Folsom opens season as the area’s top-ranked girls’ basketball team. Where’s your team?

Folsom High School girls’ basketball coach Lynn Wolking said it best. Teams have something to play for again after a shortened spring season saw most teams play fewer than 10 games.

The Bulldogs should be ready to go as teams kick off play this week. Folsom is The Bee’s preseason top-ranked team after going 7-1 during the spring. This is Wolking’s 12th season at Folsom and he thinks this team might be the deepest roster he’s ever had.

“We are not short on talent,” Wolking said. “This (is the) deepest roster I’ve had in my 12 years of coaching (at Folsom). Typically, if a high school team can go eight (players) deep, you are probably pretty good. … I have a nice problem because eight or nine girls could probably start on this team.”

Notable returners for the Bulldogs include Makayla Jackson, Ella Uriarte, Chelsea Ching, Kamryn Mafua and Charlotte Climenhage. Senior post Abbey Hadswell was expected to start for Folsom this season, but she will miss extended time because of an injury.

The buzz around Folsom has been the freshmen on campus. That includes Ava Rawlins, who already has multiple verbal Division I scholarship offers from programs on the West Coast. Aryn Bright, Sophia Mindermann and Jade Tupou join Rawlins as the four freshmen on varsity.

“We have a talented (freshman) group,” Wolking said. “We have had a talented program for several years now, but these incoming freshmen is rather strong. All (four) of our freshmen on varsity should get playing time. They have some hype behind them, which is not always the greatest thing. … I love their character and work ethic.”

Oak Ridge, also from the Sierra Foothill League, is ranked second by The Bee. The Trojans will be led by a pair of scholarship players in Washington signee Teagan Brown and Pennsylvania-bound post player Ella Ray. Brown was The Bee’s Large School Player of the Year in spring.

The SFL also includes No. 7 Del Oro, led by Sacramento State signee Madison Butcher, No. 8 Whitney with sophomore sensation Harper Peterson and No. 11 Granite Bay, which has Cal State, Bakersfield-bound guard Julia Riley.

The Bee’s No. 3 team is Antelope. The Titans are led by longtime coach Sean Chambers, who expects to make another playoff run despite losing three-time Bee Player of Year Jzaniya Harriel and All-Metro guard Kaiija Lesane.

Antelope returns sophomores Samaya Dillard, Ivy Babcock, Michelle Rice and Gia Darte. The Titans will also get a boost from Rocklin transfer Mary Carter. It’s unclear whether she will have to sit out because of the transfer.

“Jzaniya and Kaiija broke every record at Antelope,” Chambers said. “Those two were connected at the hip. Having Mary Carter and Samaya Dillard, you probably have the two best bigs on one team.”

Chambers is an administrator at Fern Bacon Middle School of the Sacramento City Unified School District. He says that even though his team and other Placer County schools aren’t testing for coronavirus, Sac City will still be testing its basketball players.

“Technically (the protocols) aren’t over, but we are getting there,” Chambers said. “We are seeing college games and Kings games with fans in the stands. It’s just all going to trickle down, but it has to start from those levels up and work its way down. Grateful we all had football seasons with no cancellations. That’s been amazing.”

Fourth-ranked Laguna Creek and No. 5 McClatchy are expected to battle it out for a Metro League title. The Cardinals expect big things out of returners Ahhray Young and Zoe Tillery. McClatchy freshman Nina Cain already has Division I looks and should contribute right away.

THE BEE’S Girls’ basketball rankings

(With last spring’s record)

1. Folsom (7-1)

2. Oak Ridge (7-4)

3. Antelope (9-1)

4. Laguna Creek (2-0)

5. McClatchy (2-0)

6. Vanden (11-1)

7. Del Oro (10-3)

8. Whitney (5-8)

9. Grant (10-0)

10. Inderkum (6-2)

11. Granite Bay (3-7)

12. Christian Brothers (6-1)

13. Vista del Lago (6-2)

14. Lincoln (8-1)

15. Davis (12-5)

16. West Campus (0-0)

17. Franklin (2-2)

18. Colfax (8-3)

19. Woodcreek (3-7)

20. Monterey Trail (3-1)

Bubble teams (alphabetical order): Del Campo (4-3), Dixon (9-0), El Dorado (6-3), Elk Grove (0-1), Pioneer (6-1), Placer (2-8), Rio Americano (4-5), River City (3-7), Rocklin (2-5), Sacramento (1-3), Sacramento Adv. (12-1), Sheldon (6-1).Compiled by Cameron Salerno

This story was originally published November 17, 2021 at 5:00 AM.