Maddi Utti goes up for a shot during practice in November at Seaside High School.

The Seaside girls basketball program is expecting a smooth transition at the top this season, as Mike Hawes replaces Wally Hamer as head coach for the Lady Gulls.

After all, Hawes spent the last two years as an assistant to Hamer, he knows all the players, and Hamer didn’t exactly leave an empty cupboard at Seaside.

One of the top players in the state is still on the Gulls’ roster, along with two other seniors and additional talent in the junior class.

Tia Abbey remains to coach the junior varsity, while Seaside has added former Gull Marla Olstedt to the varsity staff.

“On many levels I lament Wally’s retirement, though I’m grateful for all that he’s done for the program and me,” Hawes said. “We’re excited to have Marla. It’s easy to bring her back in the fold. She has a great history here, and hopefully we can turn it over to her in a few years.”

“You start with Banks,” Hawes said. “They lost some kids, but they have some good ones coming back, and they had the best JV team in the league last year.

“Valley Catholic is always tough. I think Astoria will be better, and Tillamook will be competitive. But you have to give kudos to Banks, until someone knocks them off.”

All five starters made all-league for the Gulls last season. Three have graduated (Paige Ideue, Brittany West, Whitney Westerholm), while first-team all-leaguers Maddi Utti and Sydney Villegas return for their senior seasons.

Utti has already signed a letter-of-intent to play at Fresno State, and is healthy coming into the new season, after battling an ankle injury last year.

“Her health is important — obviously we’re a different team with and without someone like Maddi,” Hawes said.

And obviously Utti will be the focus of opposing defenses.

“The teams that can match up with us will box-and-one Maddi, and we’ve struggled with that the last few years,” he said. “We have to figure out ways for others to score, and ways for Maddi to continue to make plays and score.

“We have to figure that riddle out. Hopefully Sydney can be a playmaker, and I think we have the possibility of some shooters.”

The Gulls are gradually transitioning to a new look, as they graduate their all-league talent around Utti.

“We lost three starters and two of our top three off the bench,” said the coach. “There’s a lot of kids who will have to step up to varsity basketball and be ready to play.”

Utti, Villegas and Lucy Bodner are Seaside’s three seniors, with a junior class that includes Bryre Babbitt, Corrie Falleur, Jetta Ideue and Anesha Smart.

Rounding out the varsity rotation will be sophomores Annaka Garhofer, Gretchen Hoekstre, Anna Huddleston, Trinity Turner and Emy Kaiser, a transfer from Wyoming.

Seaside Girls Basketball

Coach: Mike Hawes, 1st year

2015-16: 20-7 (7-3 Cowapa)

Playoffs: Defeated North Marion in state playoff (49-42), lost to Mazama (31-44) and Banks (36-47) in state tournament.

All-League Losses: Paige Ideue, Brittany West, Whitney Westerholm

All-League Returners: Maddi Utti, Sr.; Sydney Villegas, Sr.