The defending 5A state champion Bountiful High girls basketball squad is back with the 5A Player of the Year in senior Taylor Harvey and Third Team All-State sophomore guard Milika Satuala. The strength of those two returning starters have kept the Redhawks at the top as the season gets underway.

“We’re extremely excited to get going and know that we should have a pretty good year,” said head coach Joel Burton. “If we get our pieces in place and ride our star players, it could be a great year.”

Bountiful graduated three All-State players in Claire Cook, Jordan Harvey and Lizzy McConkie and will need others to step up to fill the void their abilities have created. “They are all so talented, but Claire was our defensive stopper and really was huge for us as we did all the dirty work. We sure appreciate her for it, but she certainly didn’t get enough credit and will be tough to replace,” Burton said. “So, now we’ll be looking for who is going to play hard-nosed defense, compete, do the dirty work, compete and rotate for help defense. We’ve challenged the team on filling those roles and produce a group effort.”

Also on the BHS squad this season are key returning contributors in sophomore guard Adelaide Stevenson and junior guard Abby Orne, newcomers freshman guard Maleah Nelson and freshman guard/forward Brynna Castleton along with senior Sila Tuakoi; juniors Mae Johnson and Anna Larson; sophomores Adeline Amisone, Olivia Brizendine, Caroline Cannon, Brook Dodge, Isabeau Hoff, Charlotte Johnson, Abrielle Kattelman, Quincy Miller, Aimee Moore and Raquel Schiess; and freshmen Mia Loya, Carlie Neilsen and Faith Nixon.

Burton is being assisted on the coaching staff this season by Tony Harvey, Kendal Ludwig and Mary Jolly.

 “The girls are working hard and we should be pretty solid as we go,” Burton said. “We have young kids and just a few practices in, we’ve barely run any offensive sets so we can focus on defense. It will just be a process and we’ll learn a little more each game.”

Bountiful began the season Nov. 16 against Westlake, 6A’s 5th-ranked team, and lost 47-37. Harvey and Satuala combined for 28 of the team’s points in the loss.

The Redhawks are also scheduled to face Lone Peak, Morgan, Spanish Fork, Sky View, Brighton, Ridgeline, Springville and Fremont before Region 5 home-and-away games with Viewmont, Northridge, Bonneville, Clearfield, Roy and Woods Cross. The 5A state tournament will be held from Feb. 20 through March 2.