Solid year for Riverton

The Riverton Silverwolves girls basketball team had so many historic moments, it's difficult to get too down about the season ending without a state title.

"It was a wonderful season," said coach Ron Ence. "It was a fun team, and to only lose three games all year — that says a lot."

The Silverwolves earned a share of the region title and then they won their first playoff game in the first-round of the 5A State Tournament. Though they lost in the quarterfinals, Ence said he couldn't have asked for more from his squad this season.

"This team just didn't struggle," he said. "They played well no matter who we played, and their margin of victory remained constant. They just took care of business."

Riverton was led by a solid group of seniors with two junior starters that added to their depth. Guard Dayna Burgess ran the team's offense.

"She was a three-year starter and she had great all-around skills," Ence said. "She'll be tough to replace."

The Silverwolves were the beneficiaries of a move-in, senior forward/center Kim Gamblin. The 6-1 athletic player immediately earned a starting spot in the line-up and gave Riverton more depth offensively and defensively with solid shooting and rebounding.

"She was a good shooter, and she had a great year for us," he said. "She helped us a lot."

Sarah Blad is a track star who added speed and agility to the Silverwolves defense.

"She really helped us defensively," Ence said.

Shanna Neilson played forward and helped the team with rebounds.

Brittany Tattersall came off the bench for the team and was "a good little fearless guard."

Ali Egbert, a senior forward, also came off the bench and offered the team energy and effort.

Junior guard Shannon Hildreth and forward Amanda Hansen started for the squad and will ensure the Silverwolves will repeat some of this year's success next season. Hildreth is a solid 3-point shooter, while Hansen is a hard-working, aggressive post player.

"It's been a really fun three years together," he said. "It really helped to have some depth this year."

The program will be solid for the next few years with talented, hard-working athletes moving up from the junior varsity program.

"Our junior varsity went 19-1, but that doesn't always translate into varsity wins," Ence said. "But the program should finish well for years to come. We expect to be a top 10 5A team every year now."

This season's success and team chemistry made this a memorable year for the players and coaching staff.

"This," Ence said, "is one of those special years you're not going to forget for awhile."