5A Sophomores to Watch
In this article:
Taylor Donaldson HEIGHT 6'0" POS SF CLASS 2026 Taylor Donaldson School: South Albany Donaldson proved herself to be one not only one of the best freshmen in the state last year, but one of the best players in general at…
Access all of Prep Girls Hoops
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingTaylor Donaldson
Taylor Donaldson
Donaldson proved herself to be one not only one of the best freshmen in the state last year, but one of the best players in general at the 5A level. One of three freshmen in South Albany’s starting lineup, Donaldson became the clear leader of the RedHawks from the very start of her career. In a huge win over Wilsonville on the big stage of the Nike Interstate Shootout, she put up a whopping 29 points and 10 rebounds, and soon, these kind of performances were a familiar sight as massive double-doubles like this became the norm for Donaldson. She was a clear pick for first team all-conference in the Mid-Willamette, and also earned recognition for honorable mention all-state and made the OBCA’s second team all-state. Combine her incredible footwork while shooting and a beautiful, quick release with her size and relentlessness on the boards — not to mention her constant vision up the floor — Donaldson is a true talent, and her and South Albany’s young roster will be a powerhouse in the coming years.
Another obvious young standout, Moultrie has made quite the name for herself on the basketball floor. She gained honorable mention all-state both from the OSAA and the OBCA as well as a first team all-conference spot in the Northwest Oregon Conference. On the year, she was averaging 20 points per game while shooting nearly 40% from beyond the arc, and in addition to this impressive output, her coaches praised the poise and leadership that she is exhibited at such a young age. In addition to her ability to score, Moultrie is a natural playmaker on both ends of the floor, with averages of 6.2 assists per game and nearly 5 steals per game. Only having graduated one senior, the young Wildcats will be a dangerous team in the 2023-24 season, especially with Moultrie at the helm.
Highlights
Kaylee Cordle Kaylee Cordle 5'8" | SF South Albany | 2026 State OR
Kaylee Cordle Kaylee Cordle 5'8" | SF South Albany | 2026 State OR
Another prodigious freshman from South Albany’s roster last season, Cordle will be back and better than ever after a year of experience under her belt. She has quite a nose for the ball, resulting in an uncanny ability to steal the ball and create fast break offense at the other end. Largely playing in the post, Cordle has the ability to score at all three levels and demonstrates sheer grit in her willingness to mix it up on the boards and create kick-out shots for her teammates. She frequently recorded double-double performances, and she was voted to the Mid-Willamette Conference’s second team all-conference at season’s end for her impressive freshman year. After two straight losses in Gill Coliseum in last year’s state tournament, the young RedHawks will be eager to redeem themselves this season, and Cordle will play a key role in that, one that you won’t want to miss.
Ava Bergeson
Ava Bergeson
Bergeson comes from a La Salle program proven to produce collegiate talent, and she shows immense promise herself for the future. At 6’0, she has great length and size that combine with a versatile skillset to make her one that anyone will want to watch. After helping to lead her Falcons to a third place finish at the 5A, Bergeson was amongst the leaders at the state tournament in several statistical categories including PPG with 9.7, 3-point percentage with 40%, RPG with 8.0, APG with 3.0, and blocked shots per game with 1.3. This was the exclamation point on a season for which she earned honorable mention all-conference in the Northwest Oregon Conference. Her ability to do it all was frequently on display, as she put up stat lines like her 14 points, 10 rebounds, 7 assists, 4 steals, and 3 blocks against Corvallis on a regular basis, and there is no doubt that she will continue to impress in her sophomore campaign.
Darissa Romero-Ah Sam
Darissa Romero-Ah Sam
Playing alongside her older sister and two-time 5A state player of the year Danaeja, Darissa Romero-Ah Sam has already become one to watch in her own right. In a magical season as a major contributor on a Springfield team that won both their conference and the 5A state championship while not losing a game to any other 5A team all year, she also earned honorable mention all-conference in the Midwestern. Romero-Ah Sam has a quickness and incredible natural athleticism that is incredibly fun to watch in the open floor, which is often on display after she steals the ball. She also has a knack for keeping her eyes up the floor, constantly looking to set her teammates up for success. The Millers have nearly all of their state championship roster back this season — including both Romero-Ah Sam sisters — and it will be exciting to watch as Darissa has a larger role on the team and continues to develop her game.
Kiara Green
Kiara Green
Standing at 6’1 and the only freshman to make Hillsboro’s varsity roster, Green is the type of player for which the sky is the limit, especially considering the fact that she only played competitive basketball for two years now. Her older sister was a star for the Spartans and played at Oregon State, and Kiara is already demonstrating that the talent runs in the family. In particular, Green has established herself as a presence in the paint and an elite shot blocker. She was praised by her coaches for her work ethic, coachability, and her quickness to grow and develop. In fact, her abilities were already impressive enough to earn a spot on the honorable mention all-conference team in the Northwest Oregon Conference, and she is someone who will no doubt show massive growth as she gets more experience under her belt.
Peyton Smith
Peyton Smith
An exciting prospect in the post, Smith was the lone freshman to earn any conference honors in the Intermountain Conference, getting an honorable mention nod and separating herself as one to watch this coming season. She appears extremely comfortable around the rim where she has shown off great hands and a smooth touch to her finishes. Smith also is not afraid to get position and call for the ball, and when a shot goes up, she always seems to be in the right place to battle for the rebound. With a new head coach last season, the Lava Bears will be ripe to show a lot of improvement, and Smith will be one to keep notes on considering she will undoubtedly play a huge role in their season.
Vorderstrasse will be another sophomore to keep an eye out for in 2023-24. She is a shooter who stays constantly ready to catch and shoot with her quick release, and she will be a nightmare for defenses all across the state this season as she is always looking to get open. It also does not take long for her high basketball IQ to be on full display at both ends of the floor. Her obvious impact as a freshman was enough to earn honorable mention all-conference in the Mid-Willamette. And with nearly all of Lebanon’s team graduated from last year, Vorderstrasse will be even more valuable to the Warriors and it will be exciting to watch her in this leadership role.