South Kitsap’s girls basketball team finished with its first winning record since 2004-05 and advanced to state for the first time in nine years. Those accomplishments are reflected in the all-Kitsap team as three players and coach Mark Lutzenhiser were honored on the team.

The all-county team, made up of eligible players from schools in Kitsap County, was voted on by the sports editors and writers of the Kitsap News Group, including the Port Orchard Independent, Bremerton Patriot, Central Kitsap Reporter and North Kitsap Herald.

2009 All-Kitsap County Girls Basketball Team

Starting lineup

C — Breyenne Mosey, King’s West, sophomore: Mosey averaged a team-high 14.8 points per game to with 15.7 rebounds per game, the most of any area player, as well as two steals and three blocks per game. Mosey had 14 double-doubles in 20 regular-season games, often drawing double- and triple-teams.

F — Brittany Gray, Bainbridge, senior: The Gonzaga-bound forward, a four-year varsity starter, averaged 17.9 points and 12.9 rebounds per game, both team-highs, to lead Bainbridge to a 17-6 overall record. Gray is the school’s all-time leader in both scoring and rebounding.

F — Molly Werder, South Kitsap, junior: The Wolves didn’t even have a player who averaged five points per game a year ago. The 6-foot-2 Werder gave South an inside presence by averaging a team-best 10.8 points per game and 46 percent from the field to help South advance to state for the first time since 2000. Despite her position, Werder also averaged 1.9 steals per game — second best on the team — and led the Wolves with 6.3 rebounds per game.

“She’s very sharp,” said South coach Mark Lutzenhiser, who also is Werder’s chemistry teacher. “From my experience, those who do well in the classroom are good learners on the basketball court.”

W/F — Darcey Hughes, North Kitsap, senior: Hughes, the Vikings’ 6-foot leader, made her presence known in the Olympic Leauge by averaging a double-double this season. She put up big numbers on both sides of the court, with 15.8 points, 11.3 rebounds, 4.5 blocks and 3.9 steals per game.

G — Sophia Baetz, Kingston, sophomore: Baetz made the all-Kitsap County team for the second consecutive year after leading her team to the Class 2A state tournament again. She led all scorers in Kitsap, averaging 21.5 points, while contributing 4.7 rebounds, 3.8 steals and 2.1 assists per contest.

Coach of the Year — Mark Lutzenhiser, South Kitsap: Lutzenhiser gets most of the credit for the Wolves returning to state for the first time since 2000, but this award easily could recognize assistants Tammy Helwig and Greg Johnson. Both helped the Wolves through the transition from Mike Allen, who resigned after eight years last season to spend more time with his family, to Lutzenhiser. These coaches helped develop a team that has progressed from a 2-17 record two years ago to districts last season and a 15-13 record in 2008-09.

“I come here and look like a genius, but I’m not,” Lutzenhiser, who also guided Bellingham and Wenatchee to state-playoff berths. “I just have a good group of kids who are already there and they’re willing to buy into what I’m willing to teach.”

Bench

F/C — Jalen Carpenter, Bremerton, freshman: The 6-foot-2 Carpenter averaged 13.3 points and 8.6 rebounds per game, both team-highs.

G — Amanda Evans, Central Kitsap, senior: Evans led Central Kitsap with 11.9 points per game, also hauling in 3.9 rebounds per game.

G — Irene Moore, King’s West, senior: Moore, easily the best ball handler on King’s West’s roster, averaged 12.3 points and 2.5 assists per game at the point guard position. She also averaged 5.7 steals per game, tops in the SeaTac League.

F — Dalanee Nilles, North Kitsap, freshman: Nilles burst onto the scene this season as one of North Kitsap’s top defensive threats. She also averaged 7.2 points, 8.1 rebounds and 4.3 steals per game to help the Vikings to a third-place finish in the Olympic League.

F — Stephanie Osterdahl, South Kitsap, senior: Osterdahl gave the Wolves an inside presence to pair with Werder. She averaged 7.5 points per game — second best on the team — and 4.7 rebounds per game.

F — Arissan Ugles, Kingston, senior: Ugles, 5-11, was an integral part of the Buccaneers’ offense, averaging 11 points and eight rebounds per game. She helped lead Kingston to the state playoffs for the second time in the school’s two-year history.

G — Samantha Viray, Olympic, junior: Fleet-footed and reliable with the ball, Viray averaged 11.8 points, 3.1 assists and 3.4 steals per game. Viray missed the first six games of the season — the Trojans lost all those game — but returned to lead them to an 11-11 overall record.

F — Anna Wood, Bainbridge, senior: The second offensive option behind Gray, Wood averaged 11.8 points and six rebounds per game.

Honorable mention

Kristen Anthony, Central Kitsap, sophomore: Anthony finished second on the team with 8.1 points per game.

Kelsey Callaghan, South Kitsap, sophomore: Callaghan started at point guard despite being the team’s youngest player. She averaged 4.3 points and a team-high 2.2 steals per game.

Alyson Chandler, Olympic, senior: Chandler was Olympic’s next-best option on offense behind Viray and the team’s biggest threat in the post, averaging 8.6 points and 6.8 rebounds per game.

Jordan Dixon, Klahowya, sophomore: Dixon’s outside shooting and ability to drive to the basket helped Klahowya erase the memories of a winless 2007-08 season. The Lady Eagles still finished near the bottom of the Olympic League at 4-17, but Dixon — and the team — showed marked improvement.

Tori Fairweather, South Kitsap, senior: Fairweather arguably was the Wolves’ best defender. She averaged 1.7 steals per game, while averaging six points per contest.

Kelsey Johnson, Bremerton, senior: Johnson chipped in 9.7 points, 2.3 steals and 2.7 rebounds per game.

Kirsten Michael, Bainbridge, senior: Michael averaged just 5.7 points per game, but put the ball in the hands of the right people — Gray and Wood — and averaged 2.7 steals per game along the way.

Michelle Mosey, King’s West, senior: Balanced on the stat sheet with 8.2 points, 6.7 rebounds and 6.9 assists per game, Mosey was King’s West’s co-captain. Coach Yvonne Brittain called her “the heart and soul of the team.”