Five things to watch in local prep girls basketball for 2018-19

Now that Thanksgiving has come and gone, it means a couple of different things. One, Christmas is right around the corner and, second, it's basketball season.

Of course, high school basketball season in Montana doesn't start until next week but when you live in this area as we do, it's really never too early to start talking hoops. If you need a refresher, last season was pretty exciting around these parts, especially when it comes to girls basketball, as both Havre and Box Elder won state championships. Havre went 24-0 on its way to capturing the Class A state championship, while Box Elder rebounded from championship games losses at districts and divisionals to win the Class C state title.

It was truly a banner year in these parts for girls basketball but as the 2018-19 campaign is just about to get started, here are five things to watch in local girls basketball this season.

Was last season the start of a Blue Pony dynasty?

The Havre High girls basketball team made history last season, putting together a perfect season, which was capped with a win over Hardin in the Class A state championship game. The Ponies had a solid group of seniors that included All-State performers Marca Herron and Danielle Wallace. The Ponies may be missing some key pieces, but they still have Kyndall Keller, one of the top scorers in the state last season, along with fellow starter Kadia Miller.

Keller and Miller are both juniors but the Ponies have a number of other players ready to step up such as Katie Wirtzberger, Kylie Walker and Loy Waid. With head coach Dustin Kraske back at the helm, the defense should be up to its usual standard and with arguably the best player in Class A girls basketball in Keller, the Ponies look like a strong candidate to repeat, especially with the state tournament in Great Falls once again. The last two times The Four Seasons Arena has hosted the state tournament, Havre has walked away with the title, which bodes well for this March.

Can Dustin Kraske do something no Havre High basketball coach has ever done?

The Ponies have a rich history in girls basketball and since 1976, the Blue Ponies have won five state championships. The first two were in 1976 and 1978, while the next came in 1997 under the direction of head coach Dennis Murphy and the great Loree Payne. Since taking over the program, Kraske won two state championships but winning back-to-back championships is something no head coach has ever done in girls or boys basketball.

Other head coaches at Havre High have won back-to-back titles in other sports, but never in basketball and after becoming the first head coach to have an undefeated season a year ago, Kraske could add another first to his historic resume if the Ponies can capture a second consecutive state championship.

Can the Lady Bears win another title?

On the same note, another really interesting story to follow is going to the Box Elder girls, who also have the talent and the coaching to contend for another state championship. While the Bears lost Nikayla Anderson, who knocked down the game-winning 3-pointer at the state tournament against Twin Bridges in the quarterfinals and Cecelia Vielle, an All-State performer, Box Elder still has two legitimate stars in Lilly Gopher and Joelnell Momberg, who each earned All-State honors last season.

Led by head coach Joel Rosette, the Bears won their first state championship since 1997 last season, but they still don't have a Northern C Divisional championship to show for their efforts. After winning the District 9C title a couple years back and state last year, one goal for Box Elder will be winning the divisional championship that has eluded them after reaching the title game in two of the past three years. Yet, if the Bears win another state title without winning the Northern C, they surely take that outcome again without thinking twice.

Regardless, whether its districts, divisionals or state, Box Elder is gunning for some serious hardware this season and it will be interesting to see how much they can get and if they could potentially win all three, which they came excruciatingly close to doing last season.

Who else can contend in the 9C?

Box Elder may be the defending state champions, but they aren't guaranteed anything in the District 9C, not with teams like Fort Benton and Turner waiting in the wings. It's hard to remember that Fort Benton won the 9C tournament last season and returns two All-State performers just like Box Elder does. Aspen Giese made the All-State team as a freshman a season ago and will be forever known for her buzzer-beater in the 9C title game to beat Box Elder. She's back, along with defensive standout Leah Gannon.

Fort Benton is going to be a contender in the district again, however, Turner should be, too. Sarah Billmayer is back for the Tornadoes after earning First-Team All-Conference honors. The sophomore guard who helped lead Turner to the Northern C Divisional tournament for the first time in 21 years, will be joined by Shyan Krass, another All-Conference performer.

With Billmayer and Krass, Turner should be viewed as a legit contender in the district, especially after winning multiple games at the Northern C a year ago. From top to bottom, the 9C is going to be tough and the three teams that advance to divisionals this season will certainly have earned it.

Can Harlem or Rocky Boy make a run in the Northern B?

There were a lot of dream seasons in the region last year, as Havre and Box Elder won state titles; Fort Benton won a district title and Turner made divisionals for the first time in two decades. On top of all that, the Rocky Boy girls basketball team won their first ever divisional championship at the Northern B last year and made it to state.

The Stars didn't win a game at the state tournament, however, it was still a huge step forward for the program. Now, though, Rocky Boy will be tasked with keeping that momentum moving forward, which will be especially difficult with the loss of three All-Conference players in Sean Henry, Adrienne Gopher and Jaylynn Mitchell.

While Rocky Boy will battle it out in the District 1B, Harlem will do the same in the District 2B and after getting as high as No. 2 in the Class B rankings last season behind the play of L'Tia Lawrence, who will be a junior this season and Skylee Dirden, the Wildcats can't be ruled out as a Northern B contender.