LAKEWOOD – Two senior guards are expected to lead the Lakewood High School girls basketball team as it begins its season at the Sedro-Woolley Jamboree Nov. 25.

Emily Senyitko and Jelly Perry are the top returnees from last year for Coach Chris Walster’s team. Both have been starting for him since they were freshmen. Perry will play point and Senyitko shooting guard. “They won’t mind taking all the shots,” he said of the pair.

He is still trying to figure out a team to build around his stars. He’s been impressed so far with 5-foot-8 sophomore post Jaedyn Graham. “She’s a strong, gifted athlete who runs track,” said Walster, who has coached for 34 years.

Another starter could be a 5-2 girl who hasn’t played since middle school. His team lacks height, something he wasn’t worried about until he saw Lynden Christian’s lineup of all 5-10 players and taller.

“We’ll have to do all the little things really well,” such as blocking out on rebounds, he said. The team has been working on getting shots off quicker. If they don’t, as a small team, it will be the “kiss of death,” he added.

Walster said in the Northwest League there are no C teams, and that’s hurting the Cougars because they lack a “feeder” program. He said he is excited about the future because there is a select team in the area now of fifth- and sixth-graders.