Grassroots Preview: Minnesota Lightning Schwartzhoff

Matt Bigelow

April 18, 2019 @ 09:00 AM

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. 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. Here’s a quick look Guards: Zach Todd, Jake Wohlers, Josh Kerska, Noah Miller 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. 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. 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. 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. Forwards: Luke Schwartzhoff, Kaden Thomas, Zach Hutton, Grant Manke 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. 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. 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. 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.