Montesano’s Paige Lisherness named 1A Evergreen League co-MVP

Montesano junior led Bulldogs to league, district titles this season

By Ryan Sparks • June 10, 2021 1:00 pm
DAILY WORLD FILE PHOTO Montesano junior Paige Lisherness was named the 1A Evergreen League co-MVP on Wednesday after leading the Bulldogs to a district championship in 2021.
DAILY WORLD FILE PHOTO Montesano junior Paige Lisherness was named the 1A Evergreen League co-MVP on Wednesday after leading the Bulldogs to a district championship in 2021.

After claiming league and district championships this season, Montesano’s girls basketball program was honored with top league awards.

Bulldogs junior Paige Lisherness was named co-MVP and head coach Mark Mansfield took Coach of the Year honors as the 1A Evergreen League announced its All-League Team on Wednesday.

”I think it speaks about how hard our kids worked. I have a great staff and since I started at Monte we’ve all been on the same page and have all been working toward the same goal,” Mansfield said of being named the top coach in the league for the 2021 season. “To me, this is more of a staff and program award than for me personally. It’s nice for our program to be recognized and I appreciate it a lot.”

DAILY WORLD FILE PHOTO Montesano head coach Mark Mansfield, middle, was named the 1A Evergreen League’s Coach of the Year after winning a league title this season.

DAILY WORLD FILE PHOTO Montesano head coach Mark Mansfield, middle, was named the 1A Evergreen League’s Coach of the Year after winning a league title this season.

Lisherness was named the league’s co-MVP with Tenino junior center Ashley Schow after leading the Bulldogs to a 12-2 season and a 7-1 league record.

The 5-foot-11 junior was the epitome of a power forward, often dominating opponents in the painted area and on the glass. Lisherness led the Bulldogs in points scored, rebounds, steals and deflections and scored a team-best 12 points in a 44-13 win over King’s Way Christian in the 1A District 4 Championship game on Saturday, June 5.

”Paige just took over and has continued to improve and work hard. She is just relentless and plays so hard every second she’s out there,” Mansfield said of his star player. “She is just so strong and quick she is a matchup problem for a lot of people. She stepped up huge this year and is very deserving of this honor.”

Paige was joined on the first team by her sister Zoee Lisherness, a senior defensive dynamo that led the Bulldogs with 16 rebounds in the district-title game, and by sophomore guard Jaiden King, who emerged as a secondary scorer and reliable perimeter defender for the Bulldogs this season.

Hoquiam’s Sharaya Brydon was also named to the league’s First Team after leading the Grizzlies in scoring this season before school officials cut the Grizzlies season short.

Grays Harbor County athletes named to the Second Team were Montesano’s Mikayla Stanfield and Maia Young, Elma’s Janessa Sample and Hoquiam’s Charli Sampson-Eastman.

The full 1A Evergreen All-League Team is as follows:

DAILY WORLD FILE PHOTO Hoquiam senior Sharaya Brydon, right, was named to the 1A Evergreen League’s First Team on Wednesday after leading the Grizzlies in scoring this season.

DAILY WORLD FILE PHOTO Hoquiam senior Sharaya Brydon, right, was named to the 1A Evergreen League’s First Team on Wednesday after leading the Grizzlies in scoring this season.

1A Evergreen All-League Team

Co-League MVP — Paige Lisherness, jr., Montesano; Ashley Schow, jr., Tenino

Coach of the Year — Mark Mansfield, Montesano

First Team

Zoee Lisherness, sr., Montesano; Megan Letts, jr., Tenino; Sharaya Brydon, sr., Hoquiam; Jaiden King, soph., Montesano; Alivia Hunter, jr., Tenino

Second Team

Mikayla Stanfield, fr., Montesano; Grace Vestal, jr., Tenino; Janessa Sample, jr., Elma; Maia Young, soph., Montesano; Charli Sampson-Eastman, jr., Hoquiam