The 2008 girls basketball season opened on Monday, Nov. 12. Players from around the state gathered to face off in gyms across Washington, each to begin a four-month quest to reach the pinnacle of high school basketball success — a state tournament berth and an opportunity to compete in and win the “Big Event.” The four-day state tournament will be held in the Yakima Sundome this year.

This year’s Pirate girls basketball team shares this desire to succeed with every other team that hit the hardwood last week. The difference between the teams who will actually make it to the state tournament and the teams who will stay home is that only the tournament contenders are able to sustain their effort, heart and chemistry from day one of practice throughout the entire season.

This year’s Pirates are capable of doing just that. They have what it takes and are ready to take on the competition. Led by seniors Liz Hill, Anneli Dolmseth, Karisa Gibbons and Lui Gue, the Pirates return all but one starter from last season’s highly successful team which went 10-2 in the league and as an extremely young team came within one game of earning a state berth in ’07.

The 2008 Pirates are a well-balanced squad. Enthusiasts say their outside shooting game is lethal, and the girls possess enormous strength inside the paint. Most importantly, fans add, they have the ability to play tenacious defense from baseline to baseline and become the cause of much grief to many opposing team’s point guards.

Coaches Henry Porter and Gary Means said they are excited about this year’s squad and the effort the Pirates are putting forth into obtaining their “team goals.” Both girls and boys basketball will have a jamboree on Saturday, Nov. 24, at Seattle Christian School.