All four “Journal-covered” TRC boys basketball teams put together winning seasons. Caledonia (11-3, 16-13) won the TRC-East over La Crescent/Hokah (10-4, 18-10), Fillmore Central (8-6, 17-11), Rushford-Peterson (8-6, 15-13) and Winona-Cotter (4-10, 9-17) while Chatfield (12-3, 17-11) took second to PEM (14-1, 26-6) in the TRC-West ahead of W-K (6-9, 12-15), Lewiston-Altura (5-10, 10-17), St. Charles (2-13, 4-23), and Dover-Eyota (0-15, 2-25). And thus, Caledonia, Chatfield, FC, and R-P each get at least one All-TRC pick.
The Warriors get a league-high tying four selections. Not one is a senior and all four are first time picks. Lewis Doyle (6’0” Jr. G), Mason King (6’0” So. G), Garrett Konz (6’3” So. F), and Reid Klug (6’3” So. F) make the cut. Doyle was the straw that stirred the Warrior drink, so to speak, leading the team with 16.6 PPG with 5.6 APG while chipping in 4.0 RPG. The junior point guard scored 20-plus ten times. King was the Warriors top shooter, averaging 13.9 PPG with 3.0 RPG. He hit a team-best 82 threes including three or more in a game 14 times. Klug averaged 11.3 PPG and 4.1 RPG. He hit 45 threes. Konz averaged 10.1 PPG and 5.1 RPG. The sophomore averaged about 8.0 PPG his first 18 games, but over 14.0 PPG in last 11 contests. All four guys scored 20 at least once. Making All-TRC honorable mention for the Warriors is Ethan Stendel (6’4” So. C > 6.7 PPG, team-best 7.4 RPG, team-best 2.5 BPG). Said guys led the young Warriors to another TRC-East title and a 1AA semifinal berth. Chatfield’s get two All-TRC picks in Drew Schindler (6’0” Sr. G) and Isaac Stevens (6’2” Sr. F). Schindler repeats while Stevens moved up from HM. Schindler led the Gophers with 15.9 PPG while chipping in 3.0 RPG and 3.0 APG. His lowest scoring game of the season was eight and he hit double digits 23 times. He surpassed 1,000 career points and finishes his three-year starter career with 1,075. Stevens nearly averaged a double-double; 12.0 points and 9.0 rebounds per game. He had at least eight double-doubles (and likely more). Making All-TRC HM for the Gophers are Eli Hopp (6’0” Sr. G > 11.3 PPG), Cole Johnson (6’4” Sr. G/F > 11.9 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 5.3 APG), Drew O’Connor (6’3” Sr. F > 9.3 PPG, 6.0 RPG), and Sam Backer (6’0” Sr. F > 8.0 PPG, 6.0 RPG). Johnson was purely All-TRC last season. Hopp repeats as All-TRC HM.
Johnson missed most of the year with an injury. He had a chance at 1,000 career points if not for that (finished with 761). Said guys helped Chatfield to an injury-riddled but successful 17-11 season where they beat 1AA champ PEM. Rushford-Peterson’s two All-TRC picks are Grady Hengel (5’11” Sr. G) and Dawson Bunke (6’4” Jr. F). Hengel repeats as All-TRC. R-P’s strong-handled point guard averaged a team second-best 14.6 PPG plus a team-best 3.6 APG. He upped his scoring total significantly from his junior year (8.3 PPG). Hengel shot 53% from the field and notched eight games of 20-plus points including four over 25. Bunke was one of the TRC’s most effective and used long-range bombers, as he led the Trojans in scoring at 17.2 PPG. The junior hit 114 of 266 threes, a strong 43% clip. He had 13 games of five or made threes and scored 342 of his 482 points from distance. He chipped in 4.3 RPG. Making All-TRC HM for the Trojans is Sampson Wilkemeyer (6’3” Jr. F > 6.8 PPG, team-best 4.6 RPG). Fillmore Central’s sole selection is repeat pick Jayce Kiehne (6’2” Jr. G). He was one of the TRC top scorers at 21.3 PPG. He scored in double figures in every game but two, hitting for 20-plus on 15 times and 30-plus five-times. Kiehne shot 55% from the field, 36% from three, 74% from the free throw line (made 145 of 197). He chipped in 5.8 RPG and 2.5 APG. The prolific scored topped 1,000 career points. Kiehne averaged 19.6 PPG last season. FC then gets four All-TRC HM picks, Dillon O’Connor (6’0” Sr. G > 11.9 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 3.7 APG, 42 threes), Will Parker (6’2” Sr. C > 9.0 PPG, team-best 9.0 RPG, 47% FGs), Luke Hellickson (6’3” Jr. F > 11.9 PPG, 5.5 RPG, team-best 48 threes, team-best 38% clip), and Bryce Corson (5’6” Sr. G > 7.8 PPG, 4.2 RPG, team-best 5.1 APG). Hellickson and Corson both repeated as All-TRC HM. Corson finished as one of FC’s top assistors ever. Said guys helped the Falcons to their first winning season, and best campaign, in over a decade. Pure All-TRC picks from outside the “Journal 11” schools are La Crecent/Hokah’s Carter Todd, Owen Bentzen, Mason Einerwold, and Noah Bjerke-Wieser; PEM’s Aeron Stevens and Kaiden Peters, L-A’s Cole Kreidermacher, W-K’s Parker Springer, and Cotter’s Luke Gardner.
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