They feel they can navigate through a tough league and head to state.

Bainbridge girls basketball head coach Penny Gienger felt the Spartans should have been at state last year.

They had a stellar season going 21-4 overall, including a perfect 10-0 at home, and were undefeated in the Metro League Mountain Division as well during the regular season.

They were ranked in the top five in the polls for much of the season, holding down the number three spot.

Their only losses came to disputed two-time state champ Chief Sealth twice, state finalist Issaquah and Holy Names, which eliminated Bainbridge from the district tournament.

But Gienger understands how difficult it is to make it in Metro, much less their district tourney.

“Our losses were to the number one and number two teams in the state,” she said, referring to Sealth and Issaquah, who met in the 3A championship game last March. “I think anytime you go into districts, the best teams get knocked off at that tournament, because it’s a tough tournament.

“Everybody said we cooled off at the end, but the truth is we had to play Issaquah, who could and probably should have won state last year. The other two losses were to Chief Sealth, who cheated. So our only (other) loss was to Holy Names, who we had beaten previously but they were always good games.”

But while Gienger felt the Spartans could have won that game as well, she said they have the talent to compete this year, but are searching for an identity.

“These kids have some experience,” the 2006 Seattle Times Coach of the Year said. “They went through that loss which was pretty tough. They had a great summer. (But) I haven’t sat down and talked with them about what will be the difference this year.”

Senior co-captain Caitlyn Salo agreed.

“Since we lost two major players, we’re still trying to figure it all out,” she said.

The Spartans lost four players from last year, including starters in Allie Picha and Kaitlin Bailey, but seven players return to make up a strong squad.

Along with Salo, senior guard and co-captaion Lindsey Bratonia, senior center Megan Burris, senior guard Angela Failla, senior forward/center Julia Weese, junior guard Emily Farrar and sophomore forward Brittany Gray are all returning to help Bainbridge make it to State.

Gray was one of the Spartans’ top scorers and rebounders last season, while Salo led the team in assists and steals per game.

Burris led the team in blocks.

Gienger said she’ll move Gray out to the wing this season to replace Picha.

“She’ll be able to pick up some points,” she said. “But I’m not so worried about the scoring as I am the rebounding position that (Picha) helped us so much with.

“I’m hoping our defense will be a little bit better,” Gienger continued. “I didn’t think we did so well at that last season.”

The coach felt another strength of the team will be depth.

“I can go with different lineups, I can go with more players and I have some skill kids,” she said.

Several new players step up from the junior varsity, as sophomore guard Kirsten Michael, junior center Claire Thomas, sophomore forward Jesse Vincent and sophomore guard Anna Wood move up to contribute.

Gienger likes what these foursome can bring to the court.

Bratonia said the Spartans been relearning their offensive and defensive sets, but the new players are fitting in well.

“We have a lot of hard workers on this team,” she said.

They’ll be working a lot harder against the Metro teams, including Sealth – who despite being stripped of their state title for recruiting violations, return most of their players – Holy Names with Devin Brooks, Seattle Prep, Rainier Beach, Bishop Blanchet, Cleveland and Ingraham.

They’ll also play some tough non-league games including a home contest against perennial state qualifiers in 4A Meadowdale and a game against 4A Roosevelt Jan. 15 at the Martin Luther King tournament at the Hec Ed Pavilion on the UW campus – the same team featured in the documentary “Heart of the Game.”

Gienger isn’t happy with how the ruling on Sealth’s recruiting violations was handled, but she won’t worry about the lingering effect of it all.

“I’m pretty over it,” she said. “We’ll just play them that one time (Jan. 17 on the road) and hopefully that’ll be it.”

Burris agreed.

“We’re trying not to let it affect us,” she said.

Bainbridge opens with non-league games against North Kitsap at home and Olympic on the road.

They play Ingraham Dec. 1 at home.

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Spartan girls basketball

Nov. 27 – North Kitsap, 7 p.m. – CANCELLED, makeup date TBA.

Nov. 29 – at Olympic, 6:45 p.m.

Dec. 1 – Ingraham, 6:15 p.m.

Dec. 6 – at Nathan Hale, 7:30 p.m.

Dec. 8 – West Seattle, 8 p.m.

Dec. 13 – Lakeside, 7:30 p.m.

Dec. 15 – at Bishop Blanchet, 6:15 p.m.

Dec. 28 – Meadowdale, 6:45 p.m.

Jan. 5, 2007 – Seattle Prep, 8 p.m.

Jan. 10, 2007 – at Eastside Catholic, 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 12 – at Holy Names, 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 15 – MLK Tournament – Roosevelt at Hec Ed Pavilon, 9:30 a.m.

Jan. 17 – at Cleveland, 8 p.m.

Jan. 19 – at Chief Sealth, 8 p.m.

Jan. 24 – Rainier Beach, 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 26 – at Lakeside, 6:15 p.m.

Jan. 31 – Bishop Blanchet, 7:30 p.m.

Feb. 2 – at Seattle Prep, 8 p.m.

Feb. 6 – Eastside Catholic, 6:15 p.m.

Feb. 8 – Holy Names, 8 p.m.

Feb. 12-17 – Metro Playoffs, sites and times TBA.

Feb. 19-Mar. 3 – District Playoffs, sites and times TBA.

Mar. 7-10 – 3A State tournament, Key Arena and Bank of America Arena, Seattle.