Mid-Season Update: 4A Class (Part 2)

As the season begins the second half of the year, meaning league play begins and games begin to mean a lot more to teams. For this article, I will be taking a look into the 4A class and see which teams are sitting on top of each conference standings and which teams are potential favorites to play deep into the state tournament.   Mid-Columbia Conference:   Richland HS - RPI: 11 - Record: 8-2 (7-0) - Richland lost a game early in the season and also a close one to Davis HS. They are gaining confidence as the season goes on, especially after beating conference rival Kamiakin. [player_tooltip player_id='1450498' first='Luke' last='Westerfield'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1612191' first='Josh' last='Woodard'] have been seniors who are leading the way for the squad, with many others contributing too.   Kamiakin HS - RPI: 8 - Record: 10-2 (6-1) - Davis defeated this tough Kamiakin team on their very first game of the season and also just lost a tough one against Richland HS. [player_tooltip player_id='1409013' first='Peter' last='Dress'] just recently passed the 1,000 career points scored mark and will only continue to add to that mark with his crafty scoring ability.   Walla Walla HS - RPI: 43 - Record: 7-5 (5-2) - Walla Walla is a tough, tough team. Opposing teams definitely can't take them for granted, or they will regret it. They have been in many tough, close games but have played very well in league play so far. [player_tooltip player_id='1450572' first='Dane' last='Gardea'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1450941' first='Will' last='Sullivan'] are great leaders for this team and play off each other smoothly.   Other Teams: Southridge HS - 6-5 (4-3), Hermiston HS - 3-7 (3-4), Kennewick HS - 4-7 (3-4), Hanford HS - 4-7 (2-5), Chiawana HS - 2-10 (2-6), Pasco HS - 0-10 (0-7)   NSPL 4A Conference:   Tahoma HS - RPI: 4 - Record: 6-1 (4-0) - Tahoma lost their first game of the year to Auburn HS and haven't looked back since. They are a lengthy team, having 3/4 players who stand 6'5" or taller. They have a high powered offense, being one of the highest scoring teams in the state. [player_tooltip player_id='1612241' first='Dalton' last='Brown'] is a well rounded player who can get the ball in the bucket efficently.   Federal Way HS - RPI: 6 - Record: 8-2 (4-1) - Federal Way dropped early games this season but the chemistry has started to click for the team. [player_tooltip player_id='1450568' first='Mason' last='Thomas'] is a dynamic guard who has great speed and vision on the court. [player_tooltip player_id='1450499' first='Kofi' last='Peyton'] is a 6'4" wing who scores at all 3 levels at an elite level and can takeover games.   Kennedy Catholic HS - RPI: 21 - Record: 7-4 (2-2) - Kennedy Catholic is on a bit of a slump, compared to how they started the season. They have lost 3 in a row but with league play continuing, they are looking to turn things back around. This is a young team with only one senior, so they will only continue to gain chemistry.   Kentwood HS - RPI: 18 - Record: 7-4 (2-3) - Kentwood has been playing steady throughout the season and are still improving, in my eyes. [player_tooltip player_id='1587994' first='Mason' last='St Louis'] has been playing great for the squad, along with [player_tooltip player_id='1434525' first='Blake' last='Stempniak'], [player_tooltip player_id='1984480' first='Yusof' last='Edey'], and [player_tooltip player_id='1450991' first='Corey' last='Tita']. They are a sneaky team that could cause problems for the higher ranked schools.   Other Teams: Kentridge HS - 4-6 (3-4), Mount Rainier HS - 4-4 (1-3), Decatur HS - 3-6 (0-5)   SPSL North Conference:   Curtis HS - RPI: 17 - Record: 9-5 (6-1) - Curtis played in an extremely tough holiday tournament, located in California. They went down there and weren't able to pull out a win and instead lost 4 straight. They are looking to get back to those winning ways behind leader [player_tooltip player_id='1450566' first='Devin' last='Whitten']. Whitten is a beast on the court and is one of the best scorers in the entire conference, being a great leader for this team.   Sumner HS - RPI: 5 - Record: 10-2 (5-2) - This squad is filled with juniors and seniors who already have a ton of experience, which only helps the team more. They have solid length too as a team which makes them difficult to match up against and are very well coached. They will be in the thick of the 4A class run as the season progresses.   Other Teams: Puyallup HS - 8-5 (3-4), Bellarmine - 3-7 (2-5), South Kitsap HS - 4-6 (2-5)   SPSL South Conference:   Olympia HS - RPI: 2 - Record: 8-1 (6-0) - North Thurston has been the only team to defeat Olympia so far this season. [player_tooltip player_id='1485541' first='Matt' last='Lindblom'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1450937' first='Drew' last='Carlson'] are dynamic guards who make big time plays on both sides of the ball. They both score in crafty ways and play off each other very smoothly. I think Olympia will be making a deep run into the postseason.   Other Teams: Emerald Ridge HS - 7-7 (5-4), Rogers HS - 7-7 (4-3), Graham-Kapowsin - 6-8 (3-4), Bethel HS - 1-7 (1-6)   WESCO 4A Conference:   Glacier Peak HS - RPI: 1 - Record: 12-0 (2-0) - Glacier Peak has yet to drop a game this season and to me, there won't be many chances for them to lose one. [player_tooltip player_id='1450981' first='Josiah' last='Lee'] is an electric guard who scores with ease. Jo knows how to get to his spots and create enough space to get his smooth lefty shot off. [player_tooltip player_id='1139155' first='Isaiah' last='Cuellar'] is a dynamic guard who plays off Lee very well and is extremely athletic compared to others his size.   Jackson HS - RPI: 10 - Record: 9-3 (2-0) Jackson has a big win on their resumé already by beating 2A powerhouse Lynden by one point. They even played the top 4A team in the state, Glacier Peak, to a one point game that they almost pulled out the win. They are a well rounded team led by [player_tooltip player_id='1450608' first='Ryan' last='McFerran'], [player_tooltip player_id='2173112' first='Seamus' last='Williams'], Jackson Rabe, among others.   Other Teams: Lake Stevens HS - 4-7 (1-1), Kamiak HS - 5-4 (0-2), Mariner HS - 1-8 (0-1)

As the season begins the second half of the year, meaning league play begins and games begin to mean a lot more to teams. For this article, I will be taking a look into the 4A class and see which teams are sitting on top of each conference standings and which teams are potential favorites to play deep into the state tournament.