The Big South (East) Preview

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>New Ulm won the Big South East last year by two games. The Eagles will be the big favorite once again but this is a league where every night is a test. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Conference Commentary</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Top Ten Potential</strong>: New Ulm</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The majority of this league was around the .500 mark last year while the Eagles went 22-7. They also have the two best players in the league in [player_tooltip player_id='1284109' first='Colton' last='Benson'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1284151' first='James' last='Osborne'] plus a few others returning from last year's line-up. They won't start the year as a Class AAA top ten team but they are on the verge of being one. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Compete with Most</strong>: St. Peter, Fairmont, Waseca, Blue Earth</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>St. Peter was the clear second best team winning seven of their ten league games and with all league [player_tooltip player_id='1434070' first='Tate' last='Olson'] returning they are the clear number two. Ahston Volk also returns which makes them the top contender to New Ulm. Blue Earth and Fairmont both have all league players returning from .500 teams. Graduation likely hit Waseca the hardest when it comes to teams in this group although [player_tooltip player_id='2103355' first='Damarius' last='Russell'] might be the best young player in this conference. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Rebuilding</strong>: St. James</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A new coach puts them here but they are the same as most of the league in that they could finish 3rd through 6th. Alex Stresenann and [player_tooltip player_id='1478497' first='Bennett' last='Flohrs'] back gives Coach Althenhofen a foundation in year one. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>22-23 Conference Predictions</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list {"ordered":true} --> <ol><li>New Ulm</li><li>St. Peter</li><li>Fairmont</li><li>Blue Earth</li><li>St. James</li><li>Waseca</li></ol> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Preseason All Big South East</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>First Team</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1284109' first='Colton' last='Benson'] of New Ulm (jr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1284151' first='James' last='Osborne'] of New Ulm (jr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1225637' first='Ashton' last='Lloyd'] of Blue Earth Area (sr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Sawyer Tordson of Fairmont (sr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1434070' first='Tate' last='Olson'] of St. Peter (jr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>Second Team</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Alex Stresenann of St. James (sr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1478497' first='Bennett' last='Flohrs'] of St. James (jr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Collin Horning of New Ulm (sr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Ashton Volk of St. Peter (sr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2103355' first='Damarius' last='Russell'] of Waseca (soph)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->