The 2008-09 All-Kitsap County (AKC) Girls Basketball Team was compiled by the sports writers for the Bremerton Patriot, Central Kitsap Reporter, North Kitsap Herald and Port Orchard Independent. Candidates for the team were nominated by the writers for their respective areas. The nominees were then voted on by the writers, with the top vote-getters making the starting lineup. A Coach of the Year, bench and honorable mentions also were selected. The team includes the best players from area schools who not only performed well individually, but played a role in the success of their team as well.

The following is the 2008-09 AKC Girls Basketball Team.

Starting lineup

C — Breyenne Mosey, sophomore, King’s West: Simply put, Mosey is force on offense. She 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, senior, Bainbridge: 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, senior, South Kitsap: The Wolves didn’t even have a player who averaged five points per game a year ago. The 6-foot-2-inch 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.”

Wing/F — Darcey Hughes, senior, North Kitsap: 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, sophomore, Kingston: Though just a sophomore, Baetz made the All-Kitsap County team for the second year in a row after once again leading her team to the Class 2A state tournament. 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

G — Irene Moore, senior, King’s West: Moore, easily the best ball handler on the King’s West 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.

G — Samantha Viray, junior, Olympic: Fleet-footed and reliable with the ball, Viray averaged a balanced 11.8 points, 3.1 assists and 3.4 steals per game. Viray missed the first six games of the season, the team going 0-6, but returned to lead the Lady Trojans to an 11-11 overall record, winning 11 of the final 16 games.

F— Stephanie Osterdahl, senior, South Kitsap: 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.

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

F — Dalanee Nilles, freshman, North Kitsap: Nilles burst onto the scene this season as one of North Kitsap’s top defensive threats. She pulled her weight on offense as well, averaging 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 — Arissan Ugles, senior, Kingston: Ugles, 5-11, was an integral part of the Buccaneer 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.

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

F/C — Jalen Carpenter, freshman, Bremerton: With a bright upside and as much raw talent as any player in the county, Carpenter, 6-2, averaged 13.3 points and 8.6 rebounds per game, both team-highs.

Honorable mention

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

Alyson Chandler, senior, Olympic: 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, sophomore, Klahowya: Dixon’s outside shooting and ability to drive to the basket helped Klahowya erase the memories of an 0-20 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, senior, South Kitsap: Fairweather arguably was the Wolves’ best defender. She averaged 1.7 steals per game, while averaging six points per contest. Kelsey Johnson, senior, Bremerton: Johnson chipped in 9.7 points, 2.3 steals and 2.7 rebounds per game.

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