By 605 Sports Staff

Editor’s Note: 605 Sports will unveil team preview capsules on all boys basketball classes leading up to the 2022-23 season openers. The information provided was submitted by coaches in response to an email sent by 605 Sports.

Dakota Valley is coming off an undefeated season and its first-ever Class A state boys basketball championship. 

As a result, the Panthers are the No. 1 team in the preseason poll and received 17 of 18 first-place votes. But as always, Class A is loaded with contenders across the state. Sioux Valley, which finished second the past two seasons, is No. 2 in the preseason poll, while Dell Rapids is No. 3 in the rankings. St. Thomas More and Lennox were fourth and fifth, respectively, in the preseason poll. Sioux Falls Christian, Red Cloud, Winner and Hamlin are among the other teams contending for state tourney berths. 

Team capsules (listed in alphabetical order): 

Baltic 

Coach: Alex Langner

Last year’s record: 3-18

Key returnees: Mark Ditter, 5-11, jr.; Matt Muston, 6-1, sr.; Gunner Schultz, 5-10, sr.; Jack Erickson, 6-4, jr.; Beau Breece, 5-11, jr.; Tayden Hansen, 6-2, sr.

Top newcomers: Blake Hookie, 6-0, jr.; Ben Erickson, 5-11, fr.; Dylan Runestad, 5-10, fr.; Clay Lardy, 6-3, sr.

Outlook: The Bulldogs have high hopes despite their 3-18 record last season and coach Alex Langner said the team has put in the time during the offseason. 

“This season there is an expectation among our players to see a high level of success,” Langner said. “We have spent a number of hours in the gym improving and our kids have been very, very competitive throughout workouts and open gyms. We should be able to get up and down. Offensively, if we can find our roles and see success early it should help build confidence in some of our younger kids. I expect us to be in the thick of the pack for the conference as well as in our region. Our coaches and kids have high expectations for this year and it should be a fun group to watch.”

Beresford

Coach: Ben Short

Last year’s record: 8-13

Key returnees: Tate VanOtterloo, 6-5, sr.; Andrew Atwood, 6-3, jr.

Top newcomers: Aidan Hamm, 5-10, soph.; Seth James, 6-6, jr.

Outlook: Excitement is building for the Watchdogs. Beresford returns a pair of key contributors from last season’s 8-13 season. Tate VanOtterloo, a 6-foot-5 senior, logged 17 points and 4.3 rebounds per game last season during an all-conference season. Atwood, a 6-foot-3 junior, posted 10.6 points and four rebounds per game and was also an all-conference performer. 

“There is a lot of excitement around Beresford boys basketball this year,” Beresford coach Ben Short said. “We have seven seniors this season with most of them having quality varsity time a year ago. Insert some underclassmen that had amazing summer offseasons, our expectations are high. We are a long, lanky team this year with only one varsity player under six foot. We will look to run the court, capitalize on our athleticism and team speed.”

Bon Homme

Coach: Jason Hein

Last year’s record: 8-14 

Key returnees: Riley Rothschadl, 6-1, sr.; Chapin Cooper, 5-10, jr.; Landon Bares, 6-3, jr.; Logan Winckler, 5-11, sr.; Easton Mudder, 6-0, jr.

Top newcomers: Jace Toupal, 6-1, jr.; Landon Schmidt, 6-2, soph.; Evan Ulmer, 5-11, jr.; Jacob Cuka, 6-0, jr.; Cayden Himes, 6-0, sr.

Outlook: Bon Homme returns five players with plenty of experience from last season’s 8-14 squad. The Cavaliers fell in region play last season against Hanson, and look to use the experience to build a successful team this year. Bon Homme will be led by senior Riley Rothschadl (14 ppg, 8 rpg, 3 apg) and juniors Landon Bares (12 ppg/4 rpg) and Chapin Cooper (11 ppg, 4 apg, 3 spg). Logan Winckler (4 ppg, 2 rpg, 2 apg, 1 spg) and Easton Mudder (4 ppg/2 apg) will also see significant time on the court.

“We have a good mix of perimeter players on this team. We will have to play strong defense and take care of the ball,” Bon Homme coach Jason Hein said. “What we lack in size we will make up in speed. We have 3 seniors (2 with experience) and 6 juniors so we will look for leadership from our upperclassmen.”

Canton 

Coach: Taylor Fechner

Last year’s record: 9-12

Key returnees: Jacob VandeWaard, 6-8, sr.; Derek Tieszen, 6-2, sr.; Matthew Anderson, 6-7, jr.

Top newcomers: Cain Wallner, 6-3, soph.; Braxton Mulder, 6-2, jr.; Rylan Larson, 6-2, soph.; Ryan Kuper, 6-5, jr. 

Outlook: The C-Hawks bring back three double-figure scorers from last season’s 9-12 season. Jacob VandeWeerd (6-foot-8) and Matthew Anderson (6-foot-7) will give Canton a bring front line, while Derek Tieszen will complement from the guard spot. VandeWeerd averaged 23 points, 12 rebounds and four blocks last season, while Tieszen added 14 points, six assists and six rebounds per game. Anderson registered 13 points and eight rebounds per game.

“We are a veteran lead group that has logged tons of minutes over the last two seasons,” Canton coach Taylor Fechner said. “We are a really long and rangy team this year that can disrupt teams defensively that will often have four guys on the floor 6-3 or better. Playing in the Dak XII has battle tested this group and will be a building block for a great 22-23 season.”

Clark/Willow Lake

Coach: Jerome Nesheim

Last year’s record: 15-8

Key returnees: Brady Jordan, 6-2, sr.; Trey Huber, 6-0, sr.; Kaplan Felberg, 6-2, sr.; Cole Brenden, 5-10, sr.; Mitchell Larson, 6-4, sr.; Cole Heiman, 6-4, sr.; Jack Helkenn, 6-3, jr.; Tyson Huber, 6-0, jr.; Aaron Zemlicka, 6-1, jr.

Top newcomers: Owen Spieker, 6-0, jr.; Christian Ramirez, 6-0, jr.; Griffin Musser, 6-0, soph.; Zach Ambrose, 5-8, soph.; Emmerson Larson, 6-3, fr.; Lincoln Reidburn, 6-1, fr.; Mato Denoyers, 5-8, fr.; Will Hovde, 5-8, fr.; Mason Knock, 6-2, fr.; Kye Vandersnick, 5-10, fr.; Levi Atkins, 6-2, fr.

Outlook: Clark/Willow Lake returns nine letterwinners from a team that lost to Flandreau in the SoDak 16 last season. The Cyclones will be led by seniors Brady Jordan (9.4 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 3 apg), Trey Huber (10.1 ppg, 3 rpg, 3.3 apg), and Kaplan Felberg (10.2 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 2.3 apg) and add plenty of experience and athleticism to the team. Clark/Willow Lake will be a better perimeter shooting team this season, but will not have the size in the paint like past years.

“We are going to have to get up and down the court looking for some transition buckets; we don’t have the size or strength to grind it out at the half court setting,” Clark/Willow Lake coach Jerome Nesheim said. “We have very good overall team quickness for defensively we are going to be solid. We are a bit undersized. We will have to use our quickness to make up for that lack of size. We need to make sure we have more consistency in our scoring.”

Nesheim, who is entering his 25th year of coaching, also noted that Dakota Valley, Sioux Falls Christian, Sioux Valley, St. Thomas More, and Dell Rapids will be the top teams in Class A. 

Deuel 

Coach: Jon Peterreins

Last year’s record: 10-11

Key returnees: Trey Maaland, 6-1, jr.; Gavin Benck, 6-2, sr.; Braydon Simon, 5-11, sr.; Ronnie Begalka, 6-4, sr.; Dravyn Carlson, 6-1, sr.; Owen Quail, 5-11, sr.; Carter Leddy, 6-4, sr.; Ricky Berndt, 6-0, sr.

Top newcomers: Josh Mussi, 6-3, sr.; Jaydon Schmalz, 5-11, sr.; Devon Moore, 5-10, sr.

Outlook: The Cardinals bring back three key players from their 10-11 season. Trey Maaland, a 6-1 junior guard, logged 11.7 points and 4.4 rebounds per game last season. Gavin Benck (9.3 ppg/5.6 rpg) and Braydon Simon (8.2 ppg/3 rpg) are other top contributors for coach Jon Peterreins’ squad. 

“Our focus has been to continue to add skill and put in the time for strength training during the off season,” Peterreins said. “It’s been great to see the progress made in the gym and in the weight room. We had a great summer of hoops playing in team camps and also competitive leagues in Sioux Falls and Watertown. We need to take that experience into this season and keep working towards playing our best team ball. We feel this team has the potential to play at a high level when pacing the game offensively and applying solid defensive pressure. This team has prided themselves on their defense and making that our identity. We want to play in space offensively and allow our players to make plays.” 

Elk Point-Jefferson

Coach: Jake Otkin

Last year’s record: 10-11 

Key returnees: Easton Kempf, 6-5, sr.; Chace Fornia, 6-4, sr.; Devon Schmitz, 6-0, sr.; Jake Scarmon, 6-1, sr.; Alex Scarmon, 6-2, sr.; Garrett Merkley, 5-10, jr.; Evan Fornia, 6-6, jr.

Top newcomers: Reed Sayler, 6-1, jr.; Kayden Moore, 5-10, jr.; Carson Timmins, 5-10, jr. 

Outlook: The Huskies will look to several key returning players to fuel a team that is looking to win more than the 10 games they won last season. Elk Point-Jefferson will also look to carry the momentum gained during the fall, which saw the Huskies bring home their first-ever state football championship. The Huskies will count on players such as Easton Kempf (12.8 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 2.6 apg), Chase Fornia (9.8 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 2.4 apg), and Devon Schmitz (8.6 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 1.8 apg) to lead the team this season.

“All of our seniors have a chance to be big contributors and go off on any game. That is the beauty of our team is if you don’t game plan for one or two guys, they’ll be the guys that can hurt you the most,” Elk Point-Jefferson coach Jake Otkin said. “This is a very tight knit group of guys, and they are extremely unselfish. They don’t care who gets the glory, they just want to compete and win. It is also a bonus they are extremely great guys to be around, and I am fortunate enough to be able to be called their coach. They make it easy and fun to want to be around them and in the gym with them.”

Estelline/Hendricks 

Coach: Andy Hansen

Last year’s record: 13-9

Key returnees: Braxton Saathoff, 6-1, sr.; Joe McAninch, 5-10, sr.; Caleb Hofer, 6-1, sr.; Mattix Hausman, 5-9, jr.; Trey Cass, 5-10, jr.; Wyat James, 6-0, soph.

Top newcomers: Braxton Pravecek, 6-0, soph.; Caden Ching, 6-0, jr.; Braxton Jongeling, 6-2, soph.; Matthew McAninch, 6-0, soph.

Outlook: The Redhawks bring back six key contributors from last season’s 13-9 team and coach Andy Hansen said there’s a number of playmakers across the board, too.

“This year we have lots of depth and playmakers returning,” Estelline/Hendricks coach Andy Hansen said. “We are hoping to have great ball movement to keep the defense scrambling. Defensively we want to play a high pressure style in order to force lots of turnovers and quick shots.”

Flandreau

Coach: Brendan Sheppard

Last year’s record: 20-5 (fourth place at the state tournament)

Key returnees: Paul Parsley, 6-2, soph.; Luke Sheppard, 6-4, fr.

Outlook: Flandreau will be a young team this season after losing four players off of last season’s state tournament team that saw a fourth place finish.

“Flandreau lost four excellent seniors off last year’s state tournament team,” Flandreau coach Brendan Sheppard said. “We will be very young with a large freshmen class who are very talented. This year will be a building year as the team will be young. As the season progresses we should see great improvement.”

Hamlin

Coach: Todd Neuendorf

Last year’s record: 15-7

Key returnees: Tyson Stevenson, 6-2, jr.; Easton Neuendorf, 5-11, soph.; Brennan Keszler, 6-1, sr.; Evan Stormo, 6-3, soph.; Rylan Bawdon, 6-5, sr.; Dawson Noem, 6-4, soph.

Top newcomers: Zac VanMeeteren, 6-6, soph.

Outlook: The Chargers welcome back five starters and nine letterwinners from last season’s 15-7 campaign. Tyson Stevenson, Easton Neuendorf and Brennan Keszler are all coming off All-Northeast Conference seasons and will again be key contributors to the Chargers. 

“We are excited about our season,” Hamlin coach Todd Neuendorf said. “We have a very athletic group of kids. We should be able to play an uptempo style of basketball. We hope to have our full court defensive pressure as a staple of this year’s team. We want to run on every opportunity we can. We hope to have a balance of inside touches and scoring from behind the arc.  We hope to be able to improve throughout the season and be playing our best basketball in February and March.”

Hanson

Coach: Josh Oltmanns 

Last year’s record: 16-6

Key returnees: Jackson Jarding, 6-0, sr.; Hadley Wallace, 6-0, sr.; Ethan Cheeseman, 6-3, sr.; Isayah Price, 6-6, jr.; Hayden Schroeder, 6-0, jr.; Jayce Slaba, 6-0, jr.

Top newcomers: Sutton Dewald, 6-0, soph.; Ben Wilber, 6-2, soph.; Jeren Zens, 6-1, soph.; Carter Popp, 6-1, soph.; Tye Hernandez, 5-10, soph.; A.J. Wilber, 6-3, soph.; Keaton Weber, 5-10, soph.; Talan Weber, 6-1, jr.; Conner Endorf, 5-11, fr.; Carter Endorf, 5-8, fr.; Alex Tuschen, 6-0, fr.; Nate Wilber, 5-8, fr.; Sutton Squires, 6-0, fr.; Cole Dewald, 5-10, fr. 

Outlook: Hanson looks to rebound after a crushing 64-34 loss to Sioux Valley in the Class A SoDak 16 last season. The Beavers return seven letterwinners that have plenty of experience to make a deep postseason run this year.

“Stay(ing) consistent on both ends of the floor will determine how successful we will be this season,” Hanson coach Josh Oltmanns said. “We are excited to start the season and improve.”

Madison

Coach: Jeff Larsen

Last year’s record: 10-13 

Key returnees: Aiden Jensen, 6-8, sr.; Ben Brooks, 6-7, soph.

Top newcomers: Eli Barger, 6-0, jr.; Andrew Comes, 5-9, jr.; Elijah Sims, 6-1, jr.; Thomas Mechels, 6-2, jr.; Carsen Schneider, 6-0, jr.; Chuck Callahan, 6-2, jr.

Outlook: The Bulldogs bring back a pair of big post players from last season’s 10-13 season. Aiden Jensen (6-foot-8) logged 15.3 points and 7.2 rebounds per game last season, while Ben Brooks (6-foot-7) posted 5.1 points and 3.8 rebounds per game. 

“We are very excited that the season is approaching and the boys have been working hard at practice this week,” Madison coach Jeff Larsen said. “They know what it means to commit and be a great teammate. We have a tough conference but will compete night in and night out. The boys are lots of fun to coach and want to have success,”

McCook Central/Montrose

Coach: Jeff Heisinger

Last year’s record: 8-13

Key returnees: Boston Katzer, 6-3, soph.; Owen Alley, 6-1, jr.; Mason Sabers, 5-10, soph.; Ty Morrison, 5-11, jr. 

Top newcomers: Isaac Kane, 6-0, sr.; Jackson Schmidt, 6-0, soph.; Lane Deutsch, 6-0, soph.; Jonathan Schock, 6-2, sr.

Outlook: The Fighting Cougars bring back four key contributors from last season’s 8-13 season. Boston Katzer, a 6-foot-3 sophomore guard, recorded 12 points, 3.2 rebounds and two steals per game last season. Owen Alley, a 6-foot-1 junior, added 5.8 points and 3.8 rebounds per game last season. 

“We will feature a nice mix of returning players with some talented newcomers,” MCM coach Jeff Heisinger said. “We hope to be playing our best basketball come tournament time.” 

Milbank

Coach: Logan Diede

Last year’s record: 10-12

Key returnees: Garrett Mertens, 6-2, jr.; Justus Osborn, 6-0, sr.; Joe Schulte, 6-5, jr.; Jaxson Wildung, 6-2, jr.

Top newcomers: Yohana Ajwanga, 6-5, jr. 

Outlook: Milbank will try to improve from last season’s 10-12 record with key players returning some valuable experience. The Bulldogs return four key players, including Garrett Mertens, Justus Osborn, Joe Schulte, and Jaxson Wildung.

“We have a long, athletic, and hungry team. This has been a dedicated group over the years, especially over the last offseason (spring/summer/fall) leading up to the start of this season,” Milbank coach Logan Diede said, “We should have strengths in defending and rebounding, as well as attacking the rim on offense. We will need to take a step forward in our perimeter shooting this season to open things up for us throughout the year. They’re a fun, coachable, passionate group – it will be a fun journey watching them compete and develop all year.”

Mount Vernon/Plankinton

Coach: Eric Denning

Last year’s record: 16-7

Key returnees: Reed Rus, 6-4, sr.; Jordan Stoltz, 6-7, sr.; Mason Hetland, 6-0, sr.; Zach Baker, 5-10, jr.; Blaine Bohr, 5-11, jr.; Chris Mayer, 5-11, sr.; Rylan Bush, 6-0, sr.; Brady Fox, 5-10, soph.; Cain Tobin, 5-9, jr.; Isaiah Olson, 5-8, soph.; Trevor Sweet, 5-10, jr.; Spencer Frost, 5-9, jr.

Outlook: The Titans bring back four key players from last season’s 16-7 season, which ended in a SoDak 16 defeat against Groton Area. Senior Reed Rus was an all-stater last season and impacts the game in a number of ways. The 6-foot-4 point guard averaged 20 points and nine rebounds per game last season. Rus, who is also an all-state football player, should break the MVP all-time scoring record this season. Jordan Stoltz, a 6-foot-7 senior, will complement Rus in the paint. Stoltz averaged 12 points and seven rebounds per game last season, while he’s a strong shot blocker and finisher around the rim. Zach Baker (8.1 ppg) and Mason Hetland (5.7 ppg/3.7 rpg) are other top returners for coach Eric Denning’s squad.

“We look to take the next step and be in the mix with the elite teams in the state,” Denning said. “We will have good size and good athleticism. We have some kids who have improved tremendously this offseason.”  

North Central

Coach: Logen Secker

Last year’s record: 2-19

Key returnees: Raynor Sprague, 6-1, jr.; Dawson Walz, 6-1, jr.; Cole Bukaske, 5-10, sr.; Brady Beitelspacher, 5-11, jr.

Top newcomers: Bastian Delalande, 5-10, sr.; Zane Haar, 5-10, fr.

Outlook: North Central returns four key players from last season’s two-win team and the Thunder look to improve with the experience that comes back.

North Central coach Logen Secker, said, “This year will be a better season than we have had in recent years. We have guys that have grown up for two years building their skills and I think this year it will pay off for them.”

Redfield 

Coach: Lance Howe

Last year’s record: 8-13

Key returnees: Mitchell Mack, 6-5, sr.; Jerron Haider, 5-10, sr.; Nolan Gall, 6-0, sr.; Justin Ratigan, 6-1, jr. 

Top newcomers: Tristen O’Daniel, 6-1, jr.; Zack Akin, 5-10, sr. 

Outlook: The Pheasants welcome back eight letterwinners and four starters from last season’s 8-13 team. Mitchell Mack (12.5 ppg/6.4 rpg) and Jerron Haider (10.6 ppg/2.5 rpg) both scored in double figures, while Nolan Gall logged 7.3 points, 5.1 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game. Justin Ratigan (2.6 ppg/8.7 rpg) is another top returner. 

“The Pheasants are senior dominant this year and should be able to compete with most teams on the schedule,” Redfield coach Lance Howe said. “If we can defend and rebound the basketball it will allow us to get out and run and create early offense.”

Tea Area

Coach: Drew Weber

Last year’s record: 16-7

Key returnees: Reis Kirschenman, 6-4, sr.; Jonah Kocer, 6-1, sr.; Blake Thompson, 5-11, sr.; Jackson Smythe, 5-10, sr.; Sam Almas, 6-2, jr. 

Top newcomers: Jessen Wiebenga, 6-2, jr.; Garrett Wiebenga, 6-2, jr.; Boston Willemssen, 6-6, jr.; Keeton Newborg, 6-0, jr.; Emerson Otten, 6-3, soph.

Outlook: Tea Area must replace nine letterwinners from last season’s team that qualified for the Class A SoDak 16, losing to Sioux Falls Christian, 63-47. The Titans return five letterwinners who will need to step into big roles early. Reis Kirschenman (8 ppg/8.6 rpg), Jonah Kocer (5.9 ppg), and Sam Almas (5.3 ppg/2.4 rpg) all return varsity experience, while Blake Thompson and Jackson Smythe will fill in where needed.

Tea Area coach Drew Weber said the keys to the season will be injury recovery and luck, inexperienced players finding comfort in their roles, rebounding, and managing a difficult schedule. Weber also noted that Dakota Valley, Sioux Valley, Dell Rapids, Lennox, and Sioux Falls Christian will be the top teams in Class A.

Tiospa Zina

Coach: Cory Grimsrud

Last year’s record: 11-9

Key returnees: Mike Smith, 5-8, sr.; Reondre Greeley, 6-0, sr.; Ceejay Bissonette, 5-7, sr.; Tate Never Misses a Shot, 6-2, jr.; Juan Rios, 5-6, jr.; Storm Sierra, 6-0, jr. 

Top newcomers: Nate Thompson, 5-9, jr.; Ashden Sierra, 6-4, soph.

Outlook: Coach Cory Grimsrud inherits a Tiospa Zina team that finished 11-9 last season and will rely heavily on their depth this year. 

“We are athletic and our success comes down to our effort and knowledge of the game,” Grimsrud said. “We will go eight or nine deep and need to be ready to play every game. Our schedule is challenging. We will need to rebound and defend at every position.”

Tri-Valley 

Coach: Brandon Feterl

Last year’s record: 5-16

Key returnees: Braden Oyen, 6-0, sr.; Noah Haynes, 6-3, sr.; Trey Johnson, 6-6, jr. 

Top newcomers: Logan Ellison, 5-10, jr.; Carter Sorenson, 5-11, jr. 

Outlook: The Mustangs bring back three key returners from last season’s 5-16 season and coach Brandon Feterl said a handful of their losses could have gone either way. Feterl added the team will rely heavily on their defense this season. 

“I value the ability to man up and stop the guy in front of you and know when to rotate and help,” Feterl said. “Offensively we will look to push transition when it is there and spread the floor and attack the paint when it is not.”

Vermillion

Coach: Jay Drake

Last year’s record: 15-7

Key returnees: Zoan Robinson, 6-1, jr.; Carter Hansen, 6-1, soph.; Carter Skogsberg, 6-3, sr.

Top newcomers: Wyatt Gestring, 6-1, sr.; Ethan Kerner, 5-10, sr.; Conner Roerig, 5-10, jr.; Landon Cerny, 5-10, soph.; Cole Tweten, 6-6, jr.

Outlook: Vermillion graduated five seniors that combined for 85 percent of its scoring and rebounding production last season. Zoan Robinson (4 ppg/2 rpg), Carter Hansen (2 ppg) and Carter Skogsberg (2 ppg) are the top returners. 

“We will not have very much varsity game experience coming back and will need to find guys that can step in and fill the roles from past years,” Vermillion coach Jay Drake said. “As always, though, we expect our guys to play hard and improve as the season goes on and we hope to be

playing our best basketball at the end of the season when the region tournament rolls around.”

Wagner

Coach: Josh Davies

Last year’s record: 5-16

Key returnees: Chris Nelson, 6-0, sr.; Matt Link, 5-9, sr.; Ted Slaba, 6-2, sr.; Glenn Cournoyer, 5-10, sr.; Carter Cournoyer, 6-2, jr.; Preston McFayden, 6-0, soph.

Top newcomers: Joey Cournoyer, 6-2, jr.; Hunter Lhotak, 5-10, soph.; Parker Petry, 6-0, soph.; Braxton Knudsen, 6-1, jr.

Outlook: Wagner returns six key contributors from last season’s 5-16 team. The Red Raiders will look to continue to improve throughout the season.

“We will be lacking size but will be athletic and look to play fast in order to gain advantages where we can get them,” Wagner coach Josh Davies said. “I am excited about our team because we have a lot of great kids who get along well both on and off the court. We will be fun to watch play this season.”

Webster Area

Coach: Jared Vergeldt 

Last year’s record: 8-13

Outlook: Webster Area hopes to improve after losing three starters from last season. The Bearcats return nine letterwinners, however, the team has already dealt with some injuries before the season has begun.

“We lack size this year with 98% of the team between 5’10”-6’0”,” Webster Area coach Jared Vergeldt said. “However, we are fairly athletic and have decent speed. We’ll try to push the ball more this year and be aggressive with our defense.”

West Central

Coach: Jacob Sittig

Last year’s record: 17-5

Key returnees: Carter Schmeichel, 6-1 sr.; Owen Heath, 6-3, sr.

Top newcomers: Erik Seten, 6-1, sr.; Trevin Price, 6-0, jr.; Brodie Herr, 6-2, jr.; Crew Heier, 6-4, jr.; Dylan Stromer, 6-1, sr.; Connor Eich, 6-0, sr.; Carter Tetzlaff, 6-0, soph.

Outlook: West Central must replace eight seniors from a 17-5 season last year and the next players to step up will have big roles to fill. The Trojans will need to rely on the senior leadership of Carter Schmeichel and Owen Heath to lead the team.

“We plan to still play fast on the offensive side of the floor and we will most likely have many different leading scorers throughout the season,” West Central coach Jacob Sittig said. “We will have to be very solid on the defensive end of the floor though as we will not be quite as talented on offense.”

Winner

Coach: Brett Gardner

Last year’s record: 23-3 (Sixth place at Class A state tournament)

Key returnees: Blake Volmer, 6-3, sr.; Ethan Bartels, 6-3, sr.; Shawn Hammerbeck, 6-7, soph.; Aiden Barfuss, 6-0, jr.; Ryder Halligan, 5-10, soph.; Chaz Blotsky, 5-11, sr.; Pierce Nelson, 5-10, sr.

Top newcomers: Zac Olson, 5-6, fr.; Carter Craven, 6-1, eighth; Silas Chasing Hawk, 5-8, sr.; Aiden Schroeder, 5-7, soph.; Landon Calhoon, 5-7, soph.; Noah Best, 5-11, jr.

Outlook: The Warriors bring back a number of contributors from last season’s 23-3 season and a sixth-place finish at the Class A state tournament. Blake Volmer, a 6-foot-3 guard, was a first-team all-stater last season after averaging 16.6 points, 8.7 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game. Shawn Hammerbeck, a 6-foot-7 sophomore, will anchor the inside game for the Warriors. 

“We need to defend and rebound,” Winner coach Brett Gardner said. “We have to take care of the basketball.  We want to be fundamentally sound and value every possession on both ends of the floor. We have good guys in our program that care for one another. It will be important to give up a good individual shot, for a great team shot.”