 |
  Have a question for Rene Ferran? He'll answer it in his weekly mailbag every Tuesday. Ask your question by voice mail (509-582-1526) or send an e-mail. |
Print
E-Mail
tool name
close
tool goes here
Friday, Mar. 14, 2008
Final cuts the hardest for All-Area squads
By Rene Ferran, Herald staff writer
Whenever you have a cutdown -- of teams for the NCAA tournament, or players for an all-star team -- there’s always discussion about who should get those final spots.
ESPN.com has its Bubble Watch. We at the Herald had our All-Area teams.
It’s never easy to make the final few cuts in either.
For both the boys and girls teams, the argument could be made that a fourth team could have been added to our All-Area lists. Of course, then the No. 21 or 22 player who just gets left off would be a tough call.
If I were to make my own team of “just misses,” I think I know these are the players I would make as my unofficial fourth team.
Boys
Jeremy Siefken, Liberty Christian A first-team all-tournament selection at the 1B state tournament in leading the Patriots to a fifth-place finish. He was the engine that made the team go.
Hayden Smith, Kamiakin An underrated player who made the CBL 3A’s all-defensive team.
Sam Grogan, Hermiston He had a solid season for the Bulldogs; another underrated player.
James Brown, Burbank The SCAC East’s co-player of the year got squeezed out in part by guys who played big roles on state qualifiers.
Joel Koopmans, Sunnyside Christian We didn’t see SSC play this season, but that didn’t make leaving the 1B state tournament MVP off any easier. Got squeezed out.
And that still leaves off the likes of Moses Lake’s Michael Olaniyan, Grandview’s C.J. Lopez, Liberty Christian’s Mark Wilson, Connell’s Spencer Hadley and River View’s Kyle Gier. Geesh, could have gone five deep.
Girls
Heather Worley, Southridge She was one of the toughest players I saw all year. No way she doesn’t make the team next year.
Kinzi Poteet, Grandview She was almost an automatic double-double for the Greyhounds despite teams ganging up to stop her.
Lindsay Roberts, Richland The area was deep in quality guards this year; she really picked up her game in her senior season.
Jennifer Keyes, Walla Walla Another talented guard in a year dominated by quality guards in the region.
Debbie Molsbarger, Connell Ibid. She was the Eagles’ primary offensive weapon.
And again, I can come up with another five on top of this quintet -- Pasco’s Hayley Hodgins, Kennewick’s Amanda Hall, Hanford’s Haley Tank, Kiona-Benton’s Sara Vannoy and Burbank’s Tiffany Idler.
But you gotta cut them off somewhere. We chose 16 of the area’s best to honor. I’m curious to hear who you think should have made the cut -- but remember, to add that player, I need to know whom you’d replace to make room for your pick.
Til next time ...
