Sometimes in high school sports, a group of seniors depart, and nearly the entire roster turns over. Such is the nature of the business.
That’s the case for the Tenino boys this season, who return very little minutes from last year’s team that made a run to the state tournament.
Austin Gonia, Will Feltus, Jaxson Gore, Jack Burkhardt, David Reudy, and Preston Snider all graduated in June, and a new core will look to get back to state this winter.
Leading that core are returners Jeremiah McKague and Owen Whitaker, who both saw varsity action last season. Henry Czuleger and Kellan Johnson have made an impact early this year and could blossom as the year goes on.
In addition to new faces on the court, it’s also a new (albeit familiar) face on the bench. Tenino Athletic Director Nick Bamer coached the junior varsity team last year, and he’s now leading the varsity squad.
The Tenino girls, led by Kirsi Gofinch, are also looking to build off a postseason berth with some newer faces. Chloe Grayless is not only the team’s lone senior, but she’s the only player that’s older than a freshman.
That’s not to say there isn’t experience, as Kylie Gonia, Georgia Gore, and Charley Jones were on the varsity roster last year.
It’s a similar story on the other side of the interstate, where the Rochester girls have no seniors and only two juniors.
Lizzie Hoover and Lexi Dupont have led the way early for the Warriors this winter, and freshman Karmae Hines is expected to step into a bigger role as the season progresses.
The Rochester boys have a senior core that consists of four players — Le’Shawn Hines, Devin Gravett, Isaac Derrick, and Zander Miller — but everybody else on the roster is an underclassmen, including five freshmen.
