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.

The more things change, the more they stay the same. 

The Class B boys basketball landscape features a host of regular contenders from previous seasons. White River, which has qualified for every state tournament since 2006, received 12 first place-votes to earn the No. 1 spot in the Class B preseason poll. De Smet, which is gunning for a three-peat, received four first-place votes and is No. 2 in the preseason rankings. 

Last season state tournament teams — Aberdeen Christian, Lower Brule and Castlewood — were third-through-fifth, respectively, in the preseason poll. 

Team capsules (listed in alphabetical order): 

Alcester-Hudson

Coach: Marty Petersen

Last year’s record: 4-18

Key returnees: Owen Bovill, 6-0, sr.; Caden Winquist, 5-10, sr.; Carter Klatschen, 6-0, sr.; Dominic Van Egdom, 6-4, jr.; Mateo Kleinhans, 6-0, jr.; Will Hallaway, 6-4, jr.; Ethan Bovill, 5-11, soph.; Evan Brown, 5-9, soph.; Jose Topete-Lopez, 5-11, soph.

Top newcomers: Tommy Walth, 5-10, fr.; Jayce Jund, 6-3, jr.

Outlook: Alcester-Hudson returns nine letterwinners and will see several underclassmen playing this season. The Cubs will rely on leadership from Mateo Kleinhans and Ethan Bovill in the backcourt, as well as Dominic Van Egdom and Jose Topete-Lopez in the paint.

“This year we will rely on our leaders to guide us to a successful season,” Alcester-Hudson coach Marty Petersen said. “They will decide if this team wins the first conference title in over 30 years. The success of this year will be determined on how much effort everyone puts into teamwork on and off the court.”

Andes Central/Dakota Christian

Coach: Barry DeHaan

Last year’s record: 2-19

Key returnees: Tate Timmermans, 5-10, sr.; Garth Maas, 5-10, soph.; Hunter Loeffler, 5-7, soph.; Andrew Johnson, 6-2, soph.; Sabas DeHaan, 5-6, soph.

Top newcomers: Anaias White Eyes, 5-9, jr.; Peter Backes, 5-10, jr.; Mahlon Bruguier, 5-10, sr.; Ty Archambeau, 6-5, soph.; Ryder Niewenhuis, 5-10, soph.

Outlook: Andes Central/Dakota Christian looks to continue to build their basketball program under second year coach Barry DeHaan after a 2-19 campaign last season.

“Our team is very young but shows a lot of potential, with more young talent on the JV and JH level,” coach DeHaan said. “New assistant coach Hunter Hewitt joins the team as the Thunder look to build a solid boys basketball program and be more competitive in the future.” 

Bridgewater-Emery

Coach: Scott Schultz

Last year’s record: 11-12

Key returnees: Sutton Arend, 6-4, sr.; Aguer VanSickle, 6-4, sr.; Sam Hofer, 5-11, sr.; Aaron Horvath, 6-0, sr.; Camdyn Stoterau, 6-3, jr.

Top newcomers: Jaxon Koch, 6-3, soph.; Jase Kayser, 5-11, jr.; Caden Cullison, 5-11, sr.; Jerin Schulz, 6-3, sr.

Outlook: The Huskies bring back a wealth of contributors from last season’s 11-12 campaign and will be among a host of contenders in the competitive Region 3B.  

“We are excited and ready to get the season started,” Bridgewater-Emery coach Scott Schultz said. “We return 10 of our 12 varsity players from last season. These players gained valuable experience last year and have played a lot of basketball together. We have a difficult schedule that will help prepare us by region tournament time. Region 3B is once again loaded with good teams and will be very difficult to advance out of.”

Britton-Hecla

Coach: Troy Knecht

Last year’s record: 5-17

Key returnees: BoDell Davison, 5-11, sr.; Ashton Mills, 6-3, sr.; Gage Storley, 5-7, sr.; Landon Carlson, 5-10, sr.; Dawson Treeby, 5-11, jr.; Luke Storley, 5-7, sr.; Wyatt Tosse, 5-11, sr.; Ty Fagerland, 5-10, jr.; Will Schuler, 5-10, sr.

Top newcomers: Daniel Person, 5-11, soph.; Jaxon Zuehlke, 6-2, fr.

Outlook: The Braves bring back seven seniors and two juniors to this year’s team and will look to make strides after last season’s 5-17 record.  

“We have plenty of experience returning, but graduated our best scorer and rebounder,” Britton-Hecla coach Troy Knecht said. “If we play hard every night we should compete. We will have to make up for our lack of size by doing the little things.”

Castlewood

Coach: Paul Raasch

Last year’s record: 18-8 (6th place at state tournament)

Key returnees: Booker Schooley, 6-0, sr.; Lane Tvedt, 6-1, jr.; Bryon Laue, 6-8, soph.; Jackson Schofield, 6-3, jr.; Joe Decker, 5-9, sr.; Quincy Thu, 6-1, jr. 

Top newcomers: Jamison Keszler, 6-0, soph.; Bowen Ryan, 6-0, jr.; Jyler Tharaldsen, 6-1, jr.

Outlook: The Warriors returned to the state tourney last season, their first trip berth since 2012. They bring back six key returners, including 6-foot-8 sophomore post Byron Laue and Lane Tvedt, a 12-point per game scorer last season. Laue logged eight points per game and shot 62 percent from the field last season. Jackson Schofield, a 6-foot-3 junior, averaged 8.2 points per game a season ago. Castlewood figures to be among the top contenders in Class B.

“We are looking forward to the year,” Castlewood coach Paul Raasch said. “We have good depth with a mix of inside and outside threats. Health will be a key for us. We already lost a key player in 6’4” Sr Carson Kirwan who injured a knee in football and will be unable to play.”

Centerville

Coach: Bill Marquardt

Last year’s record: 13-9

Key returnees: Logan Bobzin, 5-10, sr.; Cole Edberg, 6-0, jr.; Aiden Bobzin, 5-9, soph.; Alec Austin, 6-1, fr.; Luke Knight, 5-11, soph.; Covin Wattier, 5-10, jr.; Brennan Tople, 6-1, jr.

Top newcomers: Jase Brouwer, 5-9, soph.; Miles Eide, 5-9; soph. 

Outlook: The Tornadoes bring two double-digit scorers — Logan Bobzin and Cole Edberg — to headline this year’s team. A senior guard, Bobzin logged 12 points and 2.4 assists per game last season, his second season leading Centerville in scoring. A junior wing, Edberg registered 10 points and six rebounds per game last season. Aiden Bobzin, Alec Austin, Luke Knight, Covin Wattier and Brennan Tople are among the other top returners. 

“We return five players who played some quality minutes last year, including two starters,” Centerville coach Bill Marquardt said. “We should eventually be a sound team defensively, and will be improved offensively. We have a core group of kids who really want to be successful; their off-season commitment is excellent and they are coachable and willing to work hard.”

Marquardt said Great Plains Conference favorites will be Freeman Academy/Marion, Tripp-Delmont/Armour and Corsica-Stickney. He said Viborg-Hurley is the favorite in Region 4B, along with Freeman Academy/Marion and Irene-Wakonda. 

Chester Area

Coach: Adam Gale

Last year’s record: 12-11

Key returnees: Max McGreevy, 6-2, sr.; Clay Hansen, 5-9, sr.; Logan Fods, 5-11, sr.; Jovi Wolf, 5-9, jr.; Brayden Schut, 5-10 jr.; Layke Wold, 5-9, soph.; Garret Hansen, 6-2, so.

Top newcomers: Will Seeley, 5-9, soph.; Jaxton Opdahl, 5-8, fr.; Carter Vogel, 5-9, fr.; J.D. Prorok, 6-2, fr.; Zach Moyer, 5-10, fr.; Chance Wyszynksi, 6-0, fr. 

Outlook: Chester Area lost eight seniors from last season’s 12-11 team, which made a run to the SoDak 16. The Flyers bring back a host of athleticism and coach Adam Gale said their strength will be perimeter shooting and toughness on the defensive end.   

“We will have to be quick learners and find out what our identity will be by the time we begin the Big East Conference Tournament in early January,” Gale said. “However, it won’t just be about wins and losses to measure success, but rather it will be about progress from one game to the next so we are trending in the right direction as we head into late February.”

De Smet

Coach: Jeff Gruenhagen

Last year’s record: 25-1 (1st place at state tournament)

Key returnees: Damon Wilkinson, 6-10, sr.; Kadyn Fast, 6-0, jr.; Gannon Gruenhagen, 6-0, sr.; Kasen Janssen, 6-4, sr.; George Jensen, 6-4, jr.; Tom Augenbaugh, 5-10, jr.; Trace Van Regenmorter, 6-3, jr.

Top newcomers: Britt Carlson, 6-3, jr.

Outlook: De Smet polished off its second consecutive Class B state championship season, finishing with a 25-1 record in 2021-22. The Bulldogs graduated five seniors, including Mr. Basketball Kalen Garry. The cupboard is however not bare for De Smet, which will be anchored by 6-10 all-state center Damon Wilkinson. The all-tourney and all-conference performer averaged 15.9 points, nine rebounds and three blocks per game last season. Kadyn Fast (5 ppg/3 rpg) is also a returning starter. The Bulldogs have a host of underclassmen fighting for valuable minutes and a majority of them were responsible for the JV team going 40-3 over the past two seasons. 

“I expect the Bulldogs to be a deep team again this season and we hope to be at the top of Class B hoops again this year,” De Smet coach Jeff Gruenhagen said. “This group has been a part of two state title teams and has developed in practice the past two years against great players and I think they will rise to the challenge when the season starts. Our schedule is again very tough with the DVC and LCC conference mixing in A and B schools along with a non-conference schedule that includes Howard, Canistota, the Hanson Classic, and Pentagon Classic. It will be great preparation for post season play and give our players great experience as we try to get back to Aberdeen to defend the B title.”

Gruenhagen said Castlewood and Dell Rapids St. Mary will be contenders in the Dakota Valley Conference, while Lake Central Conference favorites will be Sioux Valley, Hamlin, Castlewood and Clark/Willow Lake. 

Ethan

Coach: Bryce Roth

Last year’s record: 16-7

Key returnees: Riley Endres, 5-11, sr.; Wyatt Sinkie, 6-2, sr.; Logan Koch, 6-2, sr.; Brody Riggs, 5-10, sr.; Kory Storm, 5-10, sr.; Kody Klumb, 5-9, sr.; Drake Gustafson, 6-3, jr.; Taite Klumb, 6-3, jr.; Rylan Gerlach, 5-8, jr.; Gage Hohn, 5-8, jr.

Top newcomers: Jack Bartscher, 6-2, fr.; Cole Hinckley, 5-9, soph.

Outlook: Ethan returns seven letterwinners from last season’s squad that lost to Potter County, 78-47, in the SoDak 16. The Rustlers will rely on an experienced group of seniors to lead the team, including Riley Endres, Wyatt Sinkie, Logan Koch, Brody Riggs, Kory Storm, and Kody Klumb, while several underclassmen will look to step up into bigger roles.

“We return a large amount of experience; our goal will be to increase our defensive pressure and score better than we did last year,” Ethan coach Bryce Roth said. “Our schedule tests us early and often, and we need to be more physical than we have been in the past.”

Freeman

Coach: Lance Friesen

Last year’s record: 1-20

Key returnees: Ethan Balvin, 6-1, sr.; Blake Rumelhart, 6-3, jr.; Rocky Ammann, 6-1, jr.; Evan Scharberg, 5-11, jr.: Tate Sorensen, 6-1, fr.; Luke Peters, 5-10, fr.

Top newcomers: Chris Aasen, 5-10, soph.; Sawyer Wipf, 5-10, soph.; Talon Pitchford, 5-7, soph.; Ricky Salis, 5-10, fr.

Outlook: The Flyers bring back six key players from a 1-20 team a season ago. Freeman will rely on Ethan Balvin (6.3 ppg/2.5 rpg), Blake Rumelhart (8 ppg/6 rpg, Honorable Mention All-Conference), and Tate Sorensen (5.5 ppg, 4 rpg) to lead the team this season.

Freeman Academy/Marion

Coach: Austin Unruh 

Last year’s record: 21-5 (8th place at state tournament) 

Key returnees: Matthew Hagen, 6-0, sr.; Maddox Kihne, 5-9, sr.; Connor Epp, 5-11, sr.

Top newcomers: Jess Bashige, 6-3, sr.; Jackson Donlan, 6-0, fr.; Simeon Eremin, 5-9, sr.; Taylor Goodwin, 5-9, fr.; Liam Ortman, 5-9, jr.; Karter Weber, 5-9, fr.; Elshadai Mesfin, 5-10, soph.

Outlook: The Bearcats return three key players from last season’s state tourney berth, its first-ever as a co-op. Connor Epp, a 5-foot-11 senior guard, averaged 14.8 points and 4.7 assists per game last season. Epp, who was an all-tourney selection at state, tore his ACL during the offseason and his return date is to be determined. Matthew Hagen (6.5 ppg/4 rpg) and Maddox Kihne (4.7 ppg/1.7 rpg) both logged valuable minutes last season.

“This year sees the return of three key players from last year’s state tournament team, along with several upperclassmen ready to take on an expanded role on varsity and several freshmen who are talented young players,” FAM coach Austin Unruh said. “Connor tore his ACL this offseason and his return to play date may fall during the season, depending on the speed of his recovery. While this is a big loss for us, it opens the door for other players to step up and fill a larger role on the team. Returners Matthew Hagen and Maddox Kihne will be the experienced leaders that will help guide this team, which has its eyes set on another run into the postseason.”

Gregory

Coach: Jeff Determan

Last year’s record: 14-8

Key returnees: Daniel Mitchell, 6-7, jr.; Cruz Klundt, 6-0, soph.; Rane Kenzy, 6-4, soph.

Top newcomers: Cole Serr, 6-4, soph.; Jack Bolander, 6-4, soph.; Noah Bearshield, 6-0, soph.; Jad Leber, 5-11, soph.; Nick Kenzy, 6-0, soph.; Lincoln Juracek, 5-11, fr.; Colt Keiser, 6-4, fr.

Outlook: The Gorillas return three starters, including all-stater Daniel Mitchell, from last season’s 14-8 campaign. A 6-foot-7 junior forward, Mitchell logged 19.8 points and 9.4 rebounds per game last season and will be one of the top Class B players this season. Cruz Klundt (11.4 ppg/4.5 rpg) and Rane Kenzy (5.8 ppg) also return after solid freshman seasons. 

“Although we are still pretty young, we have high expectations this season,” Gregory coach Jeff Determan said. “We return three starters and our entire bench from last year. Our weakness would still be our youth. We play a tough schedule which will prepare us for the postseason.”

Determan said Aberdeen Christian, White River, DeSmet and Canistota are among the top Class B teams this season. 

Harding County

Coach: Jay Wammen

Last year’s record: 17-6

Key returnees: Gage Gilbert, 6-5, sr.; Dawson Kautzman, 6-1, sr.; Keegan Hett, 6-1, sr.; Kelby Hett, 6-1, sr.; Braden Routier, 5-9, jr.; Brennan Glines, 5-11, jr.

Top newcomers: Slate Page, 6-0, jr.; Evan Meyer, 5-11, soph.; Nayati Bickerdyke, 5-11, soph.

Outlook: The Ranchers return four senior starters from last season’s 17-6 season, which ended in a SoDak 16 loss against White River. Keegan Hett, a 6-foot-1 senior, logged a team-high 16.7 points per game, to go along with 6.6 rebounds and 4.2 assists. A 6-foot-5 senior, Gage Gilbert will anchor the post for the Ranchers after averaging 12 points, 8.6 rebounds and 4.8 blocks per game last season. Dawson Kautzman (11.6 ppg/5.2 rpg) and Kelby Hett (10.8 ppg/4.8 rpg/4.8 apg) are also returning starters. The quartet all earned All-Little Moreau Conference honors last season. Juniors Braden Routier and Brennan Glines are other top returners. 

“We are a team that prides ourselves on the defensive end of the court,” Harding County coach Jay Wammen said. “We will play mostly tough man-to-man half court defense with situational zones and full court traps added in. Offensively, we let our defense lead to our offense in transition. We will try to play fast when opportunities present themselves but want to execute in the half court when needed.”

Wammen said Faith and Harding County should be the top teams in Region 8B, with Timber Lake and Lemmon right behind them. 

Highmore-Harrold 

Coach: Scott Pekarek 

Last year’s record: 12-9

Key returnees: Trey Knox, 6-4, sr.; Trake Cowan, 6-5, sr.; Carson Stephenson, 6-1, jr.; Mason Knox, 6-2, sr.

Top newcomers: Bryce Bourk, 6-1, sr.; Dawson Hale, 5-9, sr.; Aiden Ferens, 5-10, soph.

Outlook: The Pirates bring back four key returners from last season’s 12-9 team and coach Scott Pekarek said the group will depend on their length and athleticism this season. 

“We should be a very competitive team,” Pekarek said. “These young men have had success together all through their younger years. We are very athletic and can get to the basket and score. Our length and athleticism should cause problems for teams on both ends of the court. We should be a good up tempo team that can score in transition. We have a very high goal for this year and hopefully we can make it happen.”

Hitchcock-Tulare

Coach: John Nowell 

Last year’s record: 8-13

Key returnees: T.J. Salmen, 6-7, sr.; Carter Binger, 5-10, sr.; Jackson Maynard, 6-3, jr.; Erik Salmen, 6-0, jr.; Riley Fliehe, 6-1, sr.; Mason Bottum, 6-1, sr.; Landon Puffer, 5-11, sr.; Jacob Michlitsch, 6-2, sr.; Cole Schroeder, 6-2, sr.; Brendan Nowell, 5-7, jr.

Outlook: The Patriots bring back 11 letterwinners from last season’s 8-13 campaign and are coming off a Class 9B state championship in the fall. T.J. Salmen, a 6-foot-7 post, recorded 10.4 points, 8.2 rebounds and two blocks per game last season. Jackson Maynard (10.1 ppg/4.6 rpg) and Erik Salmen (6.2 ppg/2 rpg) are other top returners, while Carter Binger is back in the mix after an injury sidelined him last season.

“This team is full of athletes,” Hitchcock-Tulare coach John Nowell said. “We have seven seniors that have put in the work and I expect everyone of them to contribute this season. We have three juniors that have provided us with a lot of scoring the last two seasons and we expect that to stay the same. We return our PG this season in Carter Binger. He is our leader on the court and off of it. We will do some good things this season with him leading this team.”

Howard

Coach: Nick Koespell 

Last year’s record: 17-5

Key returnees: Ryder Erickson, 5-9, sr.; Kolt Koepsell, 6-8, jr.; Luke Koepsell, 6-3, soph.; Taiden Hoyer, 6-2, jr.; Colby Claussen, 5-11, jr.; Will Maier, 5-10, jr.; Logan Mentele, 5-11, jr.; Carson Hinker, 6-2, sophomore; Austin Severson, 6-1, soph.; Kade Shumaker, 5-11, sr.; Lucas Feldhaus, 5-10, soph. 

Outlook: The Tigers bring back 11 letterwinners from last season’s 17-5 campaign, which ended in the region tournament by one point against Chester Area. Howard returns three starters in Ryder Erickson, Kolt Koepsell and Luke Koepsell. Erickson, a 5-foot-9 senior, has been the starting point guard since his eighth-grade season. He averaged 6.5 points and 3.1 assists last season. He will be complemented by all-conference performers Kolt Koepsell (6-foot-8) and Luke Koepsell (6-foot-3). Kolt Koepsell averaged 14.1 points and 7.8 rebounds per game last season, while Luke Koepsell logged 10 points, 4.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game. 

“We will look to play through our posts again this year,” Howard coach Nick Koepsell said. “Kolt and Luke Koepsell can both put up big numbers in the paint. We should be a better shooting team this year and will be able to go 10 deep in the rotation if we need to.”

Coach Koepsell said the region will again be tough, with Bridgewater-Emery, Canistota, Dell Rapids St. Mary and Howard among the top contenders.

Irene-Wakonda

Coach: Stephen Lee

Last year’s record: 9-13

Key returnees: Miles Pollman, 6-4, sr.; Dashel Spurrell, 5-9, sr.; Garrett Libby, 6-0, sr.; Jake Kuhl, 7-0, jr.; Jens Hansen, 5-7, soph.

Top newcomers: Sam Hansen, 5-8, jr.; Brody Juhnke, 5-7, fr.

Outlook: Irene-Wakonda returns several key players from last season, including 7-foot junior Jake Kuhl, 6-foot-4 Miles Pollman, and guards Dashel Spurrell and Garrett Libby.

“We return a majority of our guys who saw a lot of varsity minutes last year,” Irene-Wakonda coach Stephen Lee said. “We have some size, speed, and experience which hopefully will help us be successful throughout the year.”

Iroquois/Lake Preston

Coach: Brock Dufek

Last year’s record: 3-18 (as Iroquois/Doland)

Key returnees: Logan Peskey, 6-3, sr.; Riley Casper, 6-4, sr.; Josh McMasters, 6-0, jr.; Hayden Shurson, 5-10, jr.; Tobias Arbeiter, 6-2, sr.; Jake Larsen, 5-10, sr.; Jonah Denison, 6-0, sr.

Outlook: Iroquois/Lake Preston will be in their first year as a basketball co-op. Last season, Iroquois/Doland finished with a 3-18 record, while Lake Preston finished with a 2-19 record.

Iroquois/Lake Preston coach Brock Dufek said, “We are going to be a tough team to play. We play fast and have depth coming off the bench.”

James Valley Christian 

Coach: Al Wager

Last year’s record: 10-11

Key returnees: Landon Wager, 5-7, sr.; Landon Wallman, 6-3, sr.; Ethan Bartholow, 6-4, jr.; Isaac Korell, 6-4, jr.; Brennen Hood, 5-10, sr.; Dax Frandsen, 5-10, fr.

Top newcomers: Huntley Steele, 6-3, fr.; Jerrad Wallman, 6-5, soph.; Jackson Peck, 6-11, jr.

Outlook: The Vikings bring back a bulk of last season’s 10-11 team, which included no seniors and coach Al Wager expects the team will make big strides this season.

“We had no seniors last year so we look to be a real competitive team,” Wager said. “We have some great experience and yet still have a fairly young group contributing. Excited to see what we can do.”

Leola/Frederick Area

Coach: Brock Pashen

Last year’s record: 8-13

Key returnees: Noah Kippley, 6-0, soph.; Brayden Sumption, 6-0, jr.; Hans Lapka, 5-10, sr.

Top newcomers: Connor Spitzer, 6-2, jr.; Sam Vetter, 6-0, sr.; Milo Sumption, 6-0, fr.; Ethan Petrich, 6-2, fr.

Outlook: Leola/Frederick Area returns three key players from last season and will look to improve with the experience that returns. Noah Kippley averaged 7.1 points per game last season, while Brayden Sumption averaged 5.3 points per game and Hans Lapka netted 4.5 points per game.

“We will be a young, quick, athletic team that (has) upcoming talent that will develop throughout the season,” Leola/Frederick Area coach Brock Pashen said. “We will look to scrap every night to give us a chance to win and be playing our best basketball by the end of the season.”

Menno

Coach: Allen Ulmer

Last year’s record: 6-15

Key returnees: Ajay Herrboldt, 5-10, sr.; Blake Rames, 6-4, sr.; Kadeyn Ulmer, 6-1, sr.; Hayden McNinch, 6-0, sr.

Top newcomers: Maveric Smith, 5-9, sr.; Trent Guthmiller, 6-0, soph.; Izayah Ulmer, 5-9, fr.

Outlook: The senior-laden Wolves look to surpass double-digit wins for the first time since the 2017-18 season. 

“We have a good group with nine seniors for leadership,” Menno coach Allen Ulmer said. “We've been a group that has won five or six games these last several seasons and this group is looking to push past that. Hopefully we can be playing our best come February.”

Newell 

Coach: Paul McLaughlin

Last year’s record: 1-17

Key returnees: Colton Burtzlaff, 6-1, sr.; James Duncan, 6-2, jr.; Devon Jones, 5-8, sr.; Isaac Stark, 6-3, soph.; Darin Lewis, 5-6, soph.

Top newcomers: Orin Youngberg, 5-10, eighth; William Juelfs, 5-6, jr.

Outlook: The Irrigators bring back five key players from last season’s 1-17 season.

“I am excited to see the growth from last year coming into this season,” Newell coach Paul McLaughlin said. 

Oldham-Ramona/Rutland

Coach: Logan DeRungs 

Last year’s record: 11-10

Key returnees: Kadyn Gehrels, 5-10, sr.; Shayne DeVaney, 5-10, sr.; Riley Schneider, 6-5, sr.; Caden Hojer, 6-6, jr.

Outlook: The Raiders bring back four key players from last season’s 11-10 team and coach Logan DeRungs said it’s a hard-working group. 

I am the head football coach, so I had the pleasure of working with these young men this fall,” DeRungs said. “They are a hard-working, blue-collar bunch. They want to be challenged and pushed to improve. I look forward to us working hard on the defensive end. We will need to work throughout the winter to improve our shooting and decision making.”

Philip 

Coach: Jana Jones

Last year’s record: 15-7

Key returnees: Sam Hand, 6-4, sr.; Bryce Westby, 6-4, jr.; Layton Terkildsen, 6-0, jr.; Lane Kuchenbecker, 6-1, jr.; Jesse Fillingim, 5-10, sr.; Jess Jones, 6-2, jr.

Top newcomers: Cass Finn, 6-1, sr.; Kade Fitzgerald, 6-1, jr.

Outlook: The Scotties welcome back a number of top contributors from last season’s 15-7 team. Sam Hand (15 ppg/6 rpg) and Bryce Westby (13 ppg/7 rpg) are a pair of 6-foot-4 forwards that will pace the Scotties. Layton Terkildsen (9 ppg/7 rpg), Lane Kuchenbecker (8 ppg/3 rpg), Jesse Fillingim (6 ppg/3 rpg) and Jess Jones (4 ppg/3 rpg) are other top returners.

“We will be looking to improve our shooting percentages and work harder on defense,” Philip coach Jana Jones said. 

Viborg-Hurley

Coach: Galen Schoenfeld

Last year’s record: 14-9

Key returnees: Gage Goettertz, 6-4, sr.; Devin Sayler, 6-1, jr.; Kobee Sherman, 6-3, jr.; Nick Hanson, 6-6, soph.; Rafe Goettertz, 6-3, soph.; Brady Schroedermeier, 6-0, fr.; Joshua Roth, 5-10, jr.

Top newcomers: Bryson Morrison, 6-2, jr.; Nolan Kolthoff, 6-3, fr.; Jake Austin, 5-5, fr.; Braydyn Morrison, 5-10, fr.

Outlook: Viborg-Hurley will need to replace several key players from last season, but several younger players are ready to fill the void left due to graduation.

“We lost over 80% of our scoring and rebounding from last year, but feel we have a lot of potential and position flexibility,” Viborg-Hurley coach Galen Schoenfeld said. “Many returners played well during the summer as did newcomers. Nick Hanson and Rafe Goettertz gained valuable experience playing on one of the Pentagon Schoolers teams. The Cornbelt Conference slate will be challenging as will a number of our out-of-conference games.”

Waverly-South Shore

Coach: Joe Dalton

Last year’s record: 4-16

Outlook: Waverly-South Shore must replace two starters, but returns 10 letterwinners from last season’s 4-16 squad. Coach Joe Dalton said the Coyotes will be strong on defense and quick, but will need to develop offensive weapons and improve their free throw percentage and mental toughness.

White River

Coach: Eldon Marshall 

Last year’s record: 21-3 (Third place at Class B state tournament)

Key returnees: Joe Sayler, 6-4, sr.; Nicolas Marshall, 6-1, jr.; Gavin Folkers, 6-3, sr.; T.J. Beardt, 6-1, sr.; Mackenzie Wike, 5-8, soph.; Teagen Bouman, 5-11, soph.; Evastine Wright, 6-5, jr.; Ryatt Wooden Knife, 5-10, jr.

Outlook: The Tigers were picked No. 1 in the preseason basketball poll and will again be among the Class B contenders. White River is powered by all-state guard Joe Sayler, who logged 29.8 points, 6.3 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game last season. Sayler, who will play basketball at South Dakota State, is closing in on 2,000 career points. White River brings back a host of returners to complement Sayler, including Nicholas Marshall (9.3 ppg/3.6 apg), Gavin Folkers (8.1 ppg/3.5 rpg), T.J. Beardt and Mackenzie Wike. Teagen Bouman, Evastine Wright and Ryatt Wooden Knife will add depth for Eldon Marshall’s Tigers. 

“Our team goals are the same every year, to get to the state tournament and give ourselves the chance to be state champs,” Marshall said. “We know we have to put in a lot of work in the process and improve every day individually and as a team. This year we have speed and quickness and we have a lot of guys who can shoot the 3. We have guys that have played together for a long time so we have great team chemistry and cohesion. I’m always excited to see the guys improve individually and as a team throughout the year. If we commit to playing defense, rebound, and communicate, this team has a great chance to be one of the best in the state.”