Beth Madill, the new Enumclaw High girl’s basketball coach, has played basketball at a high level – but she is keeping things real simple for now.

Given the style of basketball Enumclaw is going to play this season, she has been focusing on conditioning and defense. “I think that the young ladies on this team will attest to the fact that we aren’t going to get run out of the gym by anybody, due to the fact they are in very good shape, because I have had them running and running and running in practice.”

With a pair of 6-footers at her disposal, Madill intends to establish an inside presence at the post position and also push the ball quickly up the floor.

The twin towers are juniors Richelle Carel and Katina Ferguson.

“We are very fortunate to have this kind of size inside, because half the teams in the South Puget Sound League 3A, as strong as they are, don’t have one 6-footer, much less the luxury of putting two of them on the floor,” Madill said.

The plan for EHS is as simple as simple gets. Ideally, either Carel or Ferguson will clog the middle, hold the opposition to one shot and quickly sling an outlet pass to a guard streaking down the floor.

“We’re hoping to get a lot of offense off of our defense,” Madill said. In order to make this strategy work, Carel and Ferguson will have to become superb passers and the guards will have to be tireless.

“Noelle Bauer, our senior point guard, has a motor that never stops running,” Madill said, “so she will be our defensive stopper and the person that runs our offense.”

Senior Hayley Kohler will be depended upon to do a lot of the scoring. Kohler is a quick and confident shooter and a high-energy, athletic player.

During the early stages of the season, it appears the starting forwards will be seniors Perla Saborio and Hailey Hall, but this could change with the opposition, thanks to the Hornets’ strong bench.

Madill is sure her girls will play hard and she’s confident in the ability of assistants Jodi Maras and Sonja Myers.

“Right now all we want to do is focus on the things that we can control,” she said. “We are a little young so we might have growing pains along the way, but these girls are committed to one another and this program.”

The Hornets host Bonney Lake at 7 p.m. Friday in their first league tilt.

Bonney Lake is one of the three or four teams in the league Madill is wary of, because they return four starters from last year’s playoff squad.