Kelso Girls: Hilanders making strides to climb up 3A GSHL

Sophomore Natalie Fraley looks different. She’s slightly taller; she’s definitely stronger; and she commands attention as she dribbles up the floor.

Fraley, a 5-foot-8 guard, knows she’ll have to play an even bigger part for the Hilanders after a strong freshman campaign.

“She’s just a whole different player, a whole different person,” coach Jen Hamilton said. “What she wants out of the season, she knows she has to motivate others to get there.”

Alexis Kleven needs no motivation. The 5-3 crafty guard continues to fine-tune her game. She will play the point or off the ball depending on the situation.

And then there’s a group of athletic players ready to follow the lead of the two dynamic guards.

Cooper Joy, a rangy defensive specialist, is back and healthy for the Hilanders. Erin Tack, a 6-foot forward, and Evermore Kaiser, a 5-10 forward, return for their sophomore seasons. KK Perez, a 5-9 post, will add much-needed depth.

“They have so many more facets to their game than they did a year ago,” Hamilton said. “They’ve added more height and muscle into their game, but they can also shoot the ball really well.”

Still, it’s going to be a tough task to break into the upper echelon of the 3A Greater St. Helens League with Prairie and Hudson’s Bay at the top. That’s not deterring Hamilton in her third year as head coach.

“I hope we’re at the top looking down rather than the bottom looking up,” she said. “I think we can get there.”

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