Banks is coming off a 24-4 overall record, 10-0 and Cowapa League Title and #2 OSAA ranking. Head Coach Brandon Begley team graduated 5 seniors but returns reigning 4A State Player of The Year Aspen Slifka. Below, Head Coach Brandon Begley gave me an insight on the new Cowapa League and more. What are your thoughts on your new league? It's going to be an adjustment to only having a 5 team league this year. The teams stayed the same with only Scappoose leaving, so we at least get to keep some of our rivalries going. We always have a strong league and I think this year won't be any different. Astoria should be a top 10 team this year and Valley will be right there as well. Seaside and Tillamook will both be improved this year and on any given night could knock someone off. Which players are you leaning on to carry your team this year? We have a strong group of seniors that will need to lead this team. That starts with Aspen Slifka, who was honored by being named the 4A player of the year last year. Then Gracie Nelson and Rylie Kind have been putting in a lot of work this offseason and have really stepped up their games. Then Kaylin Hernandez is just a great athlete who provides us with great competitiveness and is stepping into a leadership role. I think she is ready to step in and make a contribution this year. Beyond those 4 we are young. Courtney Berning will be a leader for us in a different capacity this year. She has had two knee injuries the last two years so she missed her junior year and is missing her senior year this year as well. She will be a vocal leader for us and will be like another assistant coach for us. One word that defines your team? why? Resilient. This team has been through so much in the last two years, but they have never made excuses and just keep fighting. Two years ago we had our top two reserves get suspended for the last 5 games of the season and the postseason and the girls didn't make excuses and made it to the championship game. Then last year our top 12 girls missed a total of 90 games, which included Sydney Gregg, a first-team all-state caliber player going down with an ACL injury. Again we had girls step up all year long and the girls never made excuses and again came home with a trophy. This year's group I expect to be the same way. What’s your team goal? Right now we have so much work to do that it's too early for us to start talking accomplishment goals. Right now our team goal is to get our younger players to step up and learn how to practice the right way, how to become a better defensive player/team, gain some mental toughness, and just learn how to compete like they need to in order for our team to reach it's potential. We have the pieces to be a great team, but we have a lot of work to do to get to our potential.
