The Olympian’s 2021 All-Area girls basketball team
Each year, with input from local coaches, The Olympian selects its All-Area girls basketball team.
This year, eight high schools from the Olympia area are represented by players and coaches selected to the first and second teams.
The 12 spots, broken down by leagues, are 2B Central League (one), 1A Evergreen Conference (one), 2A Evergreen Conference (five), 3A South Sound Conference (four) and 4A South Puget Sound League (one).
PLAYER OF THE YEAR
DREA BRUMFIELD
W.F. West
Forward, 6-2, jr.
A four-star recruit considered perhaps the best girl player in Washington, Brumfield has already committed to Pepperdine University. She averaged 17.4 points, 9.9 rebounds, 4.8 blocks, 2.7 assists and 2.5 steals playing anywhere from the low post to beyond the 3-point arc, where she knocked down 41 treys this season. She was the 2A Evergreen Conference MVP and returns to the All-Area team for a second consecutive year. “She has an ability to control a game in multiple ways,” said Bearcats’ coach Kyle Karnofski.
COACH OF THE YEAR
RUSS RICHES
Yelm
Riches capped off a 25-year career at Yelm with a 14-0 record and the Tornados’ fifth league championship under his direction. The unblemished mark through both pre-season and league play was the first such year by a Thurston County girls team since 2011, when Timberline was 20-0 entering the post-season. Except for a 59-51 road victory over the 3A South Sound Conference runner-up Blazers, Yelm won each of its games this spring by a minimum of 19 points. Riches first coached Yelm from 1992-95, then returned in 1999 for his final lengthy stint. He had a knack for building championship teams, then rebuilding after the inevitable lows of high school sports. He took Yelm to its first two state tournaments, back to back, in 2008-09 and 2009-10. This year’s team has also been a special one to Riches, who said “To have a group like this to be able to go out on has really been fun. To see them grow up and go forward has been a kick for sure.”
FIRST TEAM
AUBREY AMENDALA
Tumwater
Guard, 5-6, jr.
A clutch player in key moments for Tumwater, Amendala ran the point as the Thunderbirds won the Class 2A Southwest District championship with a rout of W.F. West. She makes her second appearance on the All-Area team after averaging 14 points, 6 assists, 6 rebounds and five steals per game. First team All-2A EvCo. “Aubrey has a high basketball IQ. She’s a floor leader who can score from all three levels and a great defender,” said Tumwater coach Robin Johnson, also Amendala’s mom.
BAYLEIGH HARDER
Yelm
Forward, 6-0, sr.
Most valuable player of the 3A South Sound Conference, Harder originally committed to a Division I school, but has since decided to attend Green River Community College. She averaged a double-double for Yelm, scoring 14.1 points per game and grabbing 10.6 rebounds. She also blocked 2.6 shots per game. Harder was a second team All-Area selection in 2020. “She’s taken off and given us the leadership we need,” said Riches.
ASHLEY SCHOW
Tenino
Forward, 6-1, jr.
Co-MVP of the 1A Evergreen Conference, Schow averaged a double-double with 19 points and 11 rebounds per game. She also averaged 3 blocks, 2.5 steals and 2.5 assists per game. Beavers coach Scott Ashmore has praised her aggressiveness and competitiveness. Schow becomes the second member of her family to become a part of the All-Area team in recent years. Her older sister Kaylee was a second team selection from Tenino in 2019.
NATALIE SUMROK
Tumwater
Forward, 5-11, jr.
Sumrok, also a heptathlete who posted 2A Evco-leading marks in the shot put, javelin and high jump during track and field season, led Tumwater in scoring with 16 points per game, adding 6 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals. Was a second team All-Area selection last season. Johnson says of the first team All-EvCo selection, “Natalie can play inside or out. She runs the floor extremely well and finishes well inside.”
AVA WOLIN
Guard, 5-8, jr.
Olympia
Another multi-sport athlete who posted the state’s second best 400-meter time across all divisions (57.90), Wolin was a record-setter for Olympia, setting a school best with eight 3-point baskets in just 11 attempts against Graham-Kapowsin. She averaged 14.7 points and 6.1 rebounds per game in the tough 4A South Puget Sound League. “She’s also one of the best man defenders in our league,” said Workman.
SECOND TEAM
Addie Ainsworth, Black Hills, ir.
Kendall Hooper, Capital, sr.
My’Kel Jones, Yelm, sr.
Isabella Lund, Tumwater, jr.
Kaeley Schultz, Rainier, jr.
This story was originally published July 12, 2021 at 5:00 AM.