The Big South East Preview

<p>The Big South.  The league has an east and a west and today we look at the East in the second league preview. </p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Conference Commentary</strong></p> <p><strong>Compete with Most: Fairmont, New Ulm, St Peter</strong></p> <p>The Cards return most of their line-up from a 7-11 team.  There were struggles last year despite having a couple really good players leading the way, but we think they will take a step forward.  [player_tooltip player_id="958733" first="Zach" last="Jorgensen"] will enter the season as the best guard in the league plus he has a couple returning starters back with him. </p> <p>New Ulm is ready to take the next step.  With four starters back including two sophomores that started last year, they should easily doubled their five win total from a season ago.  What kind of jump can they make?  They have the guard play, and if 6’7 Zander Fischer makes strides, who knows!?!?</p> <p>St. Peter has the best player in the league in [player_tooltip player_id="1267324" first="Bennett" last="Olson"] which of course gives them a huge edge.  Problem is four of the top six graduated and St. Peter was not as good as they were hoping to be last year.  </p> <p><strong>Rebuilding: Blue Earth, Waseca, St. James</strong></p> <p>After losing nearly their entire line-up to graduation Blue Earth will be looking at a lot of new bodies in their rotation.  [player_tooltip player_id="1225637" first="Ashton" last="Lloyd"] is the one holdover and he’s solid, but this is going to look like a new team. Speaking of rebuilding, everything at Waseca will be new.  The Jays leaned on a big time 2021 group for several years and it paid off with a title.  Now they are rebuilding.  Rebuilding doesn’t mean losing, but it does mean they have to make-up a whole new team. The way this league is though, anybody could win it including the new Waseca team.  St. James was winless in league play last year and went 2-17 overall so they are still rebuilding.  </p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>21-22 Conference Predictions</strong></p> <ol> <li>Fairmont</li> <li>Waseca</li> <li>St. Peter</li> <li>New Ulm</li> <li>Blue Earth</li> <li>St. James</li> </ol> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Preseason All Big South East</strong></p> <p><strong><u>First Team</u></strong></p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="1267324" first="Bennett" last="Olson"] of St. Peter (sr)</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="958733" first="Zach" last="Jorgensen"] of Fairmont (sr)</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="958664" first="Hayden" last="Jones"] of S.t James (sr)</p> <p>James Osborne of New Ulm (soph)</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="1225637" first="Ashton" last="Lloyd"] of Blue Earth (jr)</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="958712" first="Charlie" last="Osborne"] of New Ulm (sr)</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong><u>Second Team</u></strong></p> <p>Jacob Crissinger of Fairmont (sr)</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="958792" first="Elijah" last="Breck"] of Waseca (sr)</p> <p>Josh Wenninger of New Ulm (sr)</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="1225636" first="Gavin" last="Junkermeier"] of Fairmont (jr)</p> <p>Parker Link of Waseca (sr)</p> <p>Colton Benson of New Ulm (soph)</p>