The Minnesota River Preview

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Norwood Young-America and Belle Plaine each finished the 22-23 season with 11-1 records in the Minnesota River Conference. Both teams lost three all league players but return key reserves and younger scorers. Lester Prairie will become a main contender. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Conference Commentary</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Top Ten in State</strong>: Lester Prairie</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Bulldogs won 18 games last season and they really only lost one key piece from their rotation. They have the best player in the league in Trever Schauer plus two all league honored frontcourt players in [player_tooltip player_id='2093705' first='Alek' last='Hodny'] and [player_tooltip player_id='2093701' first='Connor' last='Radtke']. The Bulldogs will surely be in the thick of the league race although they will have to get past Belle Plaine who beat them twice by double figures last season. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Top Contenders</strong>: Norwood Young-America, Belle Plaine</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>I wouldn't say it's as much a rebuilding at NYA as much as it is a resort. Three all league players graduated and Braeden O'Neil as well as Noah Strickfaddden put up a lot of numbers. That said, NYA has a really nice frontcourt returning with Mackenthun and Fenney stepping into main roles. It comes down to what the guards are ready for. Belle Plaine also graduated three all league players but return four key role players. Belle Plaine likely has the slight edge with sophomore standout [player_tooltip player_id='2118474' first='Ethan' last='Martin']. Also keep in mind, NYA and Belle Plaine are class AA teams that likely won't hit that top ten area like LP will as the Bulldogs are Class A. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Compete with Most</strong>: Le Sueur-Henderson, Tri City United</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Le Sueur-Henderson will be in the middle again with [player_tooltip player_id='1617745' first='Grant' last='Adams'] leading the way but they were a team that was five games under .500 that last half of the top six players. Tri City United should be a bit better than the 9-16 record from last season. 6'3 [player_tooltip player_id='2369588' first='Lucas' last='Holicky'] and 6'5 [player_tooltip player_id='1284208' first='Reggie' last='Vosejpka'] are both returning double figure averaging scorers with Vosejpka being a double-double threat. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Rebuilding:</strong> Sibley East, Mayer Lutheran</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Sibley East is still in the rebuild mode right now as they are working to get more depth in their program. [player_tooltip player_id='2256383' first='Joseph' last='Ballalatak'] is a nice start though as he is a very good shooter who will be one of the top scorers in the league. Mayer Lutheran had a rough previous season but they received a huge help in getting transfer </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>23-24 Minnesota River Conference Predictions</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list {"ordered":true} --> <ol><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Belle Plaine</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Lester Prairie</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Norwood-Young America</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Tri City United</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Le Sueur-Henderson</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Mayer Lutheran </li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Sibley East</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ol> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Preseason All Minnesota River Conference</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>First Team</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Trever Schauer of Lester Prairie (sr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2118474' first='Ethan' last='Martin'] of Belle Plaine (soph)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1617853' first='Nathan' last='Lindesmith'] of Mayer Lutheran (jr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2256383' first='Joseph' last='Ballalatak'] of Sibley East (sr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1617745' first='Grant' last='Adams'] of Le Sueur-Henderson (sr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>Second Team</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2084592' first='Teddy' last='Traxler'] of Belle Plaine (jr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2093701' first='Connor' last='Radtke'] of Lester Prairie (sr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1284208' first='Reggie' last='Vosejpka'] of Tri City United (sr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2369588' first='Lucas' last='Holicky'] of Tri City United (sr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Michael Mackenthun of NYA (jr)</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='2093705' first='Alek' last='Hodny'] of Lester Prairie (sr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Josh Sparby of Belle Plaine (jr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2118836' first='Micah' last='Fenney'] of NYA (soph)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Austin Kehr of Belle Plaine (sr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Aiden Wachholz of NYA (sr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>Fourth Team</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Body Berndt of Le Sueur-Henderson (jr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Devin Bahr of Lester Prairie (jr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Nolan Weber of Le Sueur-Henderson (jr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Austin Dent of NYA (sr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>LaDamien Gatlin-Coellner of Lester Prairie (jr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->