PREVIEW: Western Athletic Conference (WAC)

<p><b>Western</b></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Dodge City (12-10, 4-4)</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Garden City (17-5, 6-1)</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Great Bend (9-13, 4-4)</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Hays (9-12, 4-4)</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Liberal (10-11, 1-7)</span></p> <p><b>Dodge City (12-10, 4-4)</b></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Key Losses: Noah Sowers (6’0, G), Bowen Smith (6’1, F), Cody Iberra (5’8,G), Adian Mendoza (5’11, G).</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Dodge City is looking to replace one of the state’s most underrated backcourts in Adrian Mendoza and Noah Sowers and a large overall senior class from a squad that finished 12-10 overall and .500 in league play. The Demons will be looking to football standouts John Johnson and Beau Foster and others to step up in 2019-20.</span></p> <p><b>Garden City (17-5, 6-1)</b></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Key Losses: Jarrod Springston (6’1, F), Jackson Dirks (6’5, F)</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Garden City is coming off a big season in 2018-19 that saw them advance all the way to a Class 6A sub-state Final where the Buffaloes lost in a tight game to Lawrence. Their 17-5 record is the fifth-best mark in school history. The team will have to replace forwards Jackson Dirks and Jarrod Springston, but returns one of the league’s top players in Carlos Acosta.</span></p> <p><b>Great Bend (9-13, 4-4)</b></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Key Losses: Brock Blessing (6’2, F), Trent Stueder (6’5, F)</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Great Bend features one of the state’s most underrated athletes in 2020 guard Alex Schremmer but will be looking to replace a strong senior class that, among others, featured 6’5 forward Trent Stueder and 6’2 forward Brock Blessing. Look for Schremmer and others to have breakout seasons in 2019-20.</span></p> <p><b>Hays (9-12, 4-4)</b></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Key Losses: Tradgon McCrae (6’0, G), Cade Swayne (6’7, F), Braiden Meyers (6’3, F)</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Team losses guard Tradgon McCrae who averaged a team-high 15.4 points per game, but otherwise return much of its roster from 2018-19. Leading the way in 2019-2020 will be Nunnery, a talented junior guard who averaged 9.0 points per game last season. The Indians also return several underclassmen who got key playing time last season, including 2021 forwards Trey Adams and Dalyn Schwarz and will be looking to take big steps forward this season.</span></p> <p><b>Liberal (10-11, 1-7)</b></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Key Losses: Jordan Mendoza (5’8, G) </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Liberal losses its leading scorer from a year ago, Jordan Mendoza who averaged 11.3 points per game, but otherwise returns its entire starting line from a team that essentially finished its season at the .500 mark. The Redskins return, among others, Lee and Hunter Hatcher, Alex Lopez and Brody Sumner.</span></p> <p>&nbsp;</p>