The Gopher Conference Preview
<p>WEM and Hayfield controlled the Gopher Conference a year ago. How much will the league change this year? Prep Hoops/NHR </p>
<p><strong>Conference Commentary</strong></p>
<p><strong>Potential Top Ten:</strong> WEM, Hayfield, Blooming Prairie</p>
<p>WEM won 25 of 27 games last year and brings back their top guy. Problem is Grand McBroom will be helping breaking in a ton of new players. Hayfield, who won 24 games last year, is in the exact opposite situation as WEM. They lose their top guy in Mason Tapp, but return everything else! They team that losses nothing (for the most part) are the Blossoms of Blooming Prairie. They will be a 20 win team but how can you pick them ahead of Hayfield and WEM when they were 0-5 vs those teams last year? You can't. In fact Blooming Prairie hasn't beaten WEM in at least five years (MN Scores doesn't go back far enough for me to get a real count).</p>
<p><strong>Compete with Most</strong>: USC, NRHEG, Maple River,</p>
<p>The Rebels of USC have a top guy in AJ Kloos but there are a ton of starters to replace, and the same can be said about NRHEG who lost all their double figure scoring options. Maple River could really make a move forward with a young leader and several experienced guys. </p>
<p><strong>Rebuilding</strong>: Bethlehem Academy, Medford</p>
<p>Bethlehem Academy struggled to get to double figure wins last year, and then graduated their top five players. Sophomore Brady Strodtman is ready to take over though. Maple River and Medford will take a step forward but how much? AJ Vandereide and Mason Schirmer will lead for each</p>
<p><strong>19-20 Conference Predictions</strong></p>
<ol>
<li>Hayfield</li>
<li>WEM</li>
<li>Blooming Prairie</li>
<li>USC</li>
<li>Maple River</li>
<li>NRHEG</li>
<li>Bethlehem Academy</li>
<li>Medford</li>
</ol>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>Preseason All Gopher Conference</strong></p>
<p><strong><u>First Team</u></strong></p>
<p>Grant McBroom, WEM (Sr)</p>
<p>Gabe Hagen, Blooming Prairie (Sr)</p>
<p>Luke Dudycha, Hayfield (Sr)</p>
<p>AJ Kloos, USC (Sr)</p>
<p>Kaden Thomas, Blooming Prairie (Sr)</p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong><u>Second Team</u></strong></p>
<p>Karson Vigeland, Blooming Prairie (Sr)</p>
<p>Patrick Towney, Hayfield (Sr)</p>
<p>Teien Murphy, Maple River (Jr)</p>
<p>AJ Vandereide, Medford (Jr)</p>
<p>Ethan Slaathaug, Hayfield (Jr)</p>
<p>Mason Schirmer, Maple River (Fr)</p>
<p> </p>
<p><u><strong>Third Team</strong></u></p>
<p>Ethan Slaathaug, Hayfield (Jr)</p>
<p>Cole Kokoschke, WEM (Sr)</p>
<p>Blake Ihrke, NRHEG (Sr)</p>
<p>Adam Stenzel, USC (Sr)</p>
<p>Brady Strodtman, Bethlehem Academy (Soph)</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
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