The last county boys team left standing a year ago were the Trojans of Rushford-Peterson. Tom Vix’s group fell in double OT to Goodhue in the 1A title game. R-P finished 13-3 (TRC), 20-9 (overall), as 1A Runner-Up. Team green lost its two All-TRC picks (Noah Carlson, Luke Rasmussen). It returns a nice group of guys that should keep them in the Section title mix. Jake Paulson (6’2” Sr. G/F > 9.2 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 1.9 SPG) and Dawson Dahl (6’2” Sr. F > 8.7 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 2.0 APG) were each All-TRC HM last season. Landon Skalet (5’11” Jr. G > 4.9 PPG) hit the big shot in last year’s East title game. Payton Hahn (6’2” Sr. G > 5.8 PPG) and Ben Ansell (6’4” Sr. C > 2.1 PPG, 1.7 RPG) round out R-P’s five key returnees. Four seniors will team with two juniors, five sophomores, and two freshman. The Trojans have a Border Battle with the hosts in Decorah and their own Holiday Tourney. Other non-TRC foes include Moore Lake, SG, Hayfield, Crestwood, Houston (ex-Trojan Trent Vix’s team), and G-E-T. It is expected to be the last season for Tom Vix as head man of the Trojans. He’s (unofficially) at 660 wins.
Coming in with a full cupboard this year is Kingsland. John Fenske’s Knights were 12-6 last year before losing a starter to injury. They finished 7-11 (TRC), 15-13 (overall). Kingsland nearly upset SG in the 1A semis. Their only key graduation was top scorer, All-TRC pick Zach Buchholtz. Everyone else is back. That list starts with the small guy, leading returning scorer Zach Bubany (5’7” Sr. G > 13.4 PPG, 3.1 RPG, 3.9 APG, 1.5 SPG). It ends with the big guy, Ian Meisner (6’8” Sr. C > 6.6 PPG, 6.4 RPG). Both enter their third years of varsity. In between is x-factor Jordan Beck (6’3” Sr. F/C > 9.0 PPG, 6.7 RPG), defender Jackson Rindels (5’11” Sr. G > 5.5 PPG, 3.1 RPG, 1.6 APG, 2.0 SPG), Wyatt Pruter (5’11” Jr. G > 6.9 PPG, 2.3 RPG), Matthew Woods (6’0” Sr. F > 6.6 PPG, 4.6 RPG), and Ethan Fenske (6’1” Sr. G/F > 2.9 PPG, 2.3 RPG). Eight returnees lay claim to at least one double digit scoring game. The varsity has seven seniors, three juniors, and a sophomore. Kingsland has a Border Battle with Crestwood. Houston and M-C are over the holidays. L-O, Hayfield, GM, SG, and G-E are other non-TRC foes.
Mabel-Canton comes in off a 5-9 (SEC), 8-19 (overall) campaign. The Cougars fell to Houston in a 1A East play-in game. Ex-assistant Russ Larson takes over the squad. His cupboard is full. M-C returns its top four scorers. Drew Wyffels (5’10” Jr.), an All-SEC 2nd team guard, heads the cast (12.6 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 4.5 APG, 3.4 SPG). Brenden Kerns (5’11” Sr. G > 11.4 PPG, 4.4 RPG), Blake Henry (6’1” Jr. F/C > 9.4 PPG, 8.1 RPG – seven doubles over final nine games last year), and Logan Richardson (5’11” Sr. F > 5.5 PPG, 6.4 RPG) enter their third years of varsity. Ryan Kuhn (5’10” Jr. G > 1.9 PPG, 2.4 RPG) and Cody Hershberger (5’9” Sr. G > 3.0 PPG) round out the returnees. Pierce Lind (6’3’ Sr. C), a full-timer as a sophomore in 2016 (6.5 PPG, 5.6 RPG), rejoins the team as well. Seven different guys have hit for ten or more. The Cougars have four seniors (above), five juniors, and three sophomores. They have a Border Battle with Turkey Valley. FC and Kingsland are over the holidays. Other non-SEC foes include Kee, Hayfield, Alden-Conger, W-K, Cotter, and Cannon Falls. They also play G-E, L-O, GM, and L/P twice (only one game each a league game). Coach Larson head coached Spring Grove’s girls to state in 2012.
Lanesboro comes in off a successful 2016-2017 season. The Burros went 10-3 (SEC), 14-9 (overall). Chris Hanson’s group fell to W-K in the 1A quarters. Team orange/black lost their top two players in All-SEC picks, 1,000-point scorer Cole Schwichtenberg and Collin Scott. Carson Schwichtenberg (5’9” G) is the team’s top returning scorer (12.3 PPG, 61 made three’s at 39%, 2.3 RPG, 1.7 APG, 1.8 SPG). He was All-SEC HM last year. Andrew Luck (6’1” Jr. G > 5.6 PPG, 3.1 RPG), Brady Johnson (6’2” Sr. F > 4.5 PPG, 3.8 RPG), and Brett Wangen (6’0” Sr. F) are a trio of other key returnees. Matt Eversole (5’10” G) is a third senior. Lanesboro has a Border Battle with South Winn. Other non-SEC dates include Goodhue, W-K, FC, A-C, and Cotter. They also have GM, L-O, G-E, L/P each twice (only one each is a league game). They do a boys/girls doubleheader at Target Center with Randolph.
Fillmore Central went 4-12 (TRC), 11-16 (overall) last year. The Falcons fell to R-P in a 1A East quarter. Aaron Mensink graduated a lot of size and five full-time players (no All-TRC picks). Logan Corson (5’7” Sr. G > 3.5 PPG, 2.0 RPG, 1.6 APG, 1.2 SPG), Luke Ristau (6’2” Sr. C > 3.3 PPG, 1.8 RPG), Josh Peters (5’10” Jr. G/F > 3.3 PPG), and Nate Haugerud (5’10” Sr. G > 2.3 PPG, 2.5 RPG, 1.5 APG) are four key returnees. Matt Lutes (5’9” F), Colten Kraling (6’0” F), Connor Dols (5’6” G), Carter Nevalainen (5’6” G), and Dawson Schmidt (5’10” G) round out an eight-man senior group. With five juniors, the Falcons have a 13-man varsity. FC has Houston and M-C over the holidays. GM, SG, L/P, Goodhue, Lanesboro, L-O, and Schaeffer Academy are other non-TRC opponents.
Chatfield begins its season coming off a 6-12 (TRC), 7-19 campaign. The Gophers fell to Z-M in the 1AA round of 16. Coach Jeff DeBuhr lost a majority of his stat makers including All-TRC picks Alex Hompe and Parker Fossum. Bennett Gathje (5’10” Sr. G > 1.8 PPG) is the only returnee to play in every game last season. Jacob Gillespie (6’1” F), Michael Fishbaugher (6’4” F), Austin Hines (6’4” F), and Terron Ostby (6’0” G) are other seniors. Ben Brogan (5’11” Jr. G) was a late call up to varsity last year. Chatfield has the five seniors (above), seven juniors, a sophomore, and a freshman. They have the WSU Tourney plus other non-TRC tilts with Lourdes, defending Section Champ Lake City, Stewartville, and Pine Island.
Houston begins the year with a new coach. His name is even Vix (not that one). Trent Vix takes over the Hurricanes. A stand-out on R-P’s 2012 state 3rd place team, Trent becomes the first person to be covered by the Journal Sports, then be a head coach of a Journal covered team. Houston went 4-10 (SEC), 6-21 (overall) last year. They won a play-off game, but fell to SG in the 1A East quarters. James Hongerholt (6’2” Jr. F) is the team’s top returning scorer and rebounder (8.5 PPG, 7.1 RPG). Brady Happel (6’0’ Sr. F > 3.6 PPG, 4.9 RPG), Alex Van Gundy (5’10” So. G > 4.8 PPG, 2.5 RPG), and Damon Carrier (6’0” Sr. F) are three other very experienced returnees. Trent Edwards (5’8” F), Nick Erickson (5’11” F), Noah Carlson (5’11” C), Ethan Papenfuss (5’8 G), and Alex Townsend (5’11” F) give the ‘Canes seven seniors. Houston has two juniors and three sophomores. They have a Border Battle with Central Elkader. FC and Kingsland are over the holidays. Other non-TRC tilts include Cotter, Klawock City (Alaska), Kee, Cannon Falls, W-K, Cleveland, Coulee Christian, Nevis (at Target Center), R-P, and A-C.
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