Season Intro: SF Washington & WF Sheyenne

Prep Girls Hoops Dakotas has a fun combo-platter article for the fans to take in. We are looking at one team from ND and one team from SD. Both squads come from the big city and are in the top class (AA) in their respective state. Let's take a look at the Warriors and the Mustangs!   See below for a smorgasbord of basketball information on the Sioux Falls Washington Warriors and the West Fargo Sheyenne Mustangs. These two teams have plenty of potential to make a State Tourney run, the season is sure to be full of excitement!   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2024/11/prepGIRLShoopsdakotas.jpg?w=865" alt="" class="wp-image-1056252" style="width:245px;height:auto" /></figure>   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2024/11/classAA_06ba48.jpg?w=865" alt="" class="wp-image-1090298" style="width:245px;height:auto" /></figure>   Sioux Falls Washington Warriors - Team Preview   School: Sioux Falls Washington   Mascot: Warrior   Head Coach: Jamie Parish (11th season as WHS girls head coach) (Career Record: 286-166 at Vermillion, Centerville, SF Washington)   Class: AA   Conference: Metro Conference   2023-24 Record: 9-12   Players to Watch   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2024/11/image_39fcdb.png?w=577" alt="" class="wp-image-1090328" style="width:677px;height:auto" /></figure>     <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2024/11/image_61b5cc.png?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-1090339" style="width:675px;height:auto" /></figure>   <figure class="wp-block-image size-full is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2024/11/image_09f1be.png" alt="" class="wp-image-1090343" style="width:287px;height:auto" /></figure>   With Jamie Parish   PGHD: What can you tell us about your team?   "We are returning an experienced group with five girls that played a lot of varsity minutes last year. We will be solid with our perimeter play but will need to gain experience with our post players. Offensively we will play to our strengths and become more perimeter-oriented, defensively we will have to figure out combinations of players that play well together as we decide what type of defense best suits this team. Our returning girls made a strong commitment to have our team play together in the summer of 2024. The core of this group played over 20 games together as they gained valuable experience and started to form some team chemistry. We are excited to see how the experienced girls will mesh with our incoming talent and what type of product we can put on the floor. This will be an exciting group to watch as they play more games and improve."   PGHD: Who are the top teams in AA?   "Brandon Valley, O'Gorman, RC. Stevens, Jefferson, Washington, Aberdeen, RC Central."   PGHD: How would you sum up last season?   "We had a team that played very hard last year but struggled to consistently find ways to score and handle pressure. We are returning four of our top contributors from last season."   PGHD: Does your program/team have any non-negotiables?   "Be a great teammate."   PGHD: What will your defense "hang its hat on"?   "Defensively we would like to apply more pressure this year and play faster this year."   PGHD: Who will be your primary ball handler this year?   "We will handle the ball by committee. [player_tooltip player_id='1060622' first='Claire' last='Woods'] and [player_tooltip player_id='421722' first='Dana' last='Harpe'] can both handle the ball. We will bring [player_tooltip player_id='1048759' first='Josie' last='Biteler'] off the bench and feel that she will gain confidence after getting some varsity experience."   PGHD: How did the offseason go for your team/program?   "We had a great offseason. We had a core group of kids that changed their summer AAU schedules to play together. A pretty good core of our team played over 20 games together last summer including a few overnight events."   PGHD: Who are a few of your top players to look out for?   "[player_tooltip player_id='404951' first='Grace' last='Peterson'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1060622' first='Claire' last='Woods'] both have four years of varsity experience. Grace can score at all three levels. Claire is a heady point guard and should be ready to show some maturity. [player_tooltip player_id='421722' first='Dana' last='Harpe'] and [player_tooltip player_id='488326' first='Rylan' last='Kennett'] both played a lot of minutes as sophomores. They had a great summer and will be much more improved with their expanded roles."   PGHD: Who are a couple of up-and-comers to look out for?   "[player_tooltip player_id='1048759' first='Josie' last='Biteler'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1048763' first='Layla' last='Berte'] are two freshmen that played with our varsity group over the summer. They will have a learning curve but showed some really great potential."   PGHD: Who do you think will be your best rebounders?   "[player_tooltip player_id='404951' first='Grace' last='Peterson'] will likely lead us in rebounding again this year. We will need to rebound by committee. Our plan is to play more uptempo this year. With several players running up and down the floor and pressuring the ball everyone will need to take on some rebounding responsibilities as we rotate defensively."   PGHD: What are your team goals this year?   "We will be a work in progress early in the season. We have a lot of talent to work with but will take some trial and error to figure out our best combination of players and strategy. We want to continue to get better between now and Valentine's Day."    PGHD: Who will be your hardest worker?   "[player_tooltip player_id='404951' first='Grace' last='Peterson'] always shows up early, stays late, and is a great teammate. Claire, Dana, and Rylan also do a great job of working hard and setting our overall culture."   PGHD: Any last comments about the upcoming season?   "The Washington Warriors and O'Gorman Knights have won the last four State Championships. Going back even further 7 of the last 11. For us to play our best we expect to have to go through them."   GOOD LUCK TO THE WARRIORS!!   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2024/11/SHEYENNE-MUSTANGS-LOGO-HI-RES.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-1090410" style="width:378px;height:auto" /></figure>   West Fargo Sheyenne Mustangs - Team Preview   School: West Fargo Sheyenne   Mascot: Mustang   Head Coach: Kenyon Wingenbach   Class: AA   Conference: EDC   2023-24 Record: 14-12 (State Tournament Qualifier)   2023-24 Team Stats   PPG: 58.8 OPPG: 62.9 PT Margin: -4.08 FG%: 34.9 FTM: 242 FT%: 69.1 3FGM: 162 FT%: 25.1 TO Margin: 3.4   Players to Watch   Comments from Wingenbach   [player_tooltip player_id='525626' first='Liv' last='Jung'] (5'10”, G, Sr) – "Role player off the bench last season who took her game to the next level in the off-season, athletic and shifty, can score at all three levels, looking for her to lead us offensively this season, capable of being a very good defender, committed to Jamestown for basketball."   [player_tooltip player_id='641206' first='Callen' last='Fosher'] (6'0”, F, Jr) – "Starter last season, keeps improving, tireless worker, great size for a wing, tough defender who can defend multiple positions."   [player_tooltip player_id='487016' first='Cora' last='Metcalf'] (6'4”, C, Jr) – "Full-time starter last season, part-time starter as a freshman, rim protector and rebounder, looking to get her more involved in the offense this season, very good passer for her size, committed to Omaha for volleyball."   [player_tooltip player_id='658263' first='Zoe' last='Keene'] (5'7”, G, Jr) – "Full-time starter last season (first year on varsity), calm, cool, natural point guard, competitive, great teammate, got more consistent scoring by the end of the season."   [player_tooltip player_id='1090529' first='Evie' last='Sevald'] (5'8” G, So) – "Full-time starter last season (first year on varsity), fearless, confident, excellent shooter, good in pick-and-roll."   <figure class="wp-block-image size-full is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2024/11/image_51df7c.png" alt="" class="wp-image-1090486" style="width:265px;height:auto" /></figure>   With Kenyon Wingenbach   PGHD: How would you sum up last season?   "Last year was a bridge year for us after graduating 6 seniors from our 3rd place team in 2021-22 and only returning one player (Brenna Dick – UMary) with extensive varsity experience ([player_tooltip player_id='487016' first='Cora' last='Metcalf'] started the final 10 games that season). Gaining valuable varsity experience was great for us, and qualifying for State was a tremendous achievement. Brenna carried us offensively throughout the first half of the season, but the younger players were able to help more later in the season."   PGHD: How did the off-season go for your team/program?   "We had an excellent summer. We are tweaking our system again to fit our current players, and the results were positive. We have the most multi-sport athletes we've had in my four years, and they have been very successful in their other sports (golf, swimming, volleyball, track). Our players have been working hard in the weight room and have taken advantage of extra basketball opportunities."   PGHD: Who are a couple of up-and-comers to look out for?   "Overall, we are still fairly young. Besides the players listed above, we have sophomores [player_tooltip player_id='782583' first='Kenzie' last='Wuo'] and Brooklyn Nickerson. Both are very athletic. Kenzie placed as an 8th grader at State Track in the long jump, and she qualified in multiple events last season including jumps, shot put, and sprints. Brooklyn can shoot the ball well and is an excellent defender."   PGHD: What style of basketball will your team play?   "We will be able to push the pace offensively with our depth and athleticism. Outside shooting will be key for us to reach our full potential. Defensively, we will be able to match-up better than we have the past couple of years. We have versatility and depth that will allow us to change things up in the halfcourt."   PGHD: Who do you think will be your top defender?   "[player_tooltip player_id='487016' first='Cora' last='Metcalf'] is a game-changer. Not only is she tall, but she's smart and athletic. She shattered her sister's (Maya) block records last year. We will be better able to support her defensively one-on-one against good, back-to-the-basket posts."   PGHD: What are a couple of your team goals this year?   "We have high expectations every year, but this year we have a chance to contend with the top teams in our region again. We competed well last year, but we couldn't find a way to beat the top three teams in our league. With our experience coming back, our team has confidence that will carry over to this season."   PGHD: Who are a couple of your top shooters?   "[player_tooltip player_id='1090529' first='Evie' last='Sevald'], [player_tooltip player_id='1090543' first='Kendra' last='Nickerson'] (5'7”, G, Sr) and [player_tooltip player_id='1090532' first='Sabrina' last='Staab'] (5'7”, G, Jr) are our top shooters. Kendra and Sabrina are great spot-up shooters who can hit catch-and-shoot threes in transition or the halfcourt. Evie is capable of that as well, but is more dynamic with the ball and can attack as well as shoot."   PGHD: Who are some of the top teams & players in the EDC?   "Horace is in a class by themselves. Behind them will be the rest of us competing for those other three spots for State. Davies lost a lot to graduation and have a new coach, but the talent is there. Red River is in the same boat, but they have a hall-of-fame coach and consistently have had excellent sub-varsity teams in recent years. Shanley returns a lot of young, talented players. North was young last year as well and have two returning All-Conference players."   "Returning All-Conference players – [player_tooltip player_id='461314' first='Fallon' last='Passanante'] (Davies), [player_tooltip player_id='378891' first='Olivia' last='Hammes'] (North), [player_tooltip player_id='378889' first='Grace' last='Thiel'] (North), [player_tooltip player_id='385163' first='Lauren' last='Reardon'] (Central), [player_tooltip player_id='410352' first='Ellee' last='McIntosh'] (WF), [player_tooltip player_id='555487' first='Jordan' last='Christofferson'] (Horace), [player_tooltip player_id='331508' first='Jaiden' last='Haile'] (Horace), [player_tooltip player_id='555488' first='Lakyn' last='Donnelly'] (Horace). None from South, Red River, Sheyenne, or Shanley."   PGHD: Any last comments about the upcoming season?   "We're proud of what we accomplished last season, but determined to compete with the top of the league this season. We have a lot of players who have put in a lot of time in the offseason and have improved their overall games. I really like the versatility of this team as I feel we can do a lot of different things on both ends of the floor. The key will be to stay focused on the team and our overall goals and not let any distractions hold us back from reaching our full potential."   GOOD LUCK TO THE MUSTANGS!!   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2022/11/PGHDakotasTeamPreview-crop-658x432-1701105064.jpg?w=657" alt="" class="wp-image-813156" /></figure>

Prep Girls Hoops Dakotas has a fun combo-platter article for the fans to take in. We are looking at one team from ND and one team from SD. Both squads come from the big city and are in the top class (AA) in their respective state. Let's take a look at the Warriors and the Mustangs!