Defensive intensity, group rebounds and efficient, deep shooting — those are the keys to success this season, say captains and coaches with Sequim’s varsity girls basketball squad.
The departure of head coach Linsay Rapelje to focus on family and three starters graduating follows a stellar, abbreviated season for Sequim going 11-2 earlier this year, with those two losses to rival Port Angeles.
“It was a weird season; we couldn’t go to districts or state (due to COVID-19 protocols),” point guard and co-captain Hannah Bates said.
The short season had aspects of a playoff atmosphere, she said, as the Wolves finished the season playing the Roughriders but players knew they wouldn’t be playing for more.
“It felt like a practice season,” Bates said.
Graduated are Olympic League first team center Jayla Julmist, who averaged a double-double since her sophomore year, and all-league second team players Melissa Porter and Kalli Wiker, who set the school 3-point record with nine 3-pointers in a game last June.
Returning to the Wolves is all-league second-teamer Jelissa Julmist, who nearly averaged a double-double like her sister (12.2 points and 8.2 rebounds per game) along with Bates, who shot 38.7 percent from 3-point range and dished out 3.6 assists per game, along with sophomore Jolene Vaara, and seniors Malory Morey and Hannah Wagner.
Returning at full strength from an injury that kept her out last season, Wagner, a co-captain and soccer standout, said she’s ready to “see how far we can go.”
“The chemistry is there,” she said. “We think as a team.”
Bates said one of their strengths is they have some solid shooters despite Wiker graduating.
“We’re deeper (at shooting 3-pointers) now,” she said. “We know when someone is hot and can feed them.”
Familiar faces
Replacing Rapelje in the coaching seat is three-year assistant Joclin Julmist, a physical education teacher at Helen Haller Elementary. He’ll continue to work with assistants Sven Wiker, Darren Stephens and scorekeeper Betty Bates.
“We’re going to try to be competitive every night and work hard,” he said of Sequim’s girls. “I think we’ve been doing that. I think we can win a lot of games if we play together and stay healthy.”
Coaches say they’ve set a goal to win the league, which would be Sequim’s first title since 1987.
With fall sports running into the start of the season, Julmist said it took some time to ease into practice following five volleyball girls playing at state.
The varsity squad will see 10 rotation players as they keep some girls playing for both varsity and junior varsity to keep the junior varsity squad competitive, Julmist said.
“It’s a good group of girls and it’s been fun working with them,” he said.” They’ve all been committed to the program. I like their defensive intensity.”
With limited size on the roster, Julmist said they’ve worked on conditioning and stamina a lot to step up their pressure on opponents.
“All the girls work really hard and try to turn teams over to get easy baskets,” he said.
His daughter Jelissa is one of the tallest players along with Wagner, so he said the team must commit to rebounding.
“It’s got to be a team effort instead of relying on one or two people to do it,” Julmist said.
“We’ve all got to box out, and if only one person is boxing out then it won’t work,” Bates said. “But we’re more determined and want to put in the work.”
Julmist said he hasn’t kept up with rosters of other league opponents but knows some key players have graduated from other teams, including Port Angeles.
Strong core
Darren Stephens said a handful of players, including his daughter Lauryn, Bates, Vaara, Jelissa Julmist and more have played together since elementary school with Sequim Youth Basketball and later select teams.
“They’re a tight unit, and there’s not one selfish girl on this team,” he said.
Bates agrees it’s a tight group.
“We all get along and learn from each other,” she said. “We definitely feed off each other.
“As for (the team’s goal), we want to go to state. We’re a determined group of people.”
Sequim tops Forks in opener
To open the season, the Wolves swarmed Forks on Dec. 3 with a 61-44 win in the West End, forcing a reported 20 turnovers.
Jelissa Julmist led Sequim with 19 points and 15 rebounds while Bates had 15 points with four 3-pointers and eight steals. Vaara added eight rebounds, Wagner had four boards, assists and steals, and freshman Bobbi Mixon nabbed four rebounds and three steals.
Sequim hosted Bainbridge on Tuesday night with results unavailable by press time. Sequim travels to Bremerton on Dec. 11, and hosts Central Kitsap Dec. 13 and North Kitsap Dec. 14.
Winter sports preview: SHS Girls basketball
Head coach: Joclin Julmist (first season)
2020-2021 results: 11-2, second in Olympic League
Returners: Jelissa Julmist (jr), Hannah Bates (jr.), Jolene Vaara (so.), Malory Morey (sr.), Hannah Wagner (sr.)
Newcomers: Sammie Bacon (jr.), Kaitlyn Bloomenrader (so.), Michaela Green (fr.), Dannielle “Dani” Herman (so.), Jordan Kidd (jr.), Bobbie Mixon (fr.), Addie Smith (sr.), Lauryn Stephens (jr.), Liby Turella (fr.)
Sequim High girls basketball 2021-2022 schedule
Date Opponent Varsity JV
Dec. 7 Bainbridge 7 p.m. 5:15 p.m.
Dec. 11 at Bremerton 5 p.m. 3 p.m.
Dec. 13 Central Kitsap 7 p.m. 5:15 p.m.
Dec. 14 North Kitsap 7 p.m. 5:15 p.m.
Dec. 16 North Mason 5:15 p.m.
Jan. 4 Kingston 7 p.m. 5:15 p.m.
Jan. 6 at Olympic 2 p.m. 12:15 pm.
Jan. 8 Bellevue 3 p.m. 1:30 p.m.
Jan. 11 Port Angeles 7 p.m. 5:15 p.m.
Jan. 13 at Bainbridge 7 p.m. 5:15 p.m.
Jan. 14 at Mount Vernon 7:15 p.m. 5:40 p.m.
Jan. 17 at Bellevue 3 p.m. 1:30 p.m.
Jan. 18 Bremerton 7 p.m. 5:15 p.m.
Jan. 20 at North Kitsap 7 p.m. 5:15 p.m.
Jan. 25 North Mason 5:15 p.m.
Jan. 28 at Klahowya 7:15 p.m. 5:30 p.m.
Jan. 29 at Kingston 5 p.m. 2:15 p.m.
Feb. 1 Olympic 7 p.m. 5:15 p.m.
Feb. 3 at Port Angeles 7 p.m. 5:15 p.m.
Jelissa Julmist goes up for a basket at a recent Sequim girls varsity basketball practice. Last year, she averaged 12.2 points and 8.2 rebounds per game. Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash
Hannah Bates looks to pass as she and teammates prep for the oncoming season. “We all get along and learn from each other,” she said. “We definitely feed off each other.” Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash
Lauryn Stephens goes for a 3-pointer in a recent practice for the Sequim girls varsity basketball squad. Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash
