Minnesota First Look: Lake City

Matt Bigelow

November 25, 2019 @ 09:00 AM

It’s been quite the run in recent years for Lake City. Consistently an excellent program, the Tigers got the state tournament for the second time in three years behind a staunch defense and one of the best tandems in the state. All the components that made the Tigers good last year are back and they go into 2019-20 with state-title potential. KEY RETURNERS: Nate Heise, Reid Gastner, Jake Wohlers Finally seniors, Heise and Gastner will go down as two of the best players in school history and are looking to end their careers with three state tournament trips in four years. Heise moved to point guard as a junior and had no issue, averaging 22 points, nearly seven rebounds and five assists while knocking down nearly 40 percent of his 3-point attempts on his way to earning Hiawatha Valley League Player-of-the-Year. He followed that up with an awesome spring and summer, ultimately landing a scholarship from Northern Iowa. He’s one of the best players in Class AA. Gastner’s been steady and consistent each of his three years at the varsity level. The 6-foot-4 combo-forward took his game to the perimeter as a junior and averaged 14 points and seven rebounds, showing off an improved 3-point shot and passing skills. He’s an excellent two-way player who can guard just about any position on the floor and his ability to impact the game inside and out make him a nightmare from area competition. Wohlers is a terrific support player for the Tigers and plays his role to perfect. The 6-foot-2 senior averaged nine points per game last year, knocking down better than 40 percent of his 3-point attempts. He’s an excellent defender and smart without the ball, which works perfectly with Heise and Gastner. STEPPING INTO NEW ROLES: Justin Wohlers, Brady Schurhammer, Jackson Berge, Carson Matzke, Brayden Meyer Justin Wohlers looks like the next stud at Lake City and earned a lot of playing time as a freshman last year. Like his brother, he’s a terrific long-range shooter, but he’s also got some juice as a slasher and playmaker. He won’t put up huge numbers as a sophomore, but he could be this team’s third-leading scorer before taking on a much more prominent role as an upperclassman. Schurhammer saw spot minutes last year off the bench behind a couple of senior forwards. He’ll have an opportunity to start at the five for the Tigers and while he won’t be featured offensively, he’ll be valuable as a screener, rim-runner and defender. Berge saw time last year off the bench as well and gives the Tigers another steady hand the team can trust to make good decision with the ball. He’s not going to put up big numbers, but he’ll play solid defense and make plays in a low-wattage role. Matzke and Meyer were underclassmen on the roster and could move their way into depth roles this winter. QUESTION: Will anybody challenge Lake City in conference? Lake City mopped up on what seemed like a down HVL last year, winning all 15 games. Only twice did the Tigers not win by double-digits. That didn’t hurt them much in the long run, as they cruised through section tournament play all the way to state. Stewartville should be alright again this winter. Perhaps Zumbrota-Mazzeppa, Cannon Falls or Rochester Lourdes emerge as worthy challengers. But at this point, the Tigers look like the runaway dominant team in the HVL again this winter. SEASON OUTLOOK Lake City will head into the 2019-20 season ranked firmly in the top-five and possibly as high as No. 2. The Tigers have the experience, coaching, high-end talent and complementary talent to win a state title this year. Section 1AA is a grind, and expect Caledonia to be up there with them competing for a spot at state, but in the last year of Heise, Gastner and a terrific overall senior class, expect a special season.