FORKS — The Forks girls basketball team will be young this season and will see some growing pains, especially early, said coach David Hurn.
The Spartans have zero seniors and only three juniors on their roster. They are coming off a huge 2023 season in which they went 10-0 in league and finished 19-8 overall with a berth to state. The year before, Forks was 10-2 in league, tying for the Pacific 2B League title, and 18-8 overall.
Forks graduated its all-time points leader from last year, Keira Johnson, and another important starting senior in Janessa Ramos. They have also lost some other crucial starters such as Kyra Neel and Kadie Wood to graduation. This group brought league championships and a winning mentality passed on to the younger players to carry on into the future.
“Those players changed the trajectory of our program. There were a few others,” Hurn said. “They brought a style and hard work to the program. Now our sophomores and juniors are the next girl up.”
Taking their place is a group of sophomores and freshmen — six in all including eighth-grader Brooklynn Rondeau, who will see some varsity playing time.
“We’re really young, we’re going to have a lot of growing pains,” Hurn said. “We’re excited. We’re going to grow.”
The team is without a couple of starters early, Chloe Gaydeski, a veteran junior and Fynlie Peters, who had a great season as a freshman for the Spartans.
The team returns sophomore Avery Dilley, who has a lot of length at 6-foot-1 and had a solid showing in her first game of the year with six points.
“She just started playing basketball in the eighth grade. She’s super athletic and still new to the game. She’s a big part of who we are going to be be,” Hurn said.
Hurn said Gaydeski will be out for a few weeks with nagging injuries. “She’s our team captain and was second team all-league,” he said.
Peters should be back sooner. “She’s going to be be important for us. She is a good outside shooter,” Hurn said.
Hurn said Peters, Bailey Johnson and Karee Neel are all part of a sophomore class that was hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic, because they weren’t able to play basketball during that era. They are just now getting past that experience.
Also on the team are freshmen Kylie Hull and Molly Hampton. Some of these freshmen and eighth-graders will move up and down between varsity and junior varsity.
Also on the squad are juniors Skye Hestand, Alyna Centeno, who hit a pair of 3-pointers in the season opener, and Kareena Nandial.
Forks begins league play Jan. 6 against Ilwaco, the second place team last year and the co-champion in 2023.
Forks Spartans
• Head coach: David Hurn
• 2023-24 record: 10-0 in Pacific 2B League, 19-8 overall, state berth.
• Key returners: Chloe Gaydeski, Fynlie Peters. Bailey Johnson, Karee Neel and Avery Dilley.
• Newcomers: Kylie Hull, Molly Hampton, Brooklyn Rondeau, Alyna Centeno, Skye Hestand, Kareena Nandial.
• Outlook: Team has been a Pacific 2B League powerhouse for two years but has graduated many of its star players, including all-time scoring champion Keira Johnson and Janessa Ramos from last year’s team. Team is going to be very young with four sophomores, two freshmen and an eighth-grader.
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Sports Editor Pierre LaBossiere can be contacted at 360-417-3525 or sports@peninsuladailynews.com.
