Conference preview: Handicapping the Suburban East

Last year we predicted a three-horse race in the Suburban East Conference and, thanks to an impressive campaign by Forest Lake, it turned out to be four. Fittingly, though, the team nicknamed the Ponies sprinted to the finish for a clear victory with a conference record of 17-1. Can Stillwater do it again in 2021? Odds are they can, but Roseville, East Ridge and Forest Lake will  be nipping at their heels. Here’s how we’re handicapping the best AAAA schools in the East Metro heading into the starting gate. <strong>THE FAVORITE</strong> <strong>Stillwater (17-1)</strong> Not many teams that graduate three scholarship-level forwards would be expected to come back just as strong as they were before. Of course there are not many teams like the Stillwater Ponies. Yes, they did lose standouts [player_tooltip player_id="28784" first="Liza" last="Karlen"] (Marquette), [player_tooltip player_id="28808" first="Grace" last="Cote"] (Mayville State) and [player_tooltip player_id="56289" first="Mary" last="Fultz"] (Missouri Western) but we don’t expect them to miss a beat. After all, Stillwater’s lineup boasts two Division 1 commits – senior guards [player_tooltip player_id="109738" first="Alexis" last="Pratt"] (Omaha) and [player_tooltip player_id="109766" first="Gionna" last="Carr"] (Tennessee State) – and three more players with D1 offers in juniors [player_tooltip player_id="57928" first="Amber" last="Scalia"] and [player_tooltip player_id="147443" first="Lizzie" last="Holder"], and freshman [player_tooltip player_id="178274" first="Amy" last="Thompson"]. Throw in 6-foot sophomore [player_tooltip player_id="148318" first="Lexi" last="Karlen"] and you have a formidable lineup to be sure. Every one of those elite prospects has improved this summer and there’s no reason to believe that Willie Taylor’s team won’t make it to the winner’s circle once again. <strong>CONTENDERS</strong> <strong>Roseville (14-4)</strong> The Raiders were mighty inconsistent last season, but they still managed a second-place finish in the conference and 19 wins overall. That’s a testament to the value of defense and physicality. This year is a clean slate and a whole lot has changed in Roseville. The Raiders graduated five-year forward [player_tooltip player_id="56227" first="Jayda" last="Johnston"] (Valparaiso) and mainstays [player_tooltip player_id="56268" first="Josie" last="Haug"] and [player_tooltip player_id="110910" first="Tianna" last="Iserman"]. Gone is long-time coach Jeff Crosby. Stepping into the top job is Tanysha Scott, who captured state AAA titles at DeLaSalle. She brings experience, passion and high expectations. She also brought her daughter – top 25 freshman [player_tooltip player_id="215968" first="Kendall" last="Barnes"] – along with [player_tooltip player_id="108306" first="Kennedy" last="Klick"], the #6-ranked sophomore in the state. Klick will make an immediate impact on the Suburban East. She’ll combine with top 10 senior [player_tooltip player_id="109737" first="Tamia" last="Ugass"], a 6’3 post who committed to Louisiana State. Returning in the point guard spot is #31 sophomore [player_tooltip player_id="108324" first="Drew" last="Johnston"]. Ranked senior [player_tooltip player_id="109761" first="Rai’Janee" last="Meadows"] will start along with junior [player_tooltip player_id="148311" first="Hattie" last="Mae DeVries"], who had a very good summer. <strong>East Ridge (12-6)</strong> The Raptors were the most-improved team in the Suburban East last season. Over the past three years they went from zero conference wins to four to 12 with 18 wins overall. This year they could do even more. East Ridge graduated veterans [player_tooltip player_id="56276" first="Kate" last="Burns"] (St. Thomas), <strong>Ella Stegemen</strong> (UW-River Falls), <strong>Madalyn Slavin</strong> and <strong>Grace Bennett</strong> but the talented younger core of the team returns anchored by 6’4 post [player_tooltip player_id="57945" first="Britt" last="Carlson"]. Carlson has been a revelation over the past few months, emerging as an elite-level prospect who has now risen to #14 in the 2022 rankings. She has already committed to play volleyball in college but she should dominate on the basketball court at the high school level for two more years. Britt is joined by a pair of highly-talented sophomores in #27 [player_tooltip player_id="148315" first="Emily" last="Christensen"] and #48 [player_tooltip player_id="148316" first="Grace" last="Knupp"]. Don’t be surprised if freshman guard <strong>Sidney Klauer</strong> becomes a key piece, as well. In a last-minute twist, East Ridge has a new coach – former University of Minnesota standout Ashley Ellis-Milan who was on the state-title winning DeLaSalle staff. <strong>Forest Lake (12-6)</strong> The Rangers were a surprise to us last season, finishing in a third-place tie in conference play and going 20-9 overall. After all, the Forest Lake roster had been gutted by graduations and we figured it would take some time for the understudies to get acclimated. We couldn’t have been more wrong as coach Jen Wagner’s team exceeded all expectations. Then junior, now senior [player_tooltip player_id="146169" first="Logan" last="Anderson"] was a scoring and rebounding threat all year, averaging 16.6 points and 7.7 rebounds per game. [player_tooltip player_id="109825" first="Olivia" last="Pekron"] had an excellent year, as did [player_tooltip player_id="109158" first="Greta" last="Krieger"], who is now coming off her best summer yet. One would have to assume Forest Lake will be right back in the hunt this time around. Although they lost eight players to graduation, the core of the team returns and the Rangers will once again get things accomplished through hard-nosed defense, quality ball movement and plain old fashioned hard work. That’s just how they roll. <strong>COMPETING HARD</strong> <strong>White Bear Lake (10-8) </strong>usually finds a way to be competitive. Coach Jeremy Post’s teams are always physical, normally defend well and compete to the end regardless of the talent level on the roster in any given year. Having said that, the current version of the Bears is a long way from those state tournament squads of 2015-17 featuring the likes of <strong>Allison Hinck</strong>, <strong>Taite Anderson</strong>, <strong>Kate Brabenec</strong>, [player_tooltip player_id="1503" first="Jordan" last="Ferrand"], <strong>Briana Karg</strong> and [player_tooltip player_id="55375" first="Courtney" last="Crouch"]. Today. WBL will have to rely on junior [player_tooltip player_id="147451" first="Nevaeh" last="Hughes"], an athletic wing whose game has progressed in leaps and bounds this year. She averaged 15 ppg last winter and looked very good in fall league. Senior forward <strong>Tristan Lehner</strong> will be important, and the Bears will need more from sophomores <strong>Blessing Adebisi</strong> and <strong>Ava Post</strong>. WBL lost all-conference players [player_tooltip player_id="1968" first="Ella" last="Janicki"] and <strong>Julia Juelich</strong> to graduation. Freshman guard <strong>Jordyn Schmittdiel</strong> is a terrific athlete with nice upside. <strong>Cretin-Derham Hall (6-12) </strong>graduated [player_tooltip player_id="110886" first="Nevaeh" last="Moeschter"] (Iowa Central) and [player_tooltip player_id="110927" first="Sydney" last="Jackson"] (Concordia-St. Paul, track &amp; field) while sophomore [player_tooltip player_id="220828" first="Tootie" last="Cade (Lewis)"] transferred to Minnetonka. The Raiders also added a key piece via transfer in junior [player_tooltip player_id="147448" first="Anisah" last="Wolf"] from Benilde-St. Margaret’s. Wolf, a 5’10 wing, averaged 11 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists for the Red Knights and promises to provide Cretin with an immediate boost of offense. The Raiders boast two of the premier small guards in the conference in seniors [player_tooltip player_id="109760" first="Takara" last="Mason"] and [player_tooltip player_id="109781" first="Audrey" last="Martinez-Stewart"]. The pair of NIACC commits are quick, athletic and skilled, with 10 years of combined varsity-level experience. We’re looking for big things from 6’3 sophomore post [player_tooltip player_id="148329" first="Abby" last="Kline"] who gained valuable experience last winter. Junior <strong>Anna Caruso</strong> is also a key piece. Look for big freshman guard <strong>Lilly Hahs</strong> to make an immediate impact. Freshman <strong>Lauren Bengtson</strong> has nice long-term potential, as well. <strong>REST OF THE PACK</strong> <strong>Park Cottage Grove (4-14) </strong>won just six games overall but coach Stephanie Tolkien’s squad will benefit from a year in the trenches. The Wolfpack did graduate two players to the collegiate level in <strong>Ayanii Satcher</strong> (Iowa Central) and <strong>Ashanti Boykin</strong> (Bethany Lutheran) but their greatest offensive weapon is back. That would be junior forward [player_tooltip player_id="109178" first="Justine" last="Jameson"], who had a terrific summer and sits at #85 in the class of 2022 rankings. She averaged about 12 points and 8 rebounds per game last winter. Among the newcomers who could contribute are sophomores <strong>Julianna Land</strong>, <strong>Reggan Schwartz</strong> and <strong>Bryleigh Dana</strong>. <strong>Woodbury (8-10) </strong>finished mid-pack last season but after graduating seven players it could be a long winter. Gone is standout guard [player_tooltip player_id="56248" first="Carley" last="West"], a scholarship-level prospect who carried the team a lot of the time. She is now at Iowa Central Community College. Also departed are mainstays <strong>Clarice LeBow</strong>, <strong>Lexy Paulson</strong> and <strong>Calie Mundahl</strong>. One player to watch is freshman guard <strong>Mattea Henry</strong>, whose length and athleticism offer plenty of promise. <strong>Mounds View (6-12) </strong>went 9-18 overall but they lose point guard <strong>Katie Manecke</strong> to graduation along with one of the finest players we’ve seen in the Suburban East Conference: forward [player_tooltip player_id="110533" first="Lindsey" last="Becher"]. She was the Mustangs’ backbone for five years, and the all-state performer will now ply her trade at Concordia-St. Paul. This season look for 6’3 senior <strong>Willow Haake</strong> to step up into Becher’s role while junior <strong>Maddie Hanson</strong> and sophomore [player_tooltip player_id="148320" first="ZoeRae" last="Thompson"] will need to do more, as well. The most exciting young prospect in the program is freshman guard <strong>Itoru Etuko</strong>, a highly-skill athlete with speed and quickness. <strong>Irondale (1-17) </strong>was consistently over-matched in its maiden voyage in the Suburban East and there are no signs things will change this season, unless the Knights have something special hiding beneath their armor. Irondale, which went 6-21 overall, lost <strong>Sarah Bickford</strong> (Mayville State), <strong>Araceli Engel</strong> and <strong>Missy Jarmoluk</strong> to graduation. Returning is senior forward [player_tooltip player_id="109767" first="Dora" last="Okpara"], who is a force inside. Juniors <strong>Kimori Morris </strong>and <strong>Elizabeth Hiatt</strong> will be crucial. We’ve always liked sophomore <strong>Saylor Gallagher</strong>. <strong>PLAYERS TO WATCH IN THE SUBURBAN EAST</strong> <strong>Top 5 Seniors</strong> <ul> <li>#10 [player_tooltip player_id="109737" first="Tamia" last="Ugass"] – center, Roseville (Louisiana State)</li> <li>#18 [player_tooltip player_id="109738" first="Alexis" last="Pratt"] – guard, Stillwater (Omaha)</li> <li>#52 [player_tooltip player_id="109766" first="Gionna" last="Carr"] – guard, Stillwater (Tennessee State)</li> <li>#62 [player_tooltip player_id="109760" first="Takara" last="Mason"] – guard, Cretin-Derham Hall (NIACC)</li> <li>#87 [player_tooltip player_id="109781" first="Audrey" last="Martinez-Stewart"] – guard, Cretin-Derham Hall (NIACC)</li> </ul> <strong>Top 5 juniors</strong> <ul> <li>#14 [player_tooltip player_id="57945" first="Britt" last="Carlson"] – center, East Ridge (Texas Tech volleyball)</li> <li>#16 [player_tooltip player_id="147443" first="Lizzie" last="Holder"] – forward, Stillwater</li> <li>#37 [player_tooltip player_id="57928" first="Amber" last="Scalia"] – guard, Stillwater</li> <li>#84 [player_tooltip player_id="109158" first="Greta" last="Krieger"] – guard, Forest Lake</li> <li>#85 [player_tooltip player_id="109178" first="Justine" last="Jameson"] – forward, Park Cottage Grove</li> </ul> <strong>Best sophomores</strong> <ul> <li>#6 [player_tooltip player_id="108306" first="Kennedy" last="Klick"] – guard, Roseville</li> <li>#27 [player_tooltip player_id="148315" first="Emily" last="Christensen"] –  forward, East Ridge</li> <li>#31 [player_tooltip player_id="108324" first="Drew" last="Johnston"] – point guard, Roseville</li> <li>#48 [player_tooltip player_id="148316" first="Grace" last="Knupp"] – point guard, East Ridge</li> </ul> <strong>Freshmen to watch</strong> <ul> <li>#11 [player_tooltip player_id="178274" first="Amy" last="Thompson"] – guard, Stillwater</li> <li>#24 [player_tooltip player_id="215968" first="Kendall" last="Barnes"] – guard, Roseville</li> <li><strong>Mattea Henry</strong> – forward, Woodbury</li> <li><strong>Itoro Etuko</strong> – guard, Mounds View</li> <li><strong>Lilly Hahs</strong> – guard, Cretin-Derham Hall</li> <li><strong>Sydney Klauer</strong> – guard, East Ridge</li> </ul>