TRAPPER WOMEN BRING IN STRONG CLASS

BY SETH ROMSA TRIBUNE SPORTS WRITER
Courtesy of the Powell Tribune

A talented incoming class for the Northwest College women's basketball team is expected to make an impact from the start, bringing in a number of players from around the region, as well as another Spaniard, to join the Trappers.

Starting with a guard out of Riverton, Utah, the Trappers will welcome in Faythe Stauffer, a 5-foot, 5-inch player who played well above her size and made an impact in one of the top classes in Utah.

Coach Cody Helenbolt said she was a first team All-State player at the 6A level, finishing as one of the top scorers in 6A at 17 points per game.

"She's just a gritty player. She's about 5 foot, 5 inches, but she led her AAU team in rebounding a lot of games," Helenbolt said. "That's the kind of kid you want at your point guard spot, a kid that's going to lead by example and be tough and do the little things. So that was an important signing for us because we didn't really have a true one coming in with our returners. I think she's going to have a big impact for us."

The lone international player joining the Trappers comes from Madrid, Spain, as Itziar Pozas will make her way to Powell as a combo guard.

"She played on the national championship winning team from Spain two years ago, and then had a little bit bigger role on her team this year," Helenbolt said. "She's a scorer. She can play the one or the two, a really aggressive kid that's really skilled and has had a lot of international experience. We're excited to see what she can do for us."

Another player joining the Trappers from Utah will be Canyon Britt, who played her high school career at West Field in Taylor, Utah.

Helenbolt said Britt will be joining the Trappers as a strong shooter, but he is hopeful her work ethic can help add some depth for Northwest after she had an underrated career in high school.

He said she got hurt her junior year, then she ended up at a new school, West Field, where they had some injuries and some kids were ineligible to play.

"So she really had to step up and be the main player for that school at the beginning of the season," Helenbolt said. "She made about 50 3-pointers this year, even though the other teams knew that she was one of their main threats. The thing that I loved about her is she is hungry to get better. She is a kid that lives in the gym, works hard. Her coaches have all told me she's a great character kid, and so those are the types of people we want to add."

A new face for the Trappers but not a new face to the college game will be Madison Kaufman from Frenchtown, Montana, who will be joining Northwest as a transfer sophomore from the Rocky Mountain College JV.

"She was the leading scorer for the Rocky JV, she actually had a 36 point game against Miles City," Helenbolt said. "She's a lefty and a good shooter … She's a kid that actually started her career at Cheyenne East, so she's familiar with Wyoming … I think she'll be a contributor with her ability to shoot and then she's also a really good athlete."

A Wyoming player joining the ranks for the Trappers is Maddie Mills, a combo guard from 1A Upton who averaged 11.8 points per game and was a two-time All-State player.

"She's a girl that has family ties in the area," Helenbolt said. "So she's very familiar with the area and she wanted to be here … She's a good athlete … She's a 4.0 kid, just a really high character kid that we're excited to add."

Another transfer for the Trappers is Jaila Childress from Las Vegas, Nevada. She attended Fort Lewis College last year under former Trapper coach Lauren Zuniga (Davis).

"She was originally committed here, but ended up going to Fort Lewis," Helenbolt said. "She's a 6-foot guard, really good shooting ability and she's gotten experience at the (NCAA) Division II level even though she redshirted. We think she adds length, adds some college experience to our program and we think she can be a big contributor."

The lone recruit from South Dakota is 6-footer Isabella (Bella) Williams, who will join the Trappers from Kadoka, where she was Player of the Year in her conference.

"[She} averaged about 20 points a game played in the South Dakota All-Star game. Really good athlete," Helenbolt said. "I think she has a really high ceiling just because of her athletic ability. She can shoot, she's really good at anticipating on defense and then she's got some really quick feet for being as big as she is. She's a ranch kid so she's tough. I think she really has a lot of potential for us if she can adjust to the speed and level of play."

A familiar face from Wyoming joining the Trappers from the 3A ranks will be Addison Hickey from Mountain View, another tall guard who could play at the forward spots for the Trappers.

"She's been two-time All-State and one of the best players in 3A, she can kind of do a little bit of everything," Helenbolt said. "She had to play a little bit of point guard this year. I think she's more of a natural three or four, but she can shoot, she can dribble, she can pass … She's got a lot of potential."

Adding some height to the Trappers will be Ava Post from Fremont, Utah, as the 6-foot, 4-inch player will add height while also adding some stretch ability to the team.

"She's 6 foot, 4 inches, skinny frame. But the nice thing about her is she's got a nice touch. She can step out and hit threes too," Helenbolt said. "She's multi-dimensional and has got a ton of potential. She could be a really good player for us and add some size that we just did not have last year."

Another forward joining Northwest is Fallon Millican from Gooding, Idaho, bringing more toughness to the Trappers with her rodeo background.

"She's another rancher kid, she's a really good rodeo participant and one of the top kids in the state of Idaho in rodeo," Helenbolt said. "She can play inside, but she also can play outside. She can step out and hit a three, and the thing I loved about her is that a lot of times when she gets a rebound she can also push the ball and dribble and handle the ball really well and make good decisions in transition."

Another Wyoming recruit is McKinlee Covolo, who will also join the Trappers from Mountain View as a three-time All-State player.

"I think she's a leader, and she's just going to be a kid that really contributes to the college. She was the leading rebounder in the state of Wyoming, averaged a double-double, averaged 17 points and 12 rebounds," Helenbolt said. "Rebounding was a huge struggle for us last year, and by adding her along with some of the other kids we got, I think we tried to address that weakness."

After a roster spot opened up following a player who decided not to join the Trappers, Northwest added one final recruit to the team.

That player is Saige Kidd, a four-year varsity player and three year full-time starter for the Panthers.

Kidd averaged 5.4 points per game, 4.8 rebounds and 1.3 steals for the Panthers in her final season and participated in the Wyoming Coaches Association All-Star game in Casper in late July.