The reputation of the
Evergreen girls basketball team has remained steady for quite some time: A solid, scrappy, above-average team that is nearly a lock to qualify for the postseason, but not necessarily a state contender.
Evergreen senior Samantha Kisiel looks for an
open teammate during a recent game. The
Cougars are off to a 9-1 start in Class 4A.
Dennis Pleuss/Sports Editor - Canyon Courier
The Cougars are out to remove that pesky qualifier at the end of that sentence, and believe this is the year that they can immensely up their profile on the Class 4A grid. Things are off to a fantastic start, as they enter the weekend 9-1 with a Friday-night showdown looming against defending state champion
Valor Christian (Highlands Ranch).
"I think last year our mindsets were ‘I hope we get somewhere' and we didn't know if we were going to do too well," said Cougars center
Samantha Kisiel, who averages a team bests of 15.2 points and 8.7 rebounds. "But this year we're really set on final four and we talk about winning state all the time at practice. It's in all of our heads that we want to go very, very far this year."
Evergreen, ranked No. 7 in the CHSAANow.com poll, has the luxury of playing in the 4A Jefferson County League – a luxury in that many of the league games serve as a playoff prep course.
Teams such as Valor and
D'Evelyn (Denver) are perennial state contenders and regulars in the Top 10, and
Green Mountain (Lakewood) and
Golden also are having fine seasons. Evergreen's lone loss was a one-point decision to Green Mountain, and it's been mostly smooth sailing otherwise.
"We have five seniors that have played together since fifth or sixth grade," Evergreen coach Amy Bahl said. "With this being my fourth year at the school, I think there is finally a system developed and they have bought into it. So, I think that's helped contribute to our successful start that we've been able to have."
Kisiel led the Cougars in scoring last season as well and is the focal point for opposing defenses. But two things have immensely helped this season. First, knowing that being a 5-foot-11 paint-only center limited her college prospects, Kisiel spent the summer with club team BC Denver honing her perimeter game. The added dimension has been noticeable, and she is currently mulling a few offers to play at the next level.
In addition, the arrival of freshman post player
Claudia Dillion has been a boost. When they are on the floor at the same time, Kisiel can move to the power forward position while Dillon (7.7 points, 8.6 rebounds) locks down the middle.
"Sam is a little undersized in the height department, but her strength and her ability to post up and make a post move is definitely one of her strengths," Bahl said. "She's just a strong force down low. And Claudia has been a nice surprise. I knew she was good, but she's definitely proved she belongs on the varsity."
Kisiel is accompanied in the starting lineup by pass-first point guard
Logan Newhall, who deftly runs the show, shooting guard
Hannah Orr and forwards
Keigan Drysdale and
Lauren Troeger. The Cougars displayed their depth in an early 49-48 win at Mullen (Denver), in which nine different players scored.
"Our key is our teamwork this year," Kisiel said. "We have our five senior starters who have been playing together since around seventh grade, so our main focus is that everyone does their part."
In Bahl's four seasons, the Cougars' best run came in 2013-14, when they advanced to the Sweet 16. A solid season was cut short last year when Evergreen's opening-round draw was red-hot Longmont, which went on to upset top overall seed Canon City and moved on to the final four.
Hopes are to add some shine to that resume this season.
