By Don Ketchum

They are young, but don’t call them green. The only thing green about Phoenix St. Mary’s girls basketball is its uniforms.

The Lady Knights fell one basket short to Mesa Dobson in last season’s Class 5A Division I state championship game, and they are back with more resolve than ever to turn things back in their favor.

Coached by Curtis Ekmark, St. Mary’s has just two seniors. The rest are underclassmen, but most are as good as any senior you would want to see.

The top underclassmen are 6-foot-2 sophomore forward Chantel Osahor, 5-11 junior guard Shilpa Tummala, 5-9 sophomore twin guards Danielle and Dominique Williams and 6-3 junior forward Cortnee Walton.

St. Mary’s had a key early season test on Tuesday (Dec. 7) against perennial power Gilbert Highland and passed with ease, a 72-38 road victory.

Taking a quick look at programs in Phoenix, the southwest, west, northwest and north Valley and schools across north and northeast Arizona . . .

Class 5A Division I

St. Mary’s plays in the Desert Valley Region, which is one of the top regions for girls basketball in the state. The other teams are Scottsdale Chaparral, Scottsdale Desert Mountain, Phoenix Horizon, Phoenix North Canyon and Phoenix Pinnacle. Only St. Mary’s and North Canyon are 5A-I, the others 5A-II.

Most of the remaining challengers in 5A-I are in the southeast Valley and Tucson.

Class 5A Division II

Start with defending champion Tolleson. It lost one of the state’s top players in Rebecca Woodberry, but has a solid group returning that includes 5-8 senior wing Syerra Davis, 5-6 junior guard Desiree Smith and 5-7 senior guard Talia White.

Tolleson received a wake-up call on Tuesday (Dec. 7) as Chandler Hamilton’s swarming defense took control of the game for a 68-48 triumph.

Tolleson’s main challengers in the Desert West Region are expected to be Glendale Ironwood and Peoria Centennial.

Ironwood has a new coach – Justin McLellan. His top players are senior Jazmin Mays, junior Leslie Hairston, junior Amanda Sandbloom and junior Breanna Kelly.

Leading the way for Centennial are sophomore Kiara Clark and junior Jazmin Zapata.

Back in the Desert Valley Region, Chaparral seeks to rebound after struggling last season. Coach Marcy Sanchez will rely heavily on three guards – 5-9 senior Jenna Savaya, 5-3 sophomore Alex Gilligan and 5-8 freshman Casey Rarrick.

Horizon will attempt to go beyond its quarterfinal spot from a year ago. Coach Josiah McDaniel calls this group “the best I’ve had in my four years here with scoring, balance, depth and defensive intensity.’’

The Huskies are led by 5-7 senior guard Paige Picciotti, in her fourth season on the varsity, and three three-year varsity players, 6-0 junior post Madison Austin, 5-8 senior forward Mandi Yanovitch and 5-5 junior guard Sloan Sonksen.

Pinnacle opponents are relieved to know that this will be the final season for 6-5 post Aley Rohde, who seemingly has been around forever. She is one of the state’s top players.

In the Metro Region, the top 5A-II teams should be Phoenix South Mountain, Phoenix Central and Laveen Betty H. Fairfax.

Betty H. Fairfax has a new coach (A.J. Greenough) in its second year of varsity play. The entire roster returns. Better, it hopes. The top players are 5-6 senior Ebonee Rhymes, 5-4 senior Laura Morales, and three senior post players – 5-9 Quirshantee (Tee Tee) Collins, 5-9, Chelsea Slater and 5-11 Chelsey Stevenson.

In the 5A Northwest Region, keep an eye on Anthem Boulder Creek and Surprise Valley Vista.

Boulder Creek coach Theresa Beall lists three key players – 5-9 senior forward Brittany Allen, 5-5 junior point guard Kasey Winter and 6-3 sophomore forward Sam Young, a transfer from Brookings Harbor, Ore.

Valley Vista is the defending region champ and is coached by Rachel Matakas.

The Monsoon’s three top players are guards and were double-figure scorers last season – 5-7 junior Maraja Johnson (15 points), 5-8 senior Desiree Phillips (12) and 5-7 senior Adrianna Brown (12).

Class 4A Division I

Glendale Apollo fell just short of the state title last year, finishing with a 29-5 record as state runner-up (to Phoenix Shadow Mountain).

Apollo coach Susan Prado-Ortiz will look to sisters Promise (5-8 senior) and Peace (5-7 junior) Amukamara to carry the Hawks. Promise, also an outstanding sprinter in track, has signed to play basketball with Arizona State.

Shadow Mountain, which has three tough games this week (Dec. 6) with Prescott, Phoenix Thunderbird and Apollo, returns perhaps the state’s top player in 5-10 Lexi Kresl, who has signed with Colorado.

Prescott lost six key seniors, but still has enough firepower to make a run at the Western Sky Region crown. Four returning seniors are 5-4 guard Micaela Maystadt, 5-9 forward Amber Acklin, 5-11 forward Taylor Robertson and 5-11 forward Lauren Garcia.

Peoria will have a strong chance to rule in the West Valley Region. The Panthers are led by 6-foot junior forward Cecelia Pearl and 5-6 senior guard Raven Boone. Both averaged 13 points last season. Pearl also provides rebounding strength and Boone is a sharp passer with quickness to make steals on defense.

Prescott Valley Bradshaw Mountain, Glendale Raymond S. Kellis, El Mirage Dysart and Avondale Agua Fria all should be competitive in the West Valley Region.

Class 4A Division II

Chandler Seton might have the inside track to a second straight title, but you can’t count out teams such as Phoenix Thunderbird, Glendale Cactus and Flagstaff.

Long-time Thunderbird coach Steve Burke moved west to coach the boys’ program at Buckeye Youngker, so assistant Barry Ringel takes over the top chair for the Chiefs.

Five of the team’s top six players from last season are back. The top players are senior Shelbie Hess, a first-team All-Region pick who averaged 10 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists and 4 steals last season. Junior Lillian Southwick (13 points) also was a first-team All-Region choice.

Thunderbird also has three more senior starters – Jamie Heath, Kelly McCann and Elyse Fernefeld.

Cactus appears to have some good size to neutralize opponents underneath the basket – with 6-1 senior center Lindsey Abramson and 6-1 senior forward Megan Mullings.

In the Grand Canyon Region, Flagstaff appears to be the team to beat with senior guard Ileana Johnson. She had 16 points and 13 steals in a win over Buckeye Verrado on Monday night (Dec. 6).

Perennial power Page struggled out of the gate, but should be able to turn things around by playoff time. Sarah Mong, a 5-9 senior, is a three-year starter. Junior guards Malarie Williams, Celeste Claw and Amber Tso all started as sophomores.

Class 3A

Most of the power is in the North Region, as has been the case for much of the last decade.

Winslow is the defending champ, but the Bulldogs have a new coach, Jerron Jordan. He replaces long-time mentor Don Petranovich, who had eight state titles in 16 appearances. Winslow will be guard-oriented, with Mallory Smith, Gabby Stacey, Felencia Keams and Chenoa Stacey, and forward Melissa Jacobs.

Other North Region schools are Chinle, Ganado, Holbrook, Kayenta Monument Valley, Tuba City and Fort Defiance Window Rock.

The East Region also should have strength this season – with Whiteriver Alchesay, Lakeside Blue Ridge, Payson, Round Valley, Show Low and Snowflake.

In the West Region, Parker and Chino Valley rate the edge.

Class 2A

Defending champion Chandler Valley Christian has the early edge, but anything could happen by season’s end.

Phoenix Scottsdale Christian is among the top challengers. Coach Paul Clark’s Eagles are led by 5-7 sophomore guard Anna Long, an All-Metro Region selection as a freshman with 14 points, 4 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 2.5 steals.

Other key players are 5-4 senior guard Katie Davis, 5-7 senior guard Kenzie Cote, 5-8 senior forward Haley Hancock, 5-6 senior guard Rachel Butler and 6-foot junior center Kelsey Sanders.

Phoenix Arizona Lutheran also is a formidable foe, having gone 25-4 and reaching the semifinals a year ago. Coach Jeremy Strassburg’s top players are 5-5 senior guard Bethany Unkefer, a good shooter and defender who averaged 12 points, 4 assists and 5 steals. Senior forward Maria Kelly will provide a strong inside presence after averaging 10 points and 8 rebounds as a junior.

Among the other top challengers are St. Johns from the North Region, Phoenix Christian (West) and Camp Verde (Central).

Class 1A

Scottsdale Salt River was the top team a year ago, but does it have enough for a repeat?

Fredonia and Joseph City figure to be reckoned with in the North Region. Glendale Joy Christian, Mayer and Phoenix Valley Lutheran are potential challengers from the West Region.

Joy Christian is coached by Bill Gollihare, the former coach at Class 5A Glendale Deer Valley who was lured out of retirement.

Joy’s top players are 5-7 junior Alana Kempf, who averaged 17.7 points, 7 rebounds, 9 assists and 3 steals last season. Mariah Kempf, a 5-7 sophomore, averaged 11 points 3 rebounds and 4 assists.

2009-10 RECAP

Champions from last season . . .

Class 5A Division I – Mesa Dobson def. Phoenix St. Mary’s, 61-59 (OT)

Class 5A Division II – Tolleson def. Phoenix Pinnacle, 52-43

Class 4A Division I – Phoenix Shadow Mountain def. Glendale Apollo, 43-34

Class 4A Division II – Chandler Seton Catholic def. Page, 57-34

Class 3A – Winslow def. Fort Defiance Window Rock, 51-40

Class 2A – Chandler Valley Christian def. Pima, 33-28

Class 1A – Scottsdale Salt River def. Gila Bend, 66-51