Area girls got game

Bremerton and King’s West each found success this season, one in which each school was expected to be down as a result of attrition.

Nevertheless, three Knights and two Warriors listed here helped lift their respective teams to unexpected playoff appearances with inspired play and good old-fashioned hard work.

Jenn Jacobs, an All-Kitsap County starter as selected by sportswriters from the Bremerton Patriot, Central Kitsap Reporter, North Kitsap Herald, Port Orchard Independent and Bainbridge Island Review, stepped up to lead her Bremerton Knights to a third-place finish in the Narrows League Bridge Division and a spot in the league playoffs joined by standout teammates Candace Grettenberger (second team) and Patricia Lewis (honorable mention).

For King’s West, the dynamic duo of second-teamers Chloe Mosey and Megan Spence dominated SeaTac League foes en route to a league championship and a return trip to the State B tournament in Spokane.

2005-06 All-Kitsap Girls Basketball Team

Starters

Megan Hoisington, forward, Central Kitsap: The Narrows League girls MVP, Hoisington was an inside forced to be reckoned with this season, averaging 13.9 points and 8.3 rebounds a game. The Cougar senior also swatted 1.3 shots a game and had an average of 3.9 steals, proving she can play tough defense as well.

Brittany Gray, forward, Bainbridge: The freshman forward did pretty well in her first year of prep basketball, averaging 13 points and nine rebounds a game. She hopes to be at the forefront of a state run next season.

Jenn Jacobs, guard, Bremerton: An All-Narrows League first-teamer, Jacobs has drawn plenty of attention from NCAA recruiters and led the Knights back to the league tournament this year with phenomenal 53 percent three-point shooting, 20.3 points a game and 2.7 steals in an average contest.

Shannon White, guard, Olympic: White, at the forefront of the Lady Trojans’ turnaround year, averaged 13.2 points, 4.9 rebounds and 2.65 steals a game. But where she really helped her squad out was in playing smart. White had just 49 turnovers to her 53 steals for a plus-4 turnover ratio, rare in high school hoops.

Jade Niemeyer, post, North Kitsap: The junior Niemeyer’s fluid post presence was complimented well by her touch from the outside this year as she led the Lady Vikings in scoring, averaging 12.3 points per game. She also averaged nine rebounds and two steals per game on a hindered season. Halfway through the year she suffered sprains to her wrist and ankle simultaneously in practice which caused her to miss two games; none the less, Niemeyer finished the year with a 20-point performance proving that she’ll lead North next year.

Bench

Allie Picha, guard, Bainbridge: The senior forward/guard was one of the big keys for the Spartans, averaging 10 points and 7 rebounds a game as she helped Bainbridge to its best record ever in the Metro League.

Kayla Bennett, forward, Central Kitsap: Bennett, a transfer from Bremerton, proved to be a key cog in the Cougs 19-0 run to start the year. Averaging 8.6 points and a team-high 8.8 rebounds, Bennett, a senior, also had to battle adversity, including kidney stones that caused her to collapse after one contest. Although Bennett was out for the CK girls playoff run, she was a key part of getting the team there.

Sharrisa Pauley, post, South Kitsap: The senior was one of a few bright spots for the Wolves this season. She led the team in scoring, averaging just over 12 points a game, while being one of the team’s best defenders. Tough inside, Pauley was never afraid to fight for a rebound or loose ball.

Jasmine Hill, forward, North Kitsap: North senior Hill was a rock for the Lady Viking defense and she was equally solid on the offensive end, holding down the paint for the purple and gold. Though the team’s record was dismal for her senior season, Hill’s individual numbers cruised nearly to a double-double as she averaged 8.8 points and 8.5 rebounds per game.

Megan Spence, forward, King’s West: Spence was half of a two-headed monster in the low post for King’s West, carrying the Warriors back to the top of the SeaTac League and the state tournament. She scored 19.6 points and averaged 7.8 rebounds per game during the regular season.

Candace Grettenberger, forward, Bremerton: Grettenberger quietly put up great numbers while opponents keyed in on Jacobs. The Lady Knight forced foes to think about stopping somebody else when she put up a double-double on an ordinary night, averaging 10.5 points and 10.0 rebounds per game.

Chloe Mosey, forward, King’s West: Along with Spence, the 6-footer made teams like North Kitsap and North Mason worry about the little B school on Chico Way in early season contests. Mosey was a powerhouse hitting the boards for 12.9 rebounds a game to add to her 15.3 point average.

Honorable Mention

Patricia Lewis, forward, Bremerton: Stats didn’t fully reflect the heart and intensity the undersized post brought to her team. Lighting the Knights’ fire on many occasions, Lewis tallied 6.8 points and 8.5 rebounds a game.

Also: Kaileigh Westermann, wing, South Kitsap; Dacotah Ettl, forward, Central Kitsap; Pepper Fanua, post, Olympic; Danya Mares, post, Klahowya; Caitlyn Salo, guard, Bainbridge.

Coach of the Year

Denise Baxter, Central Kitsap: While the Lady Cougs hit a late-season slump, Baxter led the Central Kitsap girls to a 19-0 start. And while Gig Harbor beat the Cougs’ in a Bridge crown showdown, CK still finished 20-4 with a 13-1 league record. CK was both the Bridge Division’s highest-scoring team as well as it’s top defense crew, scoring 1249 points (52 points per game) while allowing just 920 (38.3 ppg).

Comment on this story.

COMMENTING RULES: We encourage an open exchange of ideas in our online community, but we ask you to follow our guidelines for respecting community standards. In a nutshell, don't say anything you wouldn't want your mother to read. Please see our FAQ if you have questions or concerns about using Facebook to comment.