Winter sports outlook: Cedarcrest girls working on developing young, fast team

Published 5:14 pm Thursday, December 10, 2015

An optimistic Brad Knowles was considering the advantages his Cedarcrest High School girls basketball team has for the season at a recent practice.

“We have height, we have speed,” he said, then a shrill burst of laughter cut across his words. After hushing the offenders, he continued, “We’re young. Very young.”

The 2015-16 Red Wolves are made up of freshmen, sophomores and juniors, but not a single senior. Leadership this year will come from captains Meredith Burke, Kennedy Howell and Mieke Vaness and they are confident they are up to the task.

“We keep everyone focused,” said Howell.

“Our team is kind of like a big family, and we kind of hold each other together,” added Vaness.

They are also confident about their teammates. “We can move the ball pretty fast,” said Burke, who this year returned to Cedarcrest and a warm welcome from the group. “School is kind of team bonding all day,” she added.

That could be why they are all completely committed to going to state, either this year or next.

“Everyone on the team has the exact same goal,” said Howell. Vaness finishes, “And we want to do it as a team.”

Although Cedarcrest is in a different conference, Cascade, and level, 2A, from Mount Si, KingCo, 4A, the two teams play a traditional game each season called the Valley Cup. Cedarcrest hosts the Valley Cup this year, and, said Knowles, they’ve won it the past two years.

Cedarcrest Varsity Girls Basketball

Fri., Dec. 11, at Lakewood,  6:30 p.m.

Tue., Dec. 15, at Kings, 5:15 p.m.

Fri., Dec. 18, hosting Sultan, 6:30 p.m. 

Sat., Dec. 19, hosting Mount Si,  6 p.m. 

Tue., Jan. 5, at Cedar Park Christian School, 5:15 p.m.

Fri., Jan. 8, at South Whidbey,  5 p.m.

Tue., Jan. 12, hosting Lakewood, 6:30 p.m.

Fri., Jan. 15, hosting Granite Falls, 6:30 p.m.

Tue., Jan. 19, at Sultan, 5:15 p.m.

Fri., Jan. 22, at Archbishop Murphy, 6:30 p.m.

Tue., Jan. 26, hosting South Whidbey, 6:30 p.m.

Fri., Jan. 29, hosting Kings, 6:30 p.m. Cascade Conference Coaches vs Cancer Night

Tue., Feb. 2, at Granite Falls, 6:30 p.m.

Fri., Feb. 5, hosting Cedar Park Christian, 6:30 p.m. 

Tue., Feb. 9, hosting Archbishop Murphy, 6:30 p.m.