Grassroots Preview: Minnesota Lightning Schwartzhoff

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Grassroots season is underway and the talent pool in the state of Minnesota is incredibly spread out, meaning there should be a lot of really good, competitive clubs. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Minnesota Lightning out of the southeast area of Minnesota have a handful of teams at the 17U level this year and the best one might be Lightning Schwartzhoff.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Here’s a quick look</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><strong>Guards:</strong> Zach Todd, Jake Wohlers, Josh Kerska, Noah Miller</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Todd’s been one of the better players in the southeast corner of the state for a couple years now and one of the primary pieces in La Crescent’s rise from really bad to really good. He’s got good size on the wing at 6-foot-3/6-foot-4 and can score from all levels on the floor.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Wohlers was a key piece for Lake City last season, serving as a sniper on the wing. His deep range is among the best in the state and he’s a competitive defender and rebounder. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Kerska was a role player at La Crescent last year and should take a step forward next year, and this could be a big summer for him to improve at running a team. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Miller is playing up as a sophomore out of Forest City, Iowa. He’s a borderline top-40 type player in the 2021 class and should give this team some juice on the perimeter.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><strong>Forwards:</strong> Luke Schwartzhoff, Kaden Thomas, Zach Hutton, Grant Manke</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Schwartzhoff is one of the more recruitable guys on this team. At 6-foot-7, he’s got strong skills inside and a soft touch from the perimeter. His mobility makes him a tough cover on the offensive end and that combined with length make him a valuable defender.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Thomas has been a big piece for Blooming Prairie for the last few years and while he isn’t the biggest or most athletic guy, his motor and skill allow him to compete against top-notch competition. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Hutton was one of the best players in the Hiawatha Valley League last year and has the size and athleticism to create mismatches with bigger and smaller guys.  </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Manke is a double-double machine out of Bangor, Wisconsin. At 6-foot-5, he’s skilled inside as a scorer and passer and knows how to create scoring opportunities for himself without necessarily demanding a lot of touches. </span></p>