The Paonia Eagles were so close to the Class 2A state championship a year ago, but Wray had other ideas.
The Wray Eagles, who return just one starter this season (point guard Brianna Bard), won their second straight state title and seventh overall. But this might be the year Paonia finally brings home its first basketball championship.
“We feel like we can make another push for state,” Paonia head coach Scott Rienks said. “We’re not talking about it. We haven’t mentioned it, but our outlook is that we feel good about having a shot to get back there.”
Paonia (25-2 last season) returns three starters and nine lettermen, including all-state selection Jordyn Rienks. The 6-foot senior, who will alternate between guard and forward, leads a backcourt trio that includes senior guards Johanna Reed and Shelby Campbell. But it will be the younger Rienks who will lead the charge.
“She’s excellent,” Merino coach Bryan Dermer said.
Kiowa and Merino are also considered state favorites. But what about Wray?
Well, nobody is counting out David Reed’s team, though the coach knows he’ll have a hard enough time in replacing all-state first-team selections Christa Loyd and Stacy Post. Loyd was The Denver Post’s 2A Ms. Colorado a season ago.
“We’ll be real young. We have some good talent. We have to see how it develops,” Reed said. “We’ll probably start off pretty slow, but by the end of the year we should be a good basketball team.”
2A GIRLS HOOPS
2A top 10
1. Paonia
2. Kiowa
3. Merino
4. Wray
5. Akron
6. Limon
7. Hayden
8. Meeker
9. Holyoke
10. Las Animas
2A players to watch
Name School Ht. Yr.
Brianna Bard Wray 5-6 Sr.
Taylor Castillo Kiowa 6-1 Sr.
Kayla Gabehart Kiowa 5-7 Sr.
Amber Lowther Rocky Ford 5-10 Sr.
Grayson Pipher Paonia 5-9 Sr.
Johanna Reed Paonia 5-3 Sr.
Jordyn Rienks Paonia 6-0 Sr.
Danielle Rinaldo Merino 5-5 So.
Marissa Smith Holyoke 5-8 Sr.
C.J. Twiss Wray 5-10 Sr.
