Basketball Previews

By Paul Trende
sports@fillmorecountyjournal.com

Fri, Nov 30th, 2012
Posted in All Sports

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Girls Basketball

CHATFIELD GOPHERS

Head Coach: Brian Baum

2011-2012 finish: 14-4 in 3-Rivers (tied for 3rd), 21-8 overall; S-S 1AA-East champs; 1AA runner’s-up (lost 56-52 to Zumbrota-Mazeppa in Section final)

Starters Lost: Sarah Costello (5’8” F), All-Conference; Erin Kammer (5’6” G), AC Honorable Mention

Starters Back: MaKenzie Miller (6’1” senior C/F), A-C, led team in scoring in 2011-2012; Sidney Irish (5’4” junior G), A-C HM; Traci McDonald* (6’1” senior C); Kirsten Keefe* (5’7” sophomore G). *Basically split a starting spot.

Other Key Returnees: Karlee Moulton (5’8” senior F); Candace Gould (5’8” senior G); Kileigh Dudek (5’7” senior G)

Roster: 17 (6 seniors, 7 juniors, 4 sophomores)

Prognosis: should compete at the top of the 3-Rivers with Dover-Eyota, Caledonia, and Southland. Could do a repeat of 2011-2012, if cards fall right, though its a tough section.

RUSHFORD-PETERSON TROJANS

Head Coach: Terry Pelzl (new, former R-P boy’s varsity assistant)

2011-2012 finish: 5-13 in 3-Rivers, 11-17 overall; S-S 1A East runner’s up (lost 67-35 to Spring Grove in Sub-Section 1A East finale).

Starters Lost: Kenzie Lind (5’10” F); A-C; Katie Wolter (5’6” G)

Starters Back: Amy Todd (5’9” senior F), A-C HM, led team in scoring in 2011-2012; Kendra Crawford (5’6” junior G), AC HM; Cody Manfull (5’7” senior G)

Other Key Returnees: Sierra McNamer (5’9” junior F); Hope Morrison (5’7” junior F); Courtney Doerr (5’3” junior G); Mariah Mueller (5’6” senior G).

Roster: 9 (4 senior, 5 juniors, underclassmen yet to be determined)

Prognosis: could find it tough sledding against the upper echelon 3-Rivers teams, but should improve upon ’11-‘12’s conference record. A Sub-Section 1A-East run is very much possible.

KINGSLAND KNIGHTS

Head Coach: Jill Thalmann (new)

2011-2012 finish: 7-11 in 3-Rivers, 11-16 overall (lost 76-50 to Z-M in Sub-Section 1AA West quarterfinal)

Starters Lost: McKayla Pruter (5’1” G), A-C HM; Nicole Swanson (6’2” C), A-C HM; Lindsay Tart (5’8” G/F), A-C HM; MacKenzie Marzolf (5’9” F)

Starters Back: Cheyenne Losey (5’11” senior G/F), A-C

Other Key Returnees: Jessi Kaster (5’10” senior G/F); Brianna Musel (5’9” junior F); Lizzie Tart (5’8” senior F); Haley Colton (5’3” junior G)

Roster: 16 (7 seniors, 9 juniors)

Prognosis: should be competitive with ‘the rest’ of the 3-Rivers teams, behind D-E, Chatfield, Caledonia, and Southland.

FILLMORE CENTRAL

FALCONS

Head Coach: Sarah Tollefsrud

2011-2012 finish: no 3-Rivers games; 4-15 overall (lost 49-47 to LeRoy-Ostrander in a 1A-East quarterfinal)

Starters Lost: Alex Peterson (5’11” senior F/C), A-C HM

Starters Back: Jordan O’Connor (5’5” senior G); Morgan Malley (5’6” sophomore G); Sammi Bakke (5’10” sophomore F); Leah Scheevel (5’9” sophomore F)

Other Key Returnees: Kaitlynn Aug (5’11” sophomore F/C); Larissa Armstrong (5’5” freshmen G)

Roster: 14 (3 seniors, 1 junior, 6 sophomores, 3 freshmen, one 8th grader)

Prognosis: after a year hiatus from playing official 3-Rivers games, FC returns to the conference and, due to the youth (1 American senior, 1 junior), it’s going to be tough. Sub-sections offer more hope.

LANESBORO BURROS

Head Coach: Kelly McMillen (new, Lanesboro girl’s B-squad coach in 2011-2012)

2011-2012 finish: 12-6 in SEC (4th), 13-15 overall (lost to Houston 51-35 in 1A-East quarterfinal)

Starters Lost: Paige Hungerholt (6’0” F/C), A-C; Bryn Harmon (5’8” F), A-C

Starters Back: Alisa Warnes (5’10” senior F), A-C HM; Johanna Bearson (5’5” senior G); Kirsten Ruen* (5’8” senior F); Bailey Gartner* (5’7” sophomore G). *Basically split starting spot

Other Key Returnees: Kaia Hongerholt (5’6” junior forward)

Roster: 16 (4 seniors, 3 juniors, 8 sophomores, 1 freshman)

Prognosis: loss of ‘H’-girls hurts, but SEC isn’t as powerful with Spring Grove devoid of graduated Richelle Mehus and Taylor Elton.

MABEL-CANTON

COUGARS

Head Coach: Adam Wilder (new)

2011-2012 finish: 4-14 in SEC, 6-20 overall (lost 73-20 to Spring Grove in 1A-East quarterfinal)

Starters Lost: **Bailey Hanson (5’8” F)

Starters Back: Christy Welscher (5’9” senior F/C), A-C; Lydia Geving (5’7” junior G); Carly McCabe (5’4” junior G); Sara Lind (6’0” junior F/C); **Danielle Paul (5’4” senior G). **Partial starter.

Other Key Returnees: Abby Hanson (5’7” junior G); Amanda Rasmussen (5’8” senior F)

Roster: 14 (3 seniors, 5 juniors, 3 sophomores, 1 frosh, 2 8th graders)

Prognosis: with 8 upperclassmen, Cougars are in best position experience-wise they’ve been in the past two years. That should almost guarantee they improve upon last year’s records.

Boy’s Basketball

RUSHFORD-PETERSON TROJANS

Head Coach: Tom Vix

2011-2012 finish: 15-5 in 3-Rivers (tied for 2nd), 26-6 overall; Sub-Section 1A-East champs; Section 1A champs, state 3rd place (beat Mountain Lake-Butterfield-Odin 75-58)

Starters Lost: Nick Thompson (6’4” F), A-C. Trent Vix (5’9” G), A-C, Nate Kingsley (6’0” F)

Starters Back: Jorli Hauge (6’1” junior F); *Austin O’Hare (6’2” junior G/F); *Seth Thompson (6’2” junior G). *Split a starting spot.

Other Key Returnees: Cole Kingsley (5’10” sophomore G); Alex Vix (5’9” sophomore G); Phil O’Shaughnessy (6’1” Sr. G); Kyle Johnson (5’9” Sr. G)

Roster: 18 (4 seniors, 6 juniors, 8 sophomores)

Prognosis: R-P will have to somehow replace (likely by committee) the 35 points a game Vix and Thompson supplied. That is a task. With Coach Vix though, they are at least the/a favorite in Sub-Section 1A East.

CHATFIELD GOPHERS

Head Coach: Tom Bance

2011-2012 finish: 8-12 in 3-Rivers, 10-17 overall (lost to P-E-M 76-58 in a Sub-Section 1AA-East semifinal)

Starters Lost: Jake Peterson (5’9” G); Tyler Lund (6’3” C); Josh Bernard (5’11” F)

Starters Back: Nate Skare (6’2” junior G), A-C; Mitch Irish (6’2” senior F)

Other Key Returnees: Jake Neis (5’10” junior G); Luke Isensee (6’3” senior G); Jayme LaPlante (6’3” junior F)

Roster: 17 (5 seniors, 10 juniors, 2 sophomores)

Prognosis: A breakout year? The Goph’s downed P-E-M, the Class AA state champ, a season ago (a possible harbinger of things to come). The trio of Skare, Neis, and LaPlante will be formidable.

KINGSLAND KNIGHTS

Head Coach: John Fenske (new)

2011-2012 finish: 15-5 in the 3-Rivers (tied for 2nd), 20-9 overall; Sub-Section 1AA-West runner’s-up (lost to Byron 55-48 in the Sub-Section 1AA-West final)

Starters Lost: Tanner Lange (6’1” G), A-C; Sam Eberle (6’0” G), A-C; Spencer Klevan (6’4” F), A-C; Devin Pokorney (6’3” F); Soren Grandall (6’1” G)

Starters Back: none

Other Key Returnees: Marshall Oeltjen (6’2” senior F)

Roster: 11 (2 seniors, 4 juniors, 4 sophomores, 1 freshman)

Prognosis: after losing five starters and their top six players, the good news for the Knights is the 2012-2013 team played together all last season as the Knights B-squad. Filip Swanson (6’7”) is also the county’s tallest player.

FILLMORE CENTRAL

FALCONS

Head Coach: Aaron Janssen (new)

2011-2012 finish: 4-16 in 3-Rivers, 9-19 overall (lost to Spring Grove 73-62 in a Sub-Section 1A-East semifinal)

Starters Lost: Zach Olstad (5’11” G); Tyler Eickhoff (5’10” G); Isaac Sveen (6’4” F/C); Mitch Johnson (6’0” F); *Andy Todd (6’1” F); *Ryan Baker (5’11” senior G)

Starters Back: *Dan Gatzke (6’3” senior F) *Part-time starters.

Other Key Returnees: none

Roster: 16 (9 seniors, 7 juniors)

Prognosis: only Gatzke returns, leaving FC inexperienced and finding new roles. That doesn’t necessarily bode well, though improving on last season’s four league victories isn’t exactly a big step-up.

LANESBORO BURROS

Head Coach: John Smith

2011-2012 finish: 15-3 in SEC (tied for 2nd), 16-10 overall (lost 71-61 to Houston in a Sub-Section 1A-East quarterfinal)

Starters Lost: Braden Hanson (6’2” G), A-C; Cory Strom (6’0” G), A-C; C.D. Hanson (5’10” G), Joey O’Koren (6’2” F)

Starters Back: Erik Peterson (5’8” senior G), A-C HM

Other Key Returnees: Kole Ruud (5’11” junior G); Luke Rogers (5’10” junior G); Isaac Freese (6’3” senior F)

Roster: 13 (3 seniors, 3 juniors, 7 sophomores)

Prognosis: the outside shooting trio of Peterson, Ruud, and Rogers should keep the Burros again in the upper-half of the SEC.

MABEL-CANTON

COUGARS

Head Coach: Doug Wyffels

2011-2012 finish: 11-7 (4th place), 13-14 overall (lost 75-62 to Fillmore Central in a Sub-Section 1A-East quarterfinal)

Starters Lost: Steve Smith (6’3” C/F), A-C; Jacoby Bigalk (5’10” G), A-C HM; Adam Fravel (6’0” F); Gabe Lind (5’10” F)

Starters Back: Logan Henry (6’0” Sr C)

Other Key Returnees: Noah Manning (5’11” Jr G); Hunter Johnson (6’0” Jr. G); Justin Ward (5’11” Jr F)

Roster: 12 (3 seniors, 4 juniors, 5 sophomores)

Prognosis: It’s the post-Steve Smith era. The Coug’s will certainly have a more guard-based system without the 6’3” 250-pound beast down low.

3-Rivers All-Conference Football

Chatfield: Co-Offensive Player of the Year - Jake Neis (Jr.), Defensive Player of the Year - Justin Viss (Sr.), Jayme LaPlante (Jr.), Luke Isensee (Sr.), Nate Skare (Jr.)

Rushford-Peterson: Zach Boehmke (Sr.), Dalton Bellock (Sr.), Alex Vix (So.), Cole Kingsley (So.)

Fillmore Central: Dan Gatzke (Sr.), Jake Ristau (Sr.)

Kingsland: Marshall Oeltjen (Sr), Justin Kraling (Sr.)

Co-Coaches of the Year: Davin Thompson (R-P), Jeff Johnson (Chatfield)

GBB Results

11-23 > Lanesboro 20, Kasson-Mantorville 80 (L: Alisa Warnes 10 pts, 6 rebs. K-M: Erin Schlotthauer 22. Dover-Eyota Tournament)

> Kingsland 51, Sioux Central, Iowa 42 (K: Lizzie Tart 15; Cheyenne Losey 13; Marissa Bornholdt 8. Byron Tournament)

11-24 > Lanesboro 39, LeRoy-Ostrander 35 (L: Olivia Haug 12 pts, 9 rebs, 3 assists; Johanna Bearson 8 pts, 3 stls. D-E Tournament)

> Kingsland 44, Byron 55 (K. C. Losey 11 pts, 11 rebs; Melinda Woods 8 pts. B: Vanessa Anderson 19 pts, 17 rebs. Byron Tournament)

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