The quick-paced, up-and-down style River Ridge has been accustomed to is only going to get faster under first-year coach Tom Kelly.
And that’s exactly how he likes it.
“Even more so now,” Kelly said of the faster pace. “You’re going to think (last year) was slow.”
While the offensive style for the Hawks will be relatively similar to years previous, the girls basketball program is seeing another difference: its fourth coach in the past six seasons.
Kelly came to River Ridge from White Pass, where he spent the past 20 seasons at the helm of the girls program. And his track record is impressive – he guided the Panthers to seven state tournament appearances. From 2005-09, they earned five consecutive state trophies, including last season’s sixth-place finish at the Class 2B state tournament in Spokane.
He noted the combining of athletic teams from White Pass and Morton high schools meant it was time for a change.
“It’s hard to be true to more than one school at a time,” Kelly said.
Walking into a new high school setting and new team wasn’t exactly new territory for him when the first day of tryouts arrived. He spent the fall watching the players and getting to know them and what they can and can’t do on the basketball court.
He’s in a dream situation at River Ridge and the style he brings is a perfect match. The team returns all five starters – Samira and Jasmine McDonald, Kelsey Russell, Jennifer Cole and Monteaka Norwood – from last year’s 14-11 team that advanced to state for the sixth consecutive season.
The experience and the intact varsity nucleus are big plusses.
“It’s going to come a lot more easier for us,” said Norwood, a senior guard/wing. “We’ve worked together and know what to expect out of one another.”
Samira McDonald, a sophomore point guard, led the team in scoring last season at 15 points per game, making her the lone freshman on the all-Evergreen Conference first team.
But Kelly noted that with the up-tempo style and the play of his speedy guards, he expects to see three or four players in double figures in any given game. They’ll most likely not be the biggest team on the floor, but they’ll often be the quickest. Cole, a junior, is the tallest player at 5-11.
Players adjusted quickly to Kelly’s system.
“Everyone is giving it their all at practice,” senior guard Natasha Trinidad said. “We’re doing a lot of team stuff to get the chemistry going. I think things are working out pretty well.”
River Ridge is two years removed from winning the second of back-to-back 2A state titles. Russell and Jasmine McDonald were starters on the 2007-08 state title-winning team.
The Hawks are coming off a season in which they finished third in the EvCo at 10-6 with no seniors on the roster, and their 0-2 mark at last year’s state tournament snapped an 11-game winning streak at state.
Elma is an overwhelming favorite to win the EvCo title. The Eagles feature three college-bound players, including reigning co-MVPs Brandi Thomas (Washington State) and Katie Colard (Western Washington). The other senior, Lindsey Levanen is a transfer from Prairie who will play at The Masters College in Santa Clarita, Calif.
Elma is coming off a 19-6 campaign and earned the fourth-place trophy at the 2A state tournament, its second consecutive state placing and highest finish since 1999.
Kelly has his sights on “big things” for his new team, and while he is new to the Evergreen Conference, he said expectations every year while coaching at White Pass were nothing short of a league championship.
He hopes to get that – and more – with River Ridge.
“Things are looking good,” Kelly said.
“I love the team and everything around it so far. I’m excited to get things going.”
