Class B: District 3 Team Preview

Finley-Sharon/Hope-Page

Returning Talent: Ethan Brown (6-3, F, 11), Tate Goughnour (6-2, F, 12), Jackson Kamrud (11), Hunter Huschka (5-10, PG, 12)

Trending: Same

Thoughts: They bring a lot of guys back including Ethan Brown who is a nice player but they also lost every game against fellow District teams.  They won just four games last year and while that mark will get better, there is still much work to be done.

Griggs Country Central

Returning Talent:  Jayden Grover (6-3, F, 12), Tyler Gravseth (G, 12), Rylan Briss (11), Ben Halvorson (12)

Trending: Same

Thoughts: Grover is one of the better producers in the league and he returns with some of the role players and reserves from a 16 win team of last year.  The Cougars lost three senior starters though and two of the top three scorers (Nelson and Engel) so they need somebody to help Grover put points on the board.  Replacing those points will be tough.

Hatton/Northwood

Returning Talent: Brendan Myron (6-0, G, 12)

Trending: Same

Thoughts:  This was a senior dominated group that was good in section but did have a tougher schedule so their 13 wins looked better than the 13 of others.  Myron is the only main rotation guy returning from last year so they are short on experience but there are good players coming up from the JV.  Instead of three above the .500 mark we expect them to be a couple games below.

Hillsboro/Central Valley

Returning Talent:  Jake Preston (6-4, F, 12), Austin Reed (6’1, SG, 11), Kyle Henningsgard (5’11, SG, 11), Tyler Sundbom (6-0, G, 11), Logan Forseth (6-0, G, 12)

Trending: Up

Thoughts: They won 19 games last year and bring back two of the top 50 juniors in the state in Reed and Henningsgard.  Add in the talent that around that grabbed experience a year ago and this is a team that is a strong favorite to win the region. 

Larimore

Returning Talent:  Alex Mutch (12), Seth Smith (12), Levi Hofer (11)

Trending: Down

Thoughts: The majority of their scoring has graduated and while they have some guys from the rotation back they are going to have a tough to making up for the graduated scoring of Aaron Sletten and Jake Peterson.  This is a team just two wins above .500 that is likely to slip to single digit wins.

May-Port-CG

Returning Talent:  Chadrin Johnson (6-7, C, 12), Ian Chandler (6’2, G, 11)

Trending: Same

Thoughts:  The Pats won 19 games a year ago and made a run but their seven man rotation included five important seniors.  Johnson still provides inside shot blocking and Chandler is a talent but there is much to replace.  They will still be good but we are thinking more in the 14, 15 win range.

Thompson

Returning Talent: Calen Schwabe (5-11, PG, 11), Connor Hjelmsted (5-11, G, 12), Cole Hjelmsted (5’11, G, 12), Hunter Ness (6.3, F, 12), Hunter Praska (6’4, F, 12),  Sam Halvorson (6’4, F, 12), Cole Serby (6-1, G, 10), Cadyn Schwabe (5’8, PG, 9), Tyler Hegg (6-1, G, 10)

Trending: Up

Thoughts:  They were just a game over .500 last year but they played so many quality young players that the future is looking extremely good for the next four seasons.  Calen Schwabe is the main name but also this group is also led by the Hjelmsteds as well as eight of their ten guys from last year’s rotation.