The Little Eight Preview

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Ashby and Hillcrest Lutheran Academy shared the title a season ago. Based on the conference website and Minnesota Scores, it looks as if the Little Eight has expanded from seven teams to ten teams this season. Wheaton/Herman-Norcross, Clinton-Graceville-Beardsley, and Hancock have been added to the league. </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 in State Potential</strong>: Hillcrest Lutheran Academy, Wheaton/Herman-Norcross</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Hillcrest Lutheran Academy and Wheaton/Herman-Norcross are the favorites in the league and if they can put solid runs together they could be top ten teams. These are teams that have 3/4 starters back each and they both had good records last year plus last season. Wheaton/Herman-Norcross won their head to head match-up last year by 12 and they have a bit more returning so we give the preseason nod for number one, but only by a little bit. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Compete with Most</strong>: Battle Lake, Brandon-Evansville, Ashby, Hancock, Parkers Prairie</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This feels like an absolute toss up. Spots 3-7 to me seem basically interchangeable right now. I want to believe that Hancock may have an edge with Koehl and Ver Steeg back but then again they lost Matt Thompson who was an all state player two separate seasons. Ashby should be good but how can we really tell considering they have only one guy back from last season? Parkers Prairie, Brandon-Evansville, and Battle Lake all have an all conference double figure leading scorer returning so they should be solid as well. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Rebuilding:</strong>  Clinton-Graceville-Beardsley, Rothsay, Underwood</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2121347' first='Drew' last='Evavold'] of Underwood gives them hope as he gets into his second year of a five year career while [player_tooltip player_id='962317' first='Cole' last='Gilsdorf'] of Cltinon-Graceville-Beardsley is a two time all league player so they should be better. [player_tooltip player_id='1284182' first='Matthew' last='Danielson'] should lead Rothsay.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>22-23 Conference Predictions</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list {"ordered":true} --> <ol><li>Wheaton/Herman-Norcross</li><li>Hillcrest Lutheran Academy</li><li>Brandon/Evansville</li><li>Battle Lake</li><li>Parkers Prairie</li><li>Hancock</li><li>Ashby</li><li>Rothsay</li><li>Underwood</li><li>Clinton-Graceville-Beardsley</li></ol> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Preseason All Little Eight Conference</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>First Team</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Mason Arens of Parkers Prairie (sr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Justin Peterson of Hillcrest Lutheran Academy (sr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Dylan Bainbridge of Wheaton/Herman-Norcorss (sr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Clint Determan of Whaeton/Herman-Norcross (sr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1600473' first='Dezmond' last='White'] of Brandon-Evansville (sr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>Second Team</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Jack Mekalson of Battle Lake (jr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2093698' first='Noah' last='Brumfield'] of Hillcrest Lutheran Academy (jr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2399794' first='Hudson' last='Ver Steeg'] of Hancock (jr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='962317' first='Cole' last='Gilsdorf'] of Cltinon-Graceville-Beardsley (sr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Jackson Koehl of Hancock (sr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>Third Team</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2121347' first='Drew' last='Evavold'] of Underwood (fr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Andrew Walker of Wheaton/Herman-Norcross (sr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Grant Dawson of Wheaton/Herman-Norcross (sr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Brodie Ecker of Ashby (sr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Luke Christensen of Hillcrest Lutheran Academy (jr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1284182' first='Matthew' last='Danielson'] of Rothsay (jr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->