10 points per game this year. Using his atleticism as his asset, Zylstra was never afraid to drive the lane against much larger opponents.
The girls team – top coach
Al Gleich, Olympic — Gleich has been turning around Olympic’s program for two seasons, taking a single game two years ago to the Olympic League championship and a berth in the 3A West Central-Southwest Bi-District Tournament. This year, the Trojans were undefeated in league play, finishing as the number one defense in the Oly League.
Staring five
Forward — Brittany Gray, Bainbridge — The sophomore had a breakout season, averaging 16.2 and 10.5 rebounds per game despite missing a few games with an illness. She’s one of just four players to average a double-double for an entire season in school history and was among the top 10 in 3A in scoring for most of the season.
She was named to the All-Metro first team for the second season in a row.
Forward — Candace Grettenberger, Bremerton — Grettenberger, a senior, was arguably the most prolific rebounder in Kitsap County. She finished the 2006-07 season averaging a staggering 13 rebounds per game. In addition, she was the Knights’ second-leading scorer, pouring in 12.5 points per game. Grettenberger’s extensive knowledge of the sport and leaping ability paid huge dividends all year long. Even though she’s only 5-7, her height didn’t stop her from dominating opponents.
Forward — Megan Spence, King’s West — Spence was a scoring machine for King’s West, averaging a team-high 19.2 points per contest for a Warrior team that advanced to the state tournament. The junior worked tirelessly in the offseason on her outside shot and it paid off. Spence’s combination of skills in the post and on the perimeter made her virtually unstoppable in SeaTac League play.
Forward — Shawntell Bradford, Olympic — Bradford stepped up big for the Trojans in their run to the Oly League title. Standing just 5-6, Bradford, like Grettenberger, defied the odds en route to averaging 10.1 points and 10.3 rebounds per game despite battling through illness and injuries. Bradford, a junior, will be a key cog for the Trojans next season.
Forward — Chloe Mosey, King’s West — Mosey was a force in the paint, averaging 16.2 points per game for the Warriors in her senior season. Mosey commanded double-teams in the post due to her imposing presence from nearly every team KW faced this year. Her strength and size (6-0) in the post allowed her to physically dominate pretty much every opponent she faced.
The bench
Dacotah Ettl, Central Kitsap, forward — Ettl emerged late as the Cougs’ top scoring threat in a season in which CK certainly needed one. Ettl, one of three CK seniors, averaged 14.3 points and nine rebounds per games to help lead CK to an unlikely state berth.
Jacki Hill, Bremerton, guard — Jacki Hill triggered a plethora of fast break opportunities for Bremerton. Hill led the Olympic League in steals and averaged a team-high 14.3 points per game.
Jade Niemeyer, North Kitsap, forward — In her final season for the Vikings, Niemeyer was a distinctly determined and depended upon leader. She displayed the virtues of hard work and desire to North Kitsap’s bevy of underclassmen in 2007. Scoring steadily, Niemeyer averaged 10.7 points and 8.7 rebounds per game. She also pilfered 36 steals on the season and blocked 18 shots.
Kelsey Anchors, Olympic, guard — A junior, Anchors was one of Oly’s top shooting threats this season, averaging 10.9 points and a team-high 3.3 assists for the Trojans. A top defender as well, Anchors put up 2.3 steals a game in helping lead Oly to districts.
Shannon White, Olympic, guard — White, one of Oly’s leading seniors and top overall athletes, scored 10.9 points per game, averaged 3.2 assists and had 4.1 steals per game.
Caitlyn Salo, Bainbridge, guard — The senior missed some games with an ulcer near the end, but she ran the point well, averaging 6.7 points, 4.2 assists and 2.1 steals per game.
She was selected as an All-Metro honorable mention
Emily Farrar, Bainbridge, guard — This junior is as tough as they come as she scored ten points per game this season, taking over the scoring burden when Gray was out sick. She is the Spartans’ top three point shooter as well, shooting 31 percent for the season.
Farrar was named as an All-Metro honorable mention.
Honorable Mention
Megan Burris, Bainbridge, center — The quiet senior was a steady force in the paint for the Spartans as she averaged five points, six rebounds and a block per game.
Lindsay Bratonia, Bainbridge, guard — This senior was a jack of all trades for the Spartans, averaging six points per game and contributing an assist or grabbing a rebound when needed.
She was named as an All-Metro honorable mention.
Tori Fairweather, South Kitsap, guard — On a team that had little to smile about, finishing 2-17 on the season, Fairweather brought a steady improvement to her game that gave Coach Mike Allen something to look forward to next year.
Fairweather averaged 5.3 points and 4.9 rebounds for the Wolves.
Naomi Abad, Bremerton, guard — The Knights’ point guard was one of the top on the ball defenders in the entire Olympic League. Abad averaged 3.4 steals per game for the Knights while piling in nine points per game for Bremerton.
Megan Kreifels, King’s West, guard — Kreifels numbers rarely filled up the stat sheet, but her calming influence on the court kept the Warriors squad balanced all season. The heady senior averaged 6.1 points per game.
Nicole Buhl, Olympic, forward — Buhl had a great season for Oly, scoring 8.6 points and grabbing 10.6 boards a game.
Kim Kummer, Central Kitsap, guard — Kummer, one of CK’s senior leaders, helped do all the little things that don’t get recorded in the stat books. Kummer had a few big offensive games for CK, but her speed and defense were her top assets.
Jenna Adams, Klahowya, guard — It was another tough year for the winless Eagles, but the team came close to a win a couple times, thanks largely to the efforts of Adams, an Eagle senior and captain. Her leadership on the floor was her top trait.
Darcy Hughes, North Kitsap, wing — Scoring 141 points in her sophomore debut season, Darcy Hughes was the second-leading scorer for a Vikings team that seemed to be gathering its feet. Though North missed out on the playoffs because of a late-season slide, Hughes experience as a starter should pay dividends next season.
Stephanie Osterdahl, South Kitsap, forward — Osterdahl had left South Kitsap a few years back to move to Georgia, and her return brought some much-needed motivation to the Lady Wolves’ bench.
Osterdahl averaged 5.1 points, 5.6 rebounds and .9 blocks per game.
Gina Ogazi, Bremerton, forward — Ogazi developed into a legitimate low post threat in the second half of the season for the Bremerton Knights girls basketball team. Ogazi’s height (6-1) gave her a distinct advantage against most of her opponents. She averaged 7.3 rebounds per game for Bremerton.
Irene Moore, King’s West, guard — Irene Moore possesses a motor that never stops. Moore put extensive pressure defense on her opponents, particularly in the backcourt.
Pepper Fanua, Olympic, guard/forward — Fanua, a junior, was another strong force for Oly, but has the versatility to run the point as well. Fanua scored 7.2 points per game for Oly while grabbing 7.1 boards and snagging 2.6 steals per game.
Melinda Pfaff, Central Kitsap, guard — Another senior, Pfaff is one of three that made CK’s state squad two seasons ago. This year, she’s performed well in the clutch, saving some of her top performances for CK’s amazing run back to state.
Danya Mares, Klahowya, forward — Another senior, Mares was a big body inside for the Eagles in another tough season for Klahowya. Mares was often one of the Eagles best rebounders.
Leah Siem-Brown, North Kitsap, guard — In her senior season, under the leadership of her former JV coach, Siem-Brown flourished throughout the season and at the end of the year she set an NKHS school record for most three-pointers in a game with six.
