Since arriving at Skyline a year ago, head girls basketball coach Greg Bruns has preached the importance of defense to his team.

Now, just two games into the new season, all the drilling seems to have paid off.

“It’s the second year of the program and kids are kind of starting to figure out what I’m trying to get across defensively,” Bruns said. “We’re going to have to really rebound it, and really get after teams and create offense with our defense.”

Over the first two games, the Spartans’ defense has done exactly that, thumping 3A powerhouse Meadowdale 54-38 in the season-opener, followed by a 60-30 victory over Liberty. In the win over 10th-ranked Meadowdale, Skyline forced the Mavericks into 35 turnovers.

“We’re really fast and we’re really athletic,” Bruns said. “That kind of lends itself to the defense we’re trying to teach these kids, and really getting after opponents and really pressuring the ball a lot.”

Leading the group of athletes is 5-foot-10 senior wing Kassia Fortier. She averaged eight points and seven rebounds per game as a junior, and over the first two games has averaged 19 points and nine rebounds.

“She’s super athletic, very quick,” Bruns said. “She’s really developed her outside shot more.”

The Spartans also return some length with a pair of 6-foot senior posts Amy Ziegler and Rachel Grasso, along with 5-foot-10 junior wing Michelle Bretl and 5-foot-8 senior wing Alex Angel.

A pair of freshmen guards, Haley Smith and Rachel Shim, are also expected to see significant minutes this season.

“We’re just trying to get them into the pace of the game a little bit … they’re both very talented and belong at the varsity level,” Bruns said.

Skyline finished 11-10 last season, dropping two straight games in the KingCo District tournament. Bruns said, as usual, the league is tough top to bottom. Garfield and Woodinville appear to be the early frontrunners, but with what he’s seen so far from his own team, anything can happen — especially if the Spartans defense continues to improve.

“It’s another year, another team, another season,” Bruns said.