By KLAS STOLPE
Sentinel Staff Writer
It’s been two seasons since the Mt. Edgecumbe High girls basketball team has played in the state tournament. That drought followed a string of second- and third-place finishes among the state’s best high school teams for three consecutive seasons.
Coming off of a 9 win-14 loss year, and an 0-5 record against cross-bridge rival Sitka, the Lady Braves are on the verge of turning the tide.
“I like our players’ intensity and their excitement to start the season,” head coach Kathy Forrester said. “I like that we are a big team this year. We haven’t always had that size as a team before.”
The Lady Braves return nine players to the varsity roster.
The Mt. Edgecumbe girls basketball team poses in practice Tuesday. Pictured are, front row from left, Cameryn Olson (Golovin), Leticia Skaflestad (Hoonah), Autumn Beans (Saint Marys), Kayla Kashevarof (Anchorage) and Brystel Charlie (Kwethluk). Back, from left, are Sherilyn Johnson-Edwards (Emmonak), Faith Kameroff (Emmonak), Catherine Sunny (Nightmute), Ashlyn Strom (Fort Yukon), Tyra Brown (Chevak), Vernae Ramoth (Ambler), Sanora Bell (Yakutat) and Maggie Miller (Nome). (Sentinel Photo)
They are seniors Sanora Bell (Yakutat), Brystel Charlie (Kwethluk), Leticia Skaflestad (Hoonah), Faith Kameroff (Emmonak), Catherine Sunny (Nightmute), Tyra Brown (Chevak), Ashlyn Strom (Fort Yukon), and sophomores Autumn Beans (Saint Marys) and Sherilyn Johnson-Edwards (Emmonak).
Filling out the Mt. Edgecumbe varsity roster are juniors Kayla Kashevarof (Anchorage), Maggie Miller (Nome), and Vernae Ramoth (Ambler), and sophomore Cameryn Olson (Golovin).
“We have a great mixture of size and speed,” Forrester said. “We have such a variety of talent which is going to be really exciting to see what happens.”
The JV roster includes Elizabeth Allen (Dillingham), Madison Alstrom Beans (Saint Marys), Mia Anderson (Sitka), Annalyse Conforti (Sitka), Emma Morgan (Aniak), Meghan Cleveland (Quinhagak), Laura Fields (Kotzebue), Linda Rexford (Barrow), Emilyn Wassillie (Togiak), Ella Dale (McGrath), Tiahna Capelle (North Pole), Charlee Korthuis (Bethel), Kaila Druck (Fort Yukon), Laci Prince (Kotlik), and Lisa Strom (Fort Yukon).
Assistant varsity coaches are Janet Schwartz and Monica Chase, and junior varsity coach Margo Livermore and C team coach Michele Mork.
Managers are senior Haley Sweet-Cushing (Haines) and junior Jamela Anderson (Fort Yukon).
“Hopefully, we will bring a lot of intensity on the floor,” Forrester said. “And some talent. We have some talent. I really believe that.”
The Lady Braves will play on the road this week in the Grace Christian Tournament beginning Thursday at 3 p.m. against the 4A South Anchorage Wolverines. On Friday they play the 2A Tikigaq Harpooners at 3 p.m., and on Saturday it’s the 3A Grace Grizzlies at 1:30 p.m.
They will also travel to the Whaler Invitational at host 3A Barrow (Jan. 24-26) and the Kotzebue Huskies Tournament (Feb. 7-9).
Last season, the Alaska School Activities Association used a W.P.I. strength of schedule format to determine an at-large bid to the state tournament for teams that didn’t qualify from their respective regions. It was against teams of the same classification. This year the at-large bid will be determined by common opponents among all classifications.
The Sitka High School Lady Wolves preview will run in Thursday’s Sentinel. Sitka hosts the 4A Thunder Mountain Lady Falcons on Friday at 5:45 p.m. (JV 2:30 p.m.) and Saturday at 7 p.m. (JV 5:30 p.m.).
