Will WRHS basketball repeat its league success after graduation departures?

The calendar has flipped to December and all the fall sports are wrapped up on the Plateau so it’s now time for fans to turn their attention to the winter schedules.

At Enumclaw and White River high schools the darker days and rainy skies bring basketball, wrestling, swimming, bowling and – for the first time – girls flag football.

In this edition, the Courier-Herald takes a look at the varsity hoop programs at the local schools. Next week, the other winter sports will fill this space.

WHITE RIVER GIRLS

Leading the way: Few coaches can match the credentials of White River’s Chris Gibson: he’s a many-time recipient of league Coach of the Year honors and, more impressive, has already been inducted into the Washington State Girls Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame. He has been with the Hornets for more than two decades.

Key returnees, plus: When the Hornets are on the floor, look for the ball to often be in the hands of junior Maggee Schmitz. During her sophomore campaign she was honored as the NPSL 3A Player of the Year; that came after she picked up first team, all-league accolades as a freshman.

But Schmitz is hardly a one-person show. The Hornet roster also includes such notables as sharpshooting Malia Froemke and sparkplug Gracie Banks, both juniors. Both were second team, all-league selections a season ago. Other returnees with significant playing time at the varsity level include junior Myia Olson and sophomores Kaitlyn Hewlett and Kaijah Young.

Gibson has added a pair of freshmen, Lilly Banks and Jordan Taylor, to his early-season varsity roster.

That’s just eight players but Gibson noted he would be making some post-Thanksgiving additions.

Kay departures: Lost to graduation last spring were a handful of seniors, most notably Vivian Kingston and Dakota Sprouse. The duo had anchored the program for several years and were rewarded with first team, all-league recognition at the close of last season. Also gone are grads Jadyn Olson and Emma Voellger.

Last season: The 2024-25 season added one more chapter to the Hornets’ impressive biography. The team put together an undefeated regular season (12-0) and won the league title; built a regular-season mark of 19-2 that included a 16-game winning streak and a No. 3 ranking according to the RPI system used by the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association; added three victories in four outings during a district tournament; and, finally, qualified for the Class 3A state tourney.

Quite a track record: During the past quarter-century – that’s 25 seasons (discounting COVID) –the Hornets have made state tournament appearances 23 times. Along the way were a pair of third-place finishes, a trio of fourth-place trophies, two fifth-place finishes, a sixth-place showing and two seventh-place honors.

Coach’s comments: As is his custom, Gibson muses that this year’s squad will be lucky to win a game – while everyone else pencils the Hornets in for another 20-victory season.

Notable this time around is White River’s lack of height. “We’re very small but we’ve got some speed,” Gibson said, and as a result “we’ll push the tempo – the kids like to run.”

Working in the Hornets’ favor was a successful summer season in which the squad played a lot of hoops. Included was another tournament trip to San Diego where White River’s varsity won three of four games and the junior varsity swept all four of theirs.

Early schedule: After a brief nonleague entry into the new season the Hornets open NPSL 3A play Monday, December 8, with a home game against Auburn Mountainview. Next week continues with a December 11 trip to Todd Beamer High.

Scattered throughout the season are on-court tests that should keep the team sharp. This Saturday brings a game against Bellevue Christian, last year’s Class 1A state champions who defeated the Hornets early last year. Other games feature the likes of Olympia, Seattle Academy, Rainier and Napavine.

“There are no cupcakes,” Gibson said.

ENUMCLAW GIRLS

Change at the top: A familiar face in a new role – that’s the story Julie Anderson brings to the EHS girls basketball program.

She was hired in the spring to take the reins of the Hornet team, taking over a position former coach Danny Graham held for four seasons.

Anderson is no stranger to Enumclaw High’s Chuck Smith Gymnasium. She spent the better part of a decade as an EHS assistant before taking the top job at Tahoma High. She had great success during her two seasons (2023-24 and 2024-25) with the Bears’ Class 4A program, going 41-11 and nabbing NPSL 4A Coach of the Year honors.

Now, she’ll be looking to bring similar success to the EHS campus.

Last season: The Hornets were definitely on the winning side of a .500 record, posting an 8-5 mark in North Puget Sound League 3A play (tied for third place) and finishing 11-9 overall. Ending the campaign with leading scorer Kalee Swanson on the bench due to an injury the Hornets headed into district play. It didn’t go well as EHS dropped two games, putting an end to the season.

Key returnees: Kaidyn Johnson proved herself as a sophomore, earning second team all-league honors, now she’ll be looking to build upon her reputation as a junior. Ava Smith returns for a senior season, having received honorable mention all-league recognition as a sophomore. Fellow seniors Emma Holt, Halle Martel and Camryn Thomas have been big contributors.

Key departures: The No. 1 loss to the Hornet program came with the graduation of Kalee Swanson who was twice named a first team, all-league selection. Also exiting were grads Sydney VanHoof and Ellie Trulson.

Early schedule: After warming up with a tournament and nonleague contest, Anderson and her Hornets jump into North Puget Sound League 3A play by hosting Thomas Jefferson tomorrow (Thursday) night at 7 p.m. Saturday brings nonleague action against Klahowya Secondary School, playing at Auburn Riverside.

WHITE RIVER BOYS

At the top: Zach Johnson has deep ties to White River, from his high school playing days to time spent as a Hornet assistant and, now, beginning his eighth season leading the varsity program.

Last year: Johnson’s squad finished the 2024-25 season with an overall record of 15-9, which included a 9-5 mark in North Puget Sound League 3A play. At the close of the regular season the Hornets headed into the district tournament where they picked up a victory but were eliminated with two losses.

Key returnees: Topping the list of returnees is senior Logan Senon, a guard who has made a habit of driving through opposing defenses. At the close of last season he was a second team, all-league selection.

Other varsity experience can be provided by returning seniors Ben Berg, Jacob Scheidt, Bryce Marecle, Jorden Goethals, Ray Palmer, Blake Bargelt and Zach Wisdom.

Key departures: While a handful of varsity players return, the Hornets were hit hard by the graduation of two seniors. Gone are Blake Caldwell, who was a first team all-league selection last season, and Greg Schmitz, a second team pick.

Early season: After warming up with a pair of nonleague opponents (Stadium High and Annie Wright) Johnson and his crew jump into NPSL 3A play with a December 8 trip to Auburn Mountainview. December 11 brings another league foe, Todd Beamer High, to Buckley for a 7 p.m. tipoff.

ENUMCLAW BOYS

Leading the way: Sam Oliver is heading into his second season on the bench, leading the Hornet program. Prior to taking the top job he was an assistant for a season under former coach Terry Johnson. Prior to that, he was the head coach at Bonney Lake High School from 2014 to 2022.

Last season: Jumping up to the Class 3A level the Hornet boys ended with a record of 14-9. That included a 9-5 mark in North Puget Sound League 3A games.

Entering into postseason play the squad picked up one victory in the District 3/4 tournament but two losses brought an end to the 2024-25 campaign.

They’re all back: A season ago, Oliver inherited a team with zero seniors. That means he’s now leading a program with a ton of varsity experience: he has a dozen in the program who played varsity minutes last year (but one is dealing in an injury).

The returnee list begins with senior Jason Feddema who picked up second team honors a season ago when the NPSL 3A all-league list was released. Junior Kannon Kuzaro received all-league honorable mention.

Others who return after playing serious minutes last year include seniors Gavin Trachte and Travis Leonard, junior Esias Goodlett and sophomore Trey Kuzaro.

Adding to the list are five who “are pushing to increase their role this season,” Oliver said. Those include seniors Jackson Ducatt and Kage Kuro, juniors Jack Blair and Brody Harderson and sophomore Landon Teeple.

One newcomer: A new addition to the varsity roster is sophomore Carson Tice.

Coach’s comments: “It is a great group of young men. They work hard and have excellent team chemistry,” Oliver wrote in an email. “I imagine we are as experienced and as deep as any team in our league based on everything we have coming back. The kids all recognize that a league championship is a challenging yet achievable goal this season and that is what we have been working toward since June. If we stay focused on the right things and continue to work hard and be great teammates, the results will take care of themselves and we will be right in the thick of it at the end of the season for a playoff run. I really do love this team.”

Early schedule: Oliver and Co. quickly jump into North Puget Sound League 3A play, traveling tomorrow night (Thursday) for a game against Thomas Jefferson High. Monday brings another league contest and another road trip, this one at Kent-Meridian.

The season kicked off earlier this week with a Monday, nonleague visit to Auburn High.