Preps.

Byline: Chris Hansen The Register-Guard

BOYS BASKETBALL

SKY-EM LEAGUE

COTTAGE GROVE: The two-time defending league champion Lions (9-4) are in a six-game winning streak under first-year coach Nick Finley. Junior guard Erick Giffen leads the team in scoring at 16.2 ppg, and senior wing Jesse Ellingsworth averages 15.7 points. Senior wing DeJean Alonzo, the only returning starter, averages 9.8 points and 8.8 rebounds.

ELMIRA: The Falcons (4-10) are led by senior Kellen Smith, who was second-team all-league last season. Elmira has shown promise at times this season and the Falcons have a win against No. 12 Philomath.

JUNCTION CITY: The Tigers (9-5) got off to a good start, winning five of their first six, and will open league play on a two-game winning streak. Guards Trae Knabe and Colton Ditlefsen are each scoring 12 points a game, and post Matthew Penn and wing Cameron Gibson are scoring 10 each.

SWEET HOME: The Huskies (5-8), who have only two seniors, have been streaky all season. After five of seven to improve to 5-4 in late December, they have lost four straight heading into league play.

SISTERS: The Outlaws will hobble into league play after losing four of their last five games. Senior center Ty Horner was first-team all-league last season and is leading Sisters this year. Junior wing Jack Berg was also honorable mention all-league.

SUTHERLIN: The Bulldogs (8-6) were rolling last week before back-to-back losses by a combined six points to end the nonleague season. Sophomore forward Mason Gill is coming off a standout freshman season when was named second-team all-league.

FAR WEST LEAGUE

MARSHFIELD: The fourth-ranked Pirates (8-6) are led by junior Corey Stover, a 6-7 post who was honorable mention all-league last season and also a member of the all-defensive team.

NORTH BEND: The Bulldogs (6-7) went 10-0 to win the league last season and played in the state semifinals. But they lost FWL player of the year Tyler Brown to graduation, as well as first-team all-league guard Garrett Curtis. They did return second-team all-league junior guard Jayden Frank.

SIUSLAW: The Vikings (8-6) have won four of six and are the only other league team besides Marshfield -awhich they play Friday - with a winning record. Returning first-team all-league senior center Trent Reavis was lost in early December to a season-ending hamstring injury.

ALSO IN THE LEAGUE: Led by junior guards Austin Fronckowiak and Brig Schofield, Brookings (6-8) will open league play on a three-game winning streak. ... Douglas (5-8) will open league having won just once in their last five games. Senior guard Quinden Parson is a returning first-team all-league player. ... South Umpqua (4-9) snapped a five-game losing streak just in time for the start of league play.

GIRLS BASKETBALL

SKY-EM LEAGUE

COTTAGE GROVE: After playing a difficult nonleague schedule, which includes four losses to teams ranked in the Class 4A top 10, the Lions (4-7) will try and rekindle their late-season success from a year ago when they won nine of their last 11 games and finished second in league at 8-2. Returning first-team all-league sophomore post Reilly Kelty leads the way with averages of 14.6 points and 8.4 rebounds. Second-team all-league sophomore post Ema Gardner averages 6.6 points and 6.8 rebounds.Second-team all-league senior guard Keara Murphy is also back.

ELMIRA: The Falcons (6-6) have lost two straight heading into their league opener against Junction City but remain the only Sky-Em team besides the Tigers without a losing record. Senior guard Jadenn Blunt was honorable mention all-league last season.

JUNCTION CITY: The fifth-ranked Tigers (10-3) returned all five starters from last season, including first-team all-league senior guard Maddy Mehlbrech, who is averaging 12 points a game this season. Senior forward Hailey Bruhn is the scoring leader at 13 points, and senior guard Alexa Norris was second-team all-league last season. Senior center McKenzie Evans and junior guard Mariah Ohman were also honorable mention all-league.

SWEET HOME: The struggles continue for the Huskies (1-12), who have only five wins in their last 92 games. However, a victory against Woodburn on Dec. 27 garaunteed they won't post back-to-back winless seasons.

SISTERS: After winning their first two games, the young Outlaws (3-10) have lost 10 of 11, including seven straight. Sisters has just one senior on the roster.

SUTHERLIN: The defending Class 4A champions had their season take a downward turn in December when first-team all-state senior guard Harlee Baker went down with a season-ending knee injury and the Bulldogs (5-9) enter league play on a six-game losing streak. Sophomore guard Kiersten Haines was first-team all-league last season and is averaging 12 points a game. Senior guard Kiersten Porter was also honorable mention all-league last season.

FAR WEST LEAGUE

MARSHFIELD: The Pirates (12-2) are the top-ranked team in Class 4A. The defending league champs are led by a handful of juniors, including guard Tess Garrett, who was the 2017 co-player of the year in the league. Post Alex Locati was also a first-team all-league player, and wing Hailey Browning was second-team all-league.

NORTH BEND: The Bulldogs (4-9) will open league play on Friday against South Umpqua having won two straight games, the first time they've won back-to-back gams all season. Junior Haley Snelgrove was first-team all-league last season and junior Haley Edwards was second-team.

SIUSLAW: The Vikings (3-11) lost their top two players from a season ago in honorable mention all-league seniors Destinie Tatum and Abby Watkins and opened the year with seven straight losses.

ALSO IN THE LEAGUE: At 7-6, Douglas is the only team in the league with a winning record besides No. 1 Marshfield. ... South Umpqua (6-7) already has one more win than all of last season. ... First-team all-league senior guard Abby Farmer leads Brookings (6-8). CLASS 4A BOYS SKY-EM LEAGUE Cottage Grove: The two-time defending league champion Lions (9-4) are on a six-game winning streak under first-year coach Nick Finley. Junior guard Erick Giffen leads the team in scoring at 16.2 points per game, and senior wing Jesse Ellingworth averages 15.7 points. Senior wing DeJean Alonzo, the only returning starter, averages 9.8 points and 8.8 rebounds.

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Title Annotation:	Preps
Publication:	The Register-Guard (Eugene, OR)
Date:	Jan 12, 2018
Words:	1021
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