Wasilla looks to seniors to lead Warriors into tourney

WASILLA — This weekend Wasilla will be on a quest to advance to the 4A state title game for the second straight season and fifth time in 10 years. But the Warriors will have to do it without one of their top players.

First-team All-Northern Lights Conference guard Alyssa Hutchins suffered a broken hand during a loss to Colony in the NLC title game earlier this month and is expected to miss the state tournament, which starts Thursday at the Sullivan Arena in Anchorage, Wasilla head coach Jeannie Hebert-Truax said.

“She’s been one of our top scorers all year,” Hebert-Truax said recently. “That’s going to be a huge loss. She’s a driving force on defense too, with her intensity and get up and go.”

Hebert-Truax said she’ll look to her senior class to fill the void left but Hutchins, a junior standout.

“We believe we’re still competitive,” Hebert-Truax said. “Someone will have the chance to step up and take over that role, fill her spot.”

Senior Leisl Brown, a guard who sees plenty of time off the bench, will likely move into the starting lineup, Hebert-Truax said.

“She’s been our little spark plug off the bench,” Hebert-Truax said of Brown, who is often seen as a key defensive piece to the Warrior puzzle.

The emergence of sophomores Alysha Devine and Kyla Dinkel will also help ease the loss of Hutchins.

Hebert-Truax will also look to seniors Kelsey Cottle and Celeste Colegrove, a pair of four-year varsity starters, to lead the team into the tourney.

“This is their last go around. They can all take it as a challenge and meet it head on, or fold. I think they’ll meet it head on,” Hebert-Truax said.

Wasilla, the top team in the tourney, opens play Thursday at 3:15 p.m. against eighth-seeded Bartlett.