Big Bend to host All-Star Game

by Derrick Pacheco<br> Herald Sports Editor
| March 17, 2009 9:00 PM

MOSES LAKE — After a successful girls basketball season which saw two girls basketball teams bring home state tournament trophies, Big Bend is hosting the second annual Big Bend All-Star Classic Wednesday night at the DeVries Activity Center.

Some of the area’s top senior players will make their way to the Big Bend campus to represent their respective schools in the North-South all-star contest.

Big Bend Athletic Director and women’s head coach Preston Wilks said the annual event is a way to bring the best players in the area together.

“This is a way to reward the kids for their hard work,” he said. “We are getting players from all over the (Columbia Basin) and some recruits from Eastern Washington together.”

With 18 of the best senior girls basketball players coming to Big Bend for the All-Star Classic, Wilks said he is hoping to have multiple participants commit to playing basketball next season for the Lady Vikings.

“We are hoping to sign several (players),” he said. “We have some talented girls coming to play (Wednesday). We are looking forward to it.”

Wilks said the All-Star teams will be divided into a North team and a South team.

Leading the North team with four invitees is Moses Lake High School. The Chiefs are coming off of a successful trip to the state tournament where Moses Lake brought home their second straight tournament trophy. Washington State-bound center Carly Noyes. Kelly Sutherland, Chayla Hirz and Shelby Kenner will represent the Chiefs at the All Star game.

Chelsea Allen and Taylor Hinkle will make the trip east from Soap Lake to play for the North squad and Moses Lake Christian’s Esther Timofeyev, Lind-Ritzville’s Cassie Cole, and Courtney Druffel of Colton will round out the North players from the Columbia Basin.

The South Central Athletic Conference will be well-represented Wednesday night with six participants, including a pair of Warden Lady Cougars and a Royal Lady Knight.

Cassandra Kisler and Kaitlyn Yamane were each All-conference selections for Warden, Kisler second team and Yamane an honorable mention. Royal’s lone representative is first team All-SCAC player Tawnee Gonzalez.

The South squad is also headed by a trio of Connell Eagles, including SCAC Player of the Year Debbie Molsbarger. Joining her are SCAC all-conference players Yessenia Vergara (second team) and Eva Grassl (first team).

Othello’s Justine Villareal will cap the Columbia Basin’s selections to the South squad. Villareal is fresh off of helping the Lady Huskies to a fifth-place finish at the 2A state tournament over the weekend.

Pullman’s Macey Brown and Bianca Pope of Shadle Park round out the South team.

With an array of talented athletes competing in the Big Bend All-Star Classic, Wilks said he is excited for the game.

“We are really looking forward to it,” he said. “It’s a good thing for us. It gives us a chance to show what we have to offer.”

North Roster

Coach: Lucy Char

No. 33 Carly Noyes, Moses Lake High School
No. 3 Kelly Sutherland, Moses Lake High School
No. 14 Chayla Hirz, Moses Lake High School
No. 32 Shelby Kenner, Moses Lake High School
No. 40 Chelsea Allen, Soap Lake High School
No. 15 Taylor Hinkle, Soap Lake High School
No. 25 Esther Timofeyev, Moses Lake Christian Academy
No. 10 Cassie Cole, Lind-Ritzville High School
No. 24 Courtney Druffel, Colton High School

South Roster

Coach: Aaron Hansen

No. 32 Tawnee Gonzalez, Royal High School
No. 14 Cassandra Kisler, Warden High School
No. 11 Kaitlyn Yamane, Warden High School
No. 25 Debbie Molsbarger, Connell High School
No. 20 Yessenia Vergara, Connell High School
No. 34 Eva Grassl, Connell High School
No. 24 Macey Brown, Pullman High School
No. 42 Justine Villareal, Othello High School
No. 22 Bianca Pope, Shadle Park High School