Chiefs ready for another run at the golden ball

MOSES LAKE — Jamie Loera and Abby Rathbun milled around an adjacent gymnasium, putting up shots before practice.

That extra work has helped Moses Lake maintain itself as one of the elite 4A girls basketball programs in the state — and that starts with its Division 1 recruits.

“Every year I want to reach a new higher level and that’s why I get in the gym and I work because I’m always striving to get to that next level,” said Rathbun, who recently committed to play basketball for the University of San Francisco. “To play in college you’ve got to do that. You have to keep striving for that next level or else you’re not going to survive.”

For Moses Lake, that next level is the state championship game. The Chiefs have qualified for the state tournament four years running and have reached the state semifinals in three of those appearances.

“I think some people might argue that we might actually be more talented this year than last year, but we’ll be less experienced this year than last year,” head coach Matt Strophy said.

Moses Lake graduated starters Taylor Stevens and Jessica Olson, as well as reserves Maggie Strom, Alexya Sandmann and Charity Talo. Strom moved up the road to play for Big Bend, while Olson and Talo joined reigning NWAC champion Spokane.

Sophomores Madisyn Clark, Brecka Erdmann, Camille Carpenter and Carlie Gregg make up that unseasoned talent.

Having a Division 1 point guard to help integrate the new players is helpful.

“We have sophomores coming up and I can see that out of their ability and their work ethic that when us seniors leave that they can come in and they can hopefully fill our spots and keep the team and keep Moses Lake a team,” said Loera, an Arizona State University commit. “They can come to practices and kids will look up and they’ll just keep that legacy going and they’ll hopefully stay successful.”

It’s Year 2 of the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association RPI rankings. Moses Lake was ahead of the curve last year, scheduling non-league games against Camas, Lynnwood, Kamiakin, Central Valley and Bothell.

Moses Lake won’t need to worry about its strength of schedule this season as well.

From Dec. 12 to Dec. 30, the Chiefs play games against state tournament qualifiers Kamiakin, Sunnyside, Stanwood, Glacier Peak and Bellarmine Prep.

“We’ve got a six-game stretch in there where it’s going to tell us where we’re at and what we need to do,” Strophy said. “At least it’s early enough where we can dial ourselves in and get focused and make the improvements that need to be made so when we see those teams again we’re ready for it.”

Moses Lake begins at ends with Loera.

The third of the sisterly basketball savants, Loera was Associated Press All-State Honorable Mention and the Columbia Basin Big Nine’s Co-Player of the Year last season.

However, she’s not quite done in the Columbia Basin before she heads down to Tempe, Ariz.

“Contributing as much as I can on the court,” Loera said. “Offensively, defensively, and just making our team better and bringing them all as one because that’s what kind of a point guard does.”

Next: Moses Lake vs. Southridge, Nov. 30, 7 p.m.