NOOKSACK VALLEY

PIONEERS

Coach: Shane Wichers (16th season)

Last year: Finished second in the Class 1A NWC standings with a 5-8 conference record. ... Ended season after going 1-2 in the Class 1A Tri-District Tournament and finished 9-15 overall. ... Melissa Stadt was an All-Whatcom County selection.

Players to watch: Melissa Stadt (Sr., P); Lindy Swanson (Sr., G); Morgan Perry (Sr., G); Mariah Perry (So., G); Julie Campos (Jr., G); Kaycee DeBruin (Sr., G)

Outlook: Pioneers coach Shane Wichers has already installed new plays and sets Nooksack Valley covered well after the season began last year. The reason? The Pioneers return 10 players from last year's Tri-District team. It's the most Wichers said he's returned in as long as he can remember. The biggest returnee is 6-foot post Melissa Stadt, who is a force down low and averaged 13.2 points per game last season. She can score, rebound, play defense and is one of the top frontcourt players in the Northwest Conference. Lindy Swanson, Morgan Perry, Mariah Perry, Julie Campos and Kaycee DeBruin give the Pioneers tremendous depth at the guard spot. "It's an incredible luxury," said Wichers in a phone interview of having 10 returners. "It allows us to cover more stuff that will help us during the season. I think our strength revolves around our 10 returners. We can use a lot of different combinations on the court." Junior Cheyanna Maxell is a veteran player who can spell Stadt in the post.

2012-13 ROSTER

No. Player Yr. Ht. Pos.

10 Kaycee DeBruin Sr. 5-4 G

11 Taryn Tenkley Jr. 5-7 G

14 Payton Linville So. 5-5 G

15 Lauren Dykstra Sr. 5-8 G

20 Lindsay Hayes Jr. 5-9 G

21 Julie Campos Jr. 5-2 G

22 Mariah Perry So. 5-7 G

24 Lindy Swanson Sr. 5-10 G

25 Morgan Perry Sr. 5-9 G

32 Cheyanna Maxwell Jr. 5-6 P

35 Fiona Chapman Jr. 5-10 P

50 Melissa Stadt Sr. 6-0 P

2012-13 SCHEDULE

Nov. 28 at Granite Falls W 57-20

Nov. 30 at Sehome W 41-30

Dec. 4 at La Conner W 36-33

Dec. 7 Bellingham 7:15 p.m.

Dec. 10 at Sedro-Woolley 7:15 p.m.

Dec. 12 Meridian* 7:15 p.m.

Dec. 18 at Blaine* 7:15 p.m.

Dec. 22 at Friday Harbor TBD

Dec. 27 at Lakewood Tournament TBD

Dec. 28 at Lakewood Tournament TBD

Jan. 4 Mount Baker* 7:15 p.m.

Jan. 8 Lynden* 7:15 p.m.

Jan. 11 at Burlington-Edison* 7:15 p.m.

Jan. 14 Squalicum* 7:15 p.m.

Jan. 18 at Ferndale* 7:15 p.m.

Jan. 22 at Anacortes* 7:15 p.m.

Jan. 24 Sehome* 7:15 p.m.

Jan. 26 at Lynden Christian* 7:15 p.m.

Jan. 28 at Bellingham* 7:15 p.m.

Feb. 1 Sedro-Woolley* 7:15 p.m.

*NWC game

Reach ANDREW LANG at andrew.lang@bellinghamherald.com or call ext. 862.