PREP GIRLS’ BASKETBALL PREVIEW: Youthful Meridian returns dynamic set of guards
Coach: Mark Gilmore
Last year: Finished season with a 10-10 record while going 5-7 in the Northwest Conference. ... At one point, won six games in a row, including three NWC games. ... Ended season in three-team tiebreaker with Mount Baker and Nooksack Valley, where they fell on the wrong side of the play-in game.
Players to watch: Ryley Zapien (jr, G), Ellesse FitzGerald (so., G), Kyrin Baklund (so., G)
Outlook: The Trojans didn’t lose much from last season and their crafty guards are a year older, making this squad a strong playoff contender at the 1A level. Ryley Zapien leads the squad. She’s coming off an injury-plagued soccer season and battled a shoulder injury during last year’s basketball season. This team needs her healthy to excel. Alongside the quick junior are sophomores Kyrin Baklund (8.2 points per game) and Ellesse FitzGerald (9.7). Both Baklund and FitzGerald can shoot lights out and if they are on, the Trojans can put up points in a hurry. The one glaring weakness is the interior with Sydney Swanson and Janessa Murphy graduated. Natalie Swanson (4.8) and Kiana Gray (4.7), who transferred from Blaine, will be important inside. The Trojans will likely try to push the pace to make up for the size deficiency and if the shooters can score in transition, Meridian can compete with the best.
Roster
No. | Player | Ht. | Yr. | Pos. |
0 | Ryley Zapien | 5-8 | Jr. | G |
3 | Kyrin Baklund | 5-7 | So. | G |
10 | Taran Tutterrow | 5-4 | So. | G |
12 | Ellesse FitzGerald | 5-6 | So. | G |
21 | Natalie Swanson | 5-7 | So. | G |
23 | Tanis Harrison | 5-9 | So. | G |
25 | Emily Stuth | 5-9 | Jr. | P |
30 | Kiana Gray | 5-10 | Jr. | P |
33 | Deborah Eigenbrood | 5-11 | Sr. | P |
34 | MacKenzie Cox | 5-8 | So. | P |
Schedule
Date | Opponent | Time |
Dec. 1 | at Mount Baker | 7:15 p.m. |
Dec. 4 | at Blaine | 7:15 p.m. |
Dec. 8 | Burlington-Edison | 7:15 p.m. |
Dec. 11 | Nooksack Valley | 7:15 p.m. |
Dec. 12 | Vashon Island | 6 p.m. |
Dec. 15 | at Anacortes* | 7:15 p.m. |
Dec. 17 | at Bellingham* | 7:15 p.m. |
Dec. 21 | at Franklin Pierce | 5 p.m. |
Dec. 29 | TBD+ | TBD |
Dec. 30 | TBD+ | TBD |
Jan. 6 | at Sehome* | 7:15 p.m. |
Jan. 8 | at Lynden* | 6 p.m. |
Jan. 12 | at Squalicum* | 7:15 p.m. |
Jan. 14 | Lynden Christian* | 7:15 p.m. |
Jan. 19 | Ferndale* | 7:15 p.m. |
Jan. 22 | Burlington-Edison* | 7:15 p.m. |
Jan. 26 | at Nooksack Valley* | 7:15 p.m. |
Jan. 30 | Mount Baker* | 7:15 p.m. |
Feb. 2 | Blaine* | 7:15 p.m. |
Feb. 4 | Sedro-Woolley* | 7:15 p.m. |
*NWC game; +Meridian Holiday Tournament
This story was originally published November 28, 2015 at 9:46 PM with the headline "PREP GIRLS’ BASKETBALL PREVIEW: Youthful Meridian returns dynamic set of guards."