Conference preview: Some of the best are in the Metro West

It’s not often that a team can lose four seniors and another talented starter and actually get better. That could, believe it or not, be the case in Chaska. The Hawks graduated <strong>Kylie Willems</strong>, <strong>Marissa Grothe</strong>, <strong>Dani Rief</strong>, <strong>Nicole Lenzen</strong>, and <strong>Veronica Quinn</strong>. Junior <strong>Destinee Bursch</strong> transferred to Eden Prairie. That has simply opened the door for the youngsters to take over, and what a group of kids it is. Led by the #3-prospect in the Prep Girls Hoops Class of 2022 – 6’2 forward <strong>Mallory Heyer</strong> – Chaska is loaded with young talent. In addition to Heyer, the Hawks have a #5, a #6, a #14 and a #45 who may not even crack the lineup. In all, Chaska boasts nine ranked players. As we saw at the Hall of Fame tournament in late July, the new-look lineup can really go. Chaska knocked off Hopkins, Rogers and Eastview at the event, and Heyer scored 60 points. 6th-ranked junior <strong>Kaylee Van Eps</strong> played shut-down defense and filled up the basket, as well. In fall league we saw the insertion of 6’5 forward <strong>Jessica Heir</strong> begin to pay dividends along with the tremendous weapon that is freshman point guard <strong>Kennedy Sanders</strong> (#5). Freshman forward <strong>Ashley Schulke</strong> (#14) will be an impact player as will talented combo guard <strong>Kelsey Willems</strong> (#82). The sum total of all of that is this: Chaska has to be favored to win the Metro West Conference. That didn’t happen last winter. After rolling to an 18-3 start, the Hawks stumbled to the finish line by losing four of their last five games. In that swoon was a loss to Cooper that enabled the orange-clad Robbinsdale version of the Hawks to win the conference at 12-2. Chaska finished 11-3. Cooper will be different now. Gone is coach Kiara Buford. The team graduated standout point guard <strong>Aja Wheeler</strong> (Alcorn State) who scored 15 points per game. Also departed are <strong>Alexis Nance</strong>, <strong>Arthel Massaquoi</strong> and <strong>Sierra Lynch</strong>, who is off to an outstanding start to her college career at NIACC in Iowa. The team is now built around three of the best from the class of 2021: top-20 post <strong>Kierra Wheeler</strong>, shooting guard  <strong>Andrea Tribble</strong> (#39) and point guard <strong>Jayla Reliford </strong>(#79). The other serious contender would be St. Louis Park, which also has some elite-level talent and the motivation to improve on their 9-5 record from one year ago. The Orioles are led by the #5 player in the Class of 2021 in <strong>Kendall Coley</strong>, a silky smooth forward who holds a pocketful of high D1 offers. She averaged 11 points and 5 rebounds per game last season. Coley is joined by one of the most-improved prospects in the state in forward <strong>Raegan Alexander</strong> (#21), who averaged 14 and 9. The Orioles did lose MSU-Mankato recruit <strong>Lindsay Olson</strong> and <strong>Sophie Olmen</strong> (St. Olaf) to graduation but return key seniors <strong>Shayla Miller</strong> (#37) and <strong>Jordyn Turek</strong> (#138) plus underclassmen <strong>Faith Johnson</strong> (2021 #148) and <strong>Ellie Austad</strong> (2022 #88). After that there are a lot of unknowns. Benilde-St. Margaret’s has <strong>Patience Williams</strong>, a top-20 senior who may have to do it all following the graduation of <strong>Aiana Whitfield</strong>, <strong>Cheyanne Carter</strong>, <strong>Isabelle Fleming</strong> and <strong>Olivia Williams</strong>. The Red Knights were 7-7 one year ago. Bloomingon Kennedy was 9-5 but the Eagles have been decimated by graduations. Coach Quinton Johnson returns just one senior after losing eight, and they will be young, younger, youngest. Sophomore forward <strong>Samara Buchanan</strong> (#118) has been good in fall league. Freshman point guard <strong>Ashlee Burchette</strong> has handles and athleticism and 8th grader <strong>Daviana Buchanan</strong> will also play a role. Chanhassen finished 5-9 last year. They have one of the very best players in the state in #9 sophomore <strong>Callin Hake</strong>, who was at the Team USA tryouts in Colorado Springs last season. Hake averaged 20 points per game as a freshman but will have to shoulder most of the load again this year. Bloomington Jefferson (2-12) has looked better at times this fall despite losing a boatload of seniors. <strong>TOP TALENT TO WATCH</strong> <strong>Mallory Heyer</strong> – #3 sophomore forward, Chaska <strong>Kendall Coley</strong> – #5 junior forward, St. Louis Park <strong>Kaylee Van Eps</strong> – #6 junior guard, Chaska <strong>Callin Hake</strong> – #9 sophomore guard, Chanhassen <strong>Patience Williams</strong> – #19 senior forward, Benilde-St. Margaret’s <strong>Kierra Wheeler</strong> – #18 junior forward, Cooper <strong>Raegan Alexander</strong> –#21 junior forward, St. Louis Park <strong>Kennedy Sanders</strong> – #5 freshman guard, Chaska <strong>Shayla Miller</strong> – #37 senior guard/forward, St. Louis Park <strong>Andrea Tribble</strong> – #39 junior guard, Cooper <strong>OTHERS TO WATCH</strong> <strong>Ashley Schuelke</strong> – freshman forward, Chaska (#14) <strong>Jessica Heir</strong> – sophomore forward, Chaska <strong>Jordyn Turek</strong> – senior guard, St. Louis Park <strong>Kelsey Willems</strong> – junior guard, Chaska <strong>Samara Buchanan</strong> – sophomore forward, Bloomington Kennedy <span style="font-size: 10pt;"><em>Top photo: Junior point guard Jayla Reliford takes over as floor general for Robbinsdale Cooper. (photo courtesy of Hometown Source)</em></span>