PORT TOWNSEND — The Port Townsend High School girls basketball team doesn’t plan to take it easy in the preseason.
The Redskins, off of trips to the state Class 2A tournament the past two years, have a tough preseason schedule set up, starting with a game tonight at 4A Central Kitsap, a Narrows League team.
“We have a tough early schedule but it should get us ready for the season,” said veteran Port Townsend coach John Stroeder, who is starting his seventh year at the school.
The Redskins next host Lakewood on Friday night and later will play at Bainbridge and battle strong teams Cashmere and Cascade.
Port Townsend is an experienced team looking for another trip to the state playoffs. The Redskins have been to state three of the six years Stroeder has been coaching.
Stroeder and his staff lost five players to graduation last spring but have six varsity veterans returning, including seniors Lexi Paoli and Shannon Paselk. Paoli is one of two tall players who will play a lot inside. The other is sophomore Erica Amico, who went to state last year but has limited varsity experience.
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The rest of the story appears in the Tuesday Peninsula Daily News.