Sure, it’s a new season, but will the same story as last year play out?
Coaches around the league almost unanimously think that at the end of the regular season, like last year, Prairie will be atop the league.
Prairie lost its leading scorer Seth Hall, who led them to a 10-0 league record and a two-game cushion at the top. But Kyle Brooks’ Falcons have one of the league’s best players in junior guard Kameron Obsorn.
What the Falcons lack in a booming post presence, they make up with a trio of reliably sharp guards.
Beyond Prairie? Predictions were inconclusive.
Kelso, which finished second in league last year with an 8-2 record, returns four starters.
And the rest of the pack? They are hungry teams ready to prove their worth.
“Tough league,” Bay coach Theo Mikaele said, “everyone else is pretty much fighting for third or fourth, probably.”
Brooks, the reigning league coach of the year, pointed out the challenges Evergreen’s lineup brought to the Falcons last season. He alluded to the Plainsmen possibly being a surprise team.
“They were an extremely athletic team that had potential to blossom,” Brooks said.
With a new coach, new system and senior-laden but largely new lineup, perhaps Evergreen will surprise some.
“Kelso is definitely a team that I look at and say, we’ve got to be ready for those guys,” Brooks said.
Another team flying under the radar is Fort.
The Trappers return their top three scorers from a team that finished third in the league.
Head coach James Ensley is hoping that the Trappers’ shortcomings in size — their tallest player is 6-foot-2 — can be made up by the dynamic scoring of Johnny Green, James Husband Jr. and Jameel Morton.
Projected finish
(Picks by Columbian sports staff)
1. Prairie: Three starters back from team that went 10-0 in league play. Falcons have sights on state.
2. Kelso: Four starters back from 18-6 team, including first-team all-leaguers Riley Noah and Anderson Shaw.
3. Fort Vancouver: Trappers return top three scorers from team that finished third in league last season.
4. Hudson’s Bay: Eagles are fast and experienced. Senior-laden roster has played together for several years.
