Conference Preview: SEISC (North)
The Teams Columbus, Columbus Junction: After a miserable 0-23 season there’s only up to go for the Wildcats this winter. Though they won’t compete for any sort of conference supremacy, they do have some nice contributors coming back, including last year’s…
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Continue ReadingThe Teams
Columbus, Columbus Junction: After a miserable 0-23 season there’s only up to go for the Wildcats this winter. Though they won’t compete for any sort of conference supremacy, they do have some nice contributors coming back, including last year’s leading scorer Carter Dolby.
Highland, Riverside: With one of the state’s best freshman coming in, Zach Lasek, and a handful of returning talent with some experience under its belt, we fully expect this year’s team to be just as competitive as last year’s 16-win squad.
Iowa Mennonite: No Eli Gingerich could mean fewer wins for Iowa Mennonite this season, but not if Nick Yutzy and Drake Bezina have anything to do with it. Those are the two leading returning scorers. Yutzy is a preseason first team all-conference selection.
Lone Tree: Expectations will be sky high in Lone Tree this season. Not only do they have the preseason player of the year Jovonte Squiers, but the Lions’ 10 leading scorers from a season ago are back from an 18-win team.
Louisa-Muscatine: The Falcons were formidable last season, finishing a hair above .500 at 12-11. This season they will have a mostly new look starting lineup, and it will be senior Lowden Gabriel’s turn to take the reins.
Mediapolis: There’s likely to be optimism in the air at Mediapolis this season. Its top two scorers, Tristan Timmerman and Dalton Carlson — are back. They’ll rely on a stable of role players from a season ago to step-up and help and try and help them get into the upper half of the conference standings.
Pekin: A program that’s had a lot of success in the past decade, the Panthers seemingly always contend for a conference title. After an 18-win season last winter, they’ll look to again be at or near the top behind senior Ryan Milikin and a bevy of younger talent.
WACO: After averaging 12.3 points per game last season, Jackson Roth will have his work cut out for him again this season. The Warriors next three leading scorers from last season’s five-win team have graduated. It could be another long season in Wayland.
Wapello: A supergroup of 2018s are all back as juniors after gaining another year of experience and helping to lead Wapello to 11-wins last season. If they don’t contend for a conference title this season (which they might), watch out for the Indians next winter.
Winfield-Mt.Union: With do-it-all forward Bryce Robinson leading the way the Wolves will try and continue the success from their 13-win season last winter. Winfield Mt.Union hasn’t finished under .500 since the 2012-13 season.
Projected Order of Finish
- Lone Tree
- Highland, Riverside
- Pekin
- Iowa Menninite
- Wapello
- Mediapolis
- Winfield. Mt. Union
- Louisa-Muscatine
- WACO
- Columbus, Columbus Junction
Photo credit: www.courier-journal.com
Preseason Player of the Year
Jovonte Squiers, 6’1, Lone Tree
The four-sport star is a shoo-in for this nomination. He’s been wrecking-shop in the conference since his freshman year, and we should see his best season this winter. He mentioned to PHIA in a recent interview that his goal is to lead Lone Tree to an undefeated record at home.
Biggest Sleeper
Zach Lasek, 6’7, Highland, Riverside
He’s certainly not a sleeper to us, we saw the freshman post dominate his position at our Top 250 Expo in September. But unless you’ve been paying attention to our site, you probably are unaware that the Huskies have one of the state’s best freshman coming in to man the paint this season.
Players to Watch
Jovonte Squiers, 6’1, Lone Tree
Niko Gosnell, 6’7, Lone Tree
Trent Lasek, 5’11, Highland, Riverside
Nick Yutzy, 6′, Iowa Mennonite
Trenton Massner, G, Wapello
Jackson Roth, 5’10, WACO
Bryce Robinson, 6’4, Winfield Mt.Union
Tristan Timmerman, 6’4, Mediapolis
Ryan Milikin, 5’6, Pekin
Logan Belzer, 5’11, Wapello