Here to compete: Young and scrappy Red Wolves girls squad set sights on all comers

Published 2:35 pm Friday, December 12, 2014

“Compete” is the watchword for the Cedarcrest girls basketball team, to be led by three seniors, Megan Ditore, LuAnn Townley and Avery Rich.

Ditore is the Red Wolves’ go-to shooter. Townley, who swung up her sophomore year, focused on defending (and getting Ditore the ball). Rich is at post. Like most Valley varsity returners, they are adjusting to being the leaders now—”It’s really weird to not have the seniors here,” Ditore said—yet they know what they need to do, and have been playing this game together since middle school. “We have each other,” Ditore said.

For his fourth season, head coach Brad Knowles can also count on a roster of sophomores and freshmen—of the varsity 12, nine are freshmen and sophomores—to push things for that much-desired return to state.

“We’re young, but we’re going to surprise some people,” Knowles said. This team has some height and good shooting. This is also the first year that the local select program has fed into Cedarcrest High. Sophomore transfer Kennedy Howell, at five-foot-eleven, is the team’s starting power forward. Sophomore Mieke Van Ess will contribute at post. Point guard Haley Hill, a freshman, is quick, strong, and tall at five-foot-nine.

“She is one tough kid,” said Knowles, “One tough competitor. She’ll be fighting for us.”

The varsity Class of 2018 also includes Elaine Townley, sister to Luanne, who Knowles calls a tremendous athlete, and Madi Weir.  “They’re scrappy. They’ve definitely got their own way of playing,” said Ditore, on the younger athletes.

Ditore, who went second-team All-Cascade League last winter, has stepped up as a mentor.

“She has taken the whole team under her wing, starting last summer. At team camp, open gyms, fall league, she’s been the one that’s been around,” Knowles said.

Knowles’ expectation is for this group to play as a team.

“We have to be real tight as a unit.”

Cedarcrest faces three private schools in its Cascade conference, including newcomer Cedar Park Christian, and these teams have some height.

“We have speed, good shooters and a lot of desire,” Knowles said. “This is a young group that wants to work hard.”

“’Compete’” is our word this year,” Ditore said. “We want to be out there with all those higher-placed teams.

“We’ve got a lot to prove,” Rich said. “We’re hungry. We’ve been working hard.”

Cedarcrest Girls Basketball Schedule

Thursday, Dec. 11

Cedarcrest hosts Kings, 6:45 p.m.

Tuesday, Dec. 16

Cedarcrest at Cedar Park Christian, 5:15 p.m.

Friday, Dec. 19

Cedarcrest at Lakewood, 6:45 p.m.

Saturday, Dec. 20

Cedarcrest hosts Hazen, 3:45 p.m.

Friday, Dec. 26

Cedarcrest at two-day Napavine Tournament

Tuesday, Jan. 6

Cedarcrest hosts Sultan, 6:45 p.m.

Friday, Jan. 9

Cedarcrest at South Whidbey, 6:45 p.m.

Tuesday, Jan. 13

Cedarcrest hosts Granite Falls, 6:45 p.m.

Friday, Jan. 16

Cedarcrest at Archbishop Murphy, 6:45 p.m.

Tuesday, Jan. 20

Cedarcrest at Kings, 6:45 p.m.

Friday, Jan. 23

Cedarcrest hosts Cedar Park Christian, 6:45 p.m.

Tuesday, Jan. 27

Cedarcrest hosts Lakewood, 6:45 p.m.

Friday, Jan. 30

Cedarcrest at Sultan, 6:45 p.m.

Tuesday, Feb. 3

Cedarcrest hosts South Whidbey, 6:45 p.m.

Friday, Feb. 6

Cedarcrest at Granite Falls, 6:45 p.m.

Monday, Feb. 9

Cedarcrest hosts Archbishop Murphy, 6:45 p.m.

February 14-21

2A Districts at Mount Vernon High School