Posted: Nov. 28, 2015

By Nathan Joyce of the Kitsap Sun

Narrows League 4A

South Kitsap Wolves

Coach: John Callaghan, 18th year

Last year: 11-11 (5-7 league)

Top returners: Eric Wattree, sr., G, 6-3; Isaiah Lewis, sr., P, 6-6; Daniel Tomkiewicz, sr., W, 6-5.

Top newcomers: James Buckley, jr., G, 6-0; Mikey Williams, jr., G, 6-0; Austin Bayne, sr., P, 6-4; Eric McMorris, sr., G, 5-10; Jesse Strutz, sr., W, 6-3; Izaijha Byrd, jr., G, 6-0.

Narrows League 3A

Central Kitsap Cougars

Coach: Scott McMinds, eighth year

Last year: 8-13 (4-10 league)

Top returners: RJ Secrest, jr., G, 6-1; Kaleb Bates, sr., G/F, 6-2.

Top newcomers: Zion Archer, so., PG, 5-9; Dylan McConnell, so., F, 6-4; Jayden Upshaw, jr., 5-8, G; Hunter Stringer, jr., G, 6-0.

Narrows League outlook

The Wolves have two three-year players returning in Wattree and Lewis and Tomkieqicz is a two-year player. SK has some decent height which will help it in the always-tough Narrows 4A. … The Cougars are young, with only one senior, Bates, on the team, but McMinds says the team is coming together quickly. Narrows 3A is one of the top leagues around with Lincoln, Wilson and Foss competing for the top spot.

Metro League

Bainbridge Spartans

Coach: Steve Haizlip, first year

Last year: 11-10 (6-8 league)

Top returners: Lyle Terry, jr., F, 6-4; Sawyer Conrad, jr., F, 6-4; Brendan Burke, jr., G, 6-1.

Top newcomers: Marcus Clyde, jr., G, 5-10; Blake Bieber, sr., G, 5-10; Reed Thomas, sr., G, 6-1; Miles Gori, sr., F, 6-4; Eric White, sr., F, 6-4.

Metro League outlook

Haizlip, who was the basketball coach at Newport of Bellevue the previous five years, takes over for Scott Orness, who left for North Kitsap. Spartans lost eight off last year’s team. Terry has most experience as he’s been logging varsity minutes since he was a freshman.

Olympic League 2A

Bremerton Knights

Coach: Miah Davis, second year

Last year: 8-11 (5-6 league)

Top returners: Diontae Gilbert, jr., G, 6-1; Japrea Pedesclaux, jr., G, 6-2; Teni Vaoifi, sr., F, 6-2.

Top newcomers: Too soon to tell.

Kingston Buccaneers

Coach: Ben Wisniewski, third year

Last year: 7-13 (3-8 league)

Top returners: Liam Young, jr., G, 6-3; Gabe Gregory, jr., G, 6-2; Andrew Shaw, jr., F, 6-5; Gavin Veilleux, jr., F, 6-4; Max English, sr., F, 6-6.

Top newcomers: Eli Miller, jr., G, 6-1; Brett Spencer, jr., G, 6-2; Ethan Sax, so., G, 5-8; Connor Friedel, jr., G, 6-2; Popeh Chiquiti, so., G, 5-8; Ali Chiquiti, sr., G, 6-0.

North Kitsap Vikings

Coach: Scott Orness, first year

Last year: 17-9 (10-2, co-league champs)

Top returners: Cole Rabedeaux, sr., G, 6-1; Josh Benson, sr., G, 6-1; Cooper Lindsey, sr., G, 6-0.

Top newcomers: Zach Olmsted, so., G, 5-11; Kohlten Barringer-Mahitka, jr., F, 6-3; Jake Houghton, jr., G, 6-2.

North Mason Bulldogs

Coach: Steve Hackett, sixth year

Last year: 8-14 (3-9 league)

Top returners: Daulton Geyer, sr., G, 6-0; Trey Fisher, so., PG, 5-8; Kevin Burrell Briggs, jr., G, 6-1; Zac Marks, sr., F, 6-4.

Top newcomers: AJ Dumont, jr., 6-7, C; Brice Solis, fr., G, 5-10; Troy McCormick, fr., G, 6-1.

Olympic Trojans

Coach: Devin Huff, ninth year

Last year: 19-10 (10-2, co-league champs, fifth-place in state)

Top returners: Jaiden Mosley, so., G, 6-0; Jumier Johnson, sr., P, 6-6; Tyler Yost, jr., G/F, 6-4.

Top newcomers: Matt Becker, sr., G, 5-10; D.J. Bushee, sr., G/F, 6-3; David Horst, sr., P, 6-2.

Port Angeles Roughriders

Coach: Kasey Ulin, second year

Last year: 5-15 (2-10 league)

Top returners: Lambros Rogers, sr., F, 6-4; Janson Pederson, sr., G, 6-2; Grayson Peet, jr., G, 6-1; Noah McGoff, jr., G, 6-0; Luke Angevine, jr., F, 6-4.

Top newcomers: Tanner Gochnour, sr., G, 5-11; Carson Shamp, so., G, 5-10; Colton McGuffey, so., F, 6-2; Easton Joslin, so., G, 5-11.

Sequim Wolves

Coach: Greg Glasser, ninth year

Last year: 16-8 (9-3 league)

Top returners: Jackson Oliver, sr., G/F, 6-3; Payton Glasser, so., G/F, 6-3.

Top newcomers: Jack Shea, sr., P, 6-3; Nick Faunce, sr., G/F, 6-3; Nate Despain, fr., G/F, 5-8; Riley Cowan, fr., G/F, 6-2.

Olympic League 2A outlook

North Kitsap, with the return of Rabedeaux and the addition of Orness, seems to be the preseason favorite. Olympic, the co-defending league champs with NK, are also tabbed as a favorite, and many coaches point to Kingston as a contender. … Bremerton lost nine seniors off last year’s team and Davis is still waiting to see how it shakes out. He said there’s not much drop off between varsity and JV. Whoever makes it will be playing fast, he said. … Kingston has five returners and are setting its sights to compete for a league title behind the play of Young and Gregory. … North Mason is young — only two seniors — but has some good size and energy, Hackett said. Keep an eye on Burrell and Fisher to surprise some people. … Olympic lost several players off last year’s state team, but still has talent. Huff expects Mosley to become one of the best in the league and Johnson was an all-leaguer last year. … Port Angeles lost seven seniors off last year’s team. Look for Rogers to be a standout as Ulin said he improved greatly in the offseason. … Sequim also suffered a heavy loss to graduation and will field an inexperienced team.

Olympic League 1A

Chimacum Cowboys

Coach: Jim Eldridge, seventh year

Last year: 7-14 (6-3, co-league champs)

Top returners: Chris Bainbridge, sr., G, 5-9; Matt Koenig, sr., G, 6-0; Quinn Dowling, sr., G/F, 6-0; James Porter, sr., F, 6-4; Lane Dotson, jr., F, 6-2; Mathew Torres, sr., G, 5-9.

Top newcomers: Devyn Winkley, so., F, 6-3; Sam Golden, sr., F/P, 6-3; Peyton Hundley, so., G, 5-8; Logan Shaw, so., F, 5-9; Dylan Glessing, jr., G, 5-10.

Klahowya Eagles

Coach: Dave Kerkhoff, first year

Last year: 7-13 (6-3 co-league champs)

Top returners: Payton Ryen, Sr., G, 6-0; Keegan Grellner, sr., F, 6-1; Nate Hough, sr., F/P, 6-3.

Top newcomers: Ryan Wixson, sr., P, 6-3; George Harris, sr., P, 6-1; Troy Porter, sr., G, 5-9; John Hartman, fr., G, 5-10; Micah Joe, sr., P, 6-1; Garrett Betzing, so., F, 6-0; Kyle Schoening, jr., F, 6-0; DaZion Cook, so., F, 6-3; Sawyer Snope jr., G, 5-11.

Port Townsend Redhawks

Coach: Tom Webster, sixth year

Last year: 3-16 (3-6 league)

Top returners: Seren Dances, jr., G/F, 6-3; Jacob Ralls, sr., G, 5-10; David Sua, sr., F, 5-11; Detrius Kelsall, so., G/F, 6-0; Ezra Easley, sr., F, 6-1; Berkley Hill, jr., G, 5-11; Patrick Charlton, sr., F, 6-1; Isaiah Mason, jr., G/F, 5-11; Kaiden Parcher, so., F, 6-2.

Top newcomers: Jacob Boucher, so., G, 5-10.

Olympic League 1A outlook

The Cowboys lost three starters off last year’s championship team and figure to be in the mix for another title. They get Golden back, who started as a sophomore and spent last year in Spain as an exchange student. Cowboys should be faster and better defensively, Eldridge said. ... It’s a new scene for the Eagles as Kerkhoff, who coached 10 years at Crosspoint between the boys and girls teams, takes over a team that graduated seven seniors. … The Redskins have all but one player back and had a good summer. No wonder Webster is excited about this season. Kelsall was all-league as a freshman, and Webster expects a lot of Ralls, Dances and Parcher.

Sea-Tac League

Crosspoint Warriors

Coach: Rick Walker, third year (18th overall)

Last year: 6-13 (3-6 league)

Top returners: Jared Cattell, so., F, 6-0; Jackson Kimmel, so., G, 5-9; Taylor Baxter, sr., G/F, 5-11.

Top newcomers: Grant Baker, fr., G/F, 5-9; Hunter Feldbush, fr., G/F, 5-10; Harrison McArdle, fr., G/F, 5-9; Nathan Taylor, fr., G/F, 5-10.

Sea-Tac League outlook

The run to the state soccer semifinals has meant a slow start for the basketball team, which didn’t have its first practice until a week after other teams and still hasn’t had a practice will all its players. Warriors will be young and small, but Walker said they’ll be athletic.