Most Outstanding Player Candidates: 2A

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Some of the top players in 2A a year ago are back. They're ready for huge senior seasons. And perhaps the best senior in 2A is not the frontrunner for Most Outstanding Player.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>The Frontrunners:</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1146270' first='Keller' last='Hurla'], 6-foot guard, 2023, St. Marys:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Hurla got it done this fall, leading the Bears to a football state championship and earning a football scholarship to Washburn. He can get it done on the hardwood too. He led the team to state runner-up with 19 points per game a junior. He's a brilliant shooter who may have to pick up a bigger load to make up for graduation losses.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1080178' first='Britton' last='Dutton'], 6-foot-1 guard, 2023, Ellinwood (pictured):</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Points won't be a problem for Ellinwood this year. The prolific scorer Dutton is just one of a bunch of returners for the Eagles. For Dutton to be a candidate for Most Outstanding Player, the team needs to get out of the sub-state round. There's no question about his ability to produce. He can go for 30 nearly every night, and he gets the ball to his teammates too.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>The Outsiders:</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1080187' first='Brekyn' last='Ratzlaff'], 6-foot guard, 2023, Hillsboro:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>What's a two-time all-stater and back-to-back state champ doing in the “outsiders” category? There's no question Ratzlaff is a brilliant distributor, defender and playmaker. He's perhaps the best point guard in the small school ranks. The problem is that the Trojans graduated nearly everything else from the championship team. A lot of other guys will have step up for Hillsboro to continue their run. Ratzlaff's abilities as a leader will be paramount.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1270299' first='Eli' last='Lawson'], 6-foot-6 center, 2024, Bennington:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This guy is a problem for small school opponents. Lawson is so fundamentally sound, so powerful and so smart in the post. He turned in a very impressive 21 points and 10 boards as a sophomore, then really showed his talents against big school competition over the summer. What's standing between him and Most Outstanding Player candidacy? Wins. The Bulldogs went just 13-9 a year ago.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1212164' first='Dylan' last='Werth'], 6-foot-7 forward, 2023, TMP:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Werth was a second-team all-stater and led his team to state on the 3A level as a junior. Now the Monarchs drop to 2A for his senior year. Werth has length for days and is a springy forward who can raise his 14 points and 7 boards if needed. It will be interesting to see how the addition of TMP impacts the 2A field.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>The Surprise Candidates:</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1561988' first='Logan' last='Churchill'], 6-foot-6 center, 2023, Moundridge:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Moundridge returns several key pieces for this season, but if anyone can really take it to the next level, it's probably the big man. Churchill averaged 19 points as a junior and should be a dominant post presence that frees up his talented teammates. The team should be really good.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1454194' first='Jackson' last='Biggs'], 6-foot-5 forward, 2023, Lyndon:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Lyndon will have a lot of holes to fill from last year's state team. But versatile, athletic wing player isn't a hole they need to fill. They have the springy senior Biggs ready to produce even more than the 13 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists he contributed last year. He can shoot from deep, run the floor and compete in the paint at both ends.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->