The Great River Preview

<p>Today we look north, to The Great River Conference.  An eight team league headlined by Pine City and East Central last season. </p> <p><strong>Conference Commentary</strong></p> <p><strong>Top Ten Potential: </strong>Pine City</p> <p>Pine City returns four starters who are all all-league talents from a team that went 13-6 a season ago.  Pine City has an outside shot at being a top ten Class AA squad this season.  </p> <p><strong>Top Contenders: </strong>Rush City, Braham</p> <p>Rush City lost their best player from a 13-6 team but bring back all but two players from the line-up overall.  They will be an experienced team that contends.  The Braham Bombers were in a similar spot to Rush City (13-7) last year although they were dinged a bit more by graduation.  That said, with 2-3 guys that have started before, the Bombers can contend. </p> <p><strong>Compete with Most: </strong>Hinckley-Finlayson, Ogilvie</p> <p>The Jags lost their top weapon from a season ago but there are three starters returning.  Not a big team but a team of experienced guards. Ogilvie won zero games two years ago, four games last year.  They will take the next step because most of their players return and their top talent Andy Berg is going to be one of the league’s top scorers.  But are they ready to jump some of the best? Maybe. </p> <p><strong>Rebuilding: </strong>East Central, Onamia, Isle</p> <p>East Central had a great 2020-21 year but they have to replace all their starters and most of their rotation from a season ago.  There are some young players with promise, but they need experience.  Onamia was a two win team last year and most of the returning players are sophomores (a couple seniors too).  This will mostly be a young team. Isle won only one league game last year and their best players were seniors. </p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>21-22 Conference Predictions</strong></p> <ol> <li>Pine City</li> <li>Rush City</li> <li>Braham</li> <li>Hinckley-Finlayson</li> <li>East Central</li> <li>Ogilvie</li> <li>Onamia</li> <li>Isle</li> </ol> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Preseason All Great River Conference</strong></p> <p><strong><u>First Team</u></strong></p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="958763" first="Kameron" last="Jusczak"] of Pine City (sr)</p> <p>Cole Waxburg of Pine City (sr)</p> <p>Tony Daas of Rush City (jr)</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="962323" first="Caleb" last="Schustad"] of Braham (jr)</p> <p>Andy Berg of Ogilvie (sr)</p> <p>Ty Stepp of Rush City (sr)</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong><u>Second Team</u></strong></p> <p>Dylan Peterson of Pine City (sr)</p> <p>John Mankie of Braham (sr)</p> <p>Luke Wilson of Pine City (jr)</p> <p>Ashton Hosler of Hinckley-Finlayson (sr)</p> <p>Aj Drift of Onamia (sr)</p> <p>Lucas Kreft of Hinckley-Finlayson (sr)</p>