TACOMA — Young players are taking over the game. Super sophomores and fabulous freshmen have been prominent and dominant at the Class 4A state girls basketball tournament.

Youth not only is being served it can dish as well.

Primary among the fresh talent coming through the ranks are 5-foot-11 sophomore guard Angie Bjorklund, who averaged 18.8 for Spokane's University (26-3), and 5-8 freshman point guard Ashley Corral for Prairie, who averaged 11.8 for the Falcons (26-4).

"There are a lot of good ones, and we have a good one, too," said Prairie coach Al Aldridge, who has watched Corral develop. "Obviously, there's some good coaching going on in the middle-school level getting these kids ready. Ashley is very gifted, and someone working with her at a young age got her off to a good start."

Corral, who averaged 8.5 points, 6.0 assists and shot 46.7 (7 of 15) percent from three-point range here, is one of 26 freshmen listed at the 16-team tournament. Meadowdale has four freshmen while Auburn Riverside, which beat Meadowdale in the opening round, has five.

"All the AAU and club teams from fifth grade through high school have developed these kids earlier," Aldridge said. "By the time they get to high school they've had enough experience to compete."

Monroe made its run to the state with a talented five-sophomore set.

"We know our core team next year is going to be young, so we might as well step up this year so we can get in the flow next year," said Sarah Morton, Monroe's sophomore point guard. "The talent is getting better and they're progressing faster."

Other young rising stars include: Monroe sophomores Chelsea Drivstuen, Jordyn Battle, Kayla Wangner and Keena Hopkins; Snohomish sophomore Amanda Best; Meadowdale freshman Eryn Jones and sophomore Marelle Moehrle; Gig Harbor sophomore Rebecca Sexson; Kentlake sophomore Maggie Henley, Lewis and Clark freshman Brittany Kennedy; Richland sophomore Kayla McKeirnan and Garfield's sophomore Jessica Tinned.

"No. 1, it's God-given talent then combined with the hard work she puts in," University coach Mark Stinson said. "She deserves any accolades she gets."

Dickson's long season

He didn't have Morton, his starting point guard, as the season began because of ailing knees. "So we had to develop a plan of action without her playing guard. The team adjusted," he said. "We kind of struggled offensively at first. Sarah being out of sync was part of that.

"Once she got healthy our offense got moving a lot better and the young kids like Keena (Hopkins) and Jordyn (Battle) developed."

The Bearcats went on to a 23-5 record and a seventh-place finish at the state tournament. Dickson also won his 200th game here after 11 seasons at the school.

"We also had a couple other situations," Dickson said, referring to a two-game suspension of his star center, 6-foot-6 Kirsten Thompson, for a hair-pulling incident. Yet the team rallied to win a pair of district games.

Dickson, 61, also had personal bad news with the death two weeks ago of a brother-in-law to Lou Gehrig's disease. Three weeks ago he was diagnosed with prostate cancer.

"I'm counting on God for a miracle so I can keep on doing the things I do," Dickson said.

• Luv Rattler came to the Tacoma Dome with a stiff neck yesterday. So stiff, in fact, she said she couldn't turn her head far enough to the right to play the kind of deny defense Kentlake is accustomed to. The culprit: her long hair. "I was doing my hair this morning and I pulled something," said Rattler, who still finished with 12 points in her team's 38-35 victory over Redmond.

• Ophelia Whitfield, who helped lead Chief Sealth to the Class 3A state title last weekend, will be among the 60 girls expected to participate in the Washington State Coaches Association All-State games next Saturday at Jefferson High School near Federal Way. The 1A/B game will be at 1 p.m., followed the by 2A/3A game at 3 p.m. and 4A at 5 p.m.

Washington-bound Heidi McNeill of Oak Harbor will be on the 4A West team along with Sydney Benson of Snohomish (Eastern Washington) and Anne Phippard of Lake Washington (Montana State). The 3A West team also includes Carly Koebel of Kennedy (Portland). Tara Holgate of Snohomish County Christian (Eastern Washington) heads the 1A/B West squad.

• The top players in the SPSL will compete in an all-star game Tuesday at 7 p.m. at Auburn Riverside. The game features the top-10 players from the SPSL North against the top 10 from the SPSL South, as determined in the voting for the all-opponent teams. The North will be led by MVP Allyson Sievers of Kentlake. The South features co-MVPs Amanda DuRocher and Nadia Parker of Bethel.

• Garfield's frenzied style of basketball has a distinct flair. Star guard Malia O'Neal describes it as "street ball with structure."

Seattle Times staff reporter Sandy Ringer contributed to this notebook.