ENTERPRISES MARTA STANGEL earned first-team honors in the Blue Mountain Conference after leading the Outlaws to a fifth-place finish at the 2A state tournament.

The Blue Mountain Conference was as competitive as ever during the 2011-12 season. Union was the only team to have a victory against each conference member, while Enterprise made the deepest run at the state tournament, finishing fifth.

That balance is apparent in the all-league selections released recently, as the first team is made up players from five different teams.

Union’s Keesha Sarman, Enterprise’s Marta Stangel, Bailey Bennett of Heppner, Morgan Entze of Weston-McEwen and Pilot Rock’s Jordan Jeppe were all first-team selections in the BMC.

The second team is made up eight players. Elgin and Pilot Rock were the only teams to have more than one player named.

The Lady Rockets had both Ginni Harrison and Caitlin Zyph earn second-team honors, while Elgin had Shelby Smith and Lauren Sauers named.

Kaci Langford of Union was also named, along with Enterprise’s Whitney Schaefer, Weston-McEwen’s Molly von Borstel and Irrigon’s Celina Munoz.

Earning honorable mention considerations were Shelby Graning, Elsa Steen and Hayly Riggs, all of Enterprise.

Joining them were Shannon Strickland of Elgin, Marlene Bodmer and Taylor Rudolph of Weston-McEwen, Nidia Ibarra, Kaci Kamm and Emma Gabriel of Stanfield and Heppner’s Carrie Haguewood.

Sarman was named the BMC player of the year and, along with Bodmer, was the only freshman to earn postseason honors.

Union’s Tessa Nicholson was named the coach of the year after taking the Lady Cats to a 17-8 overall record and a 10-4 mark in the BMC.

The conference looks to be strong again next season, with 13 of the 23 players listed expected to return.

Enterprise, Union, Pilot Rock and Weston-McEwen are all expected to return the bulk of their rosters next season, which could set up another entertaining season of basketball in the Blue Mountain Conference.