BIGFORK — This season's Bigfork girls basketball team looks a little different from previous years with a new coach and a crop of younger players, but the team is still being led by senior guard and Carroll College commit Paeten Gunlock.
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The Valkyries are gearing up for their third season in Class A, but the team is missing a few staples it has had in the past four years.
With their previous star, Braeden Gunlock, now graduated, younger sister Paeten has stepped into a leadership role her older sister left behind.
“It kind of puts a lot of weight on my shoulders, I feel I need to step up and fill those roles as a shooter and an attacker,” Gunlock said. “Some of these other girls (are) really stepping up and proving that they can do that, too.”
Another significant change to this Valkyries team is the departure of the previous coach, Cortnee Gunlock, who stepped down just before the season.
With the team's recent history of making the state tournament three years in a row, Bigfork’s new head coach, Isaac Martel, hopes to continue the winning culture that has been set in the program.
“Coach Gunlock did an amazing job in her tenure here,” Martel said. “Turning the program around and turning it into, honestly, like a powerhouse in Montana, just regular state tournament appearances. Obviously those are big shoes to fill and there is some pressure, but we're just taking it one day at a time and just trying to improve every day.”
While the Valkyries' main focus is on improving every day, Gunlock hopes that mentality will help her at the next level as she recently committed to play basketball at Carroll College.
“I like how they play with each other, and coach (Rachelle) Sayers, I really like her as a coach,” Gunlock said. “I think she's hard on them, but also I think she's a comfortable coach to be around. She can talk to anyone, and anyone can talk to her.”
Although he is new to head coaching this year, Martel has been with the program the past four seasons and has watched the development of the seniors firsthand.
So it was a proud moment for Martel when Gunlock announced her commitment to Carroll.
“Super special, right? Any player that's going to go play college it's just a great accomplishment for her,” Martell said. “We're super proud of her (and) watching her grow over the past four years has been awesome.”
