Badger Small Preview 2025-26

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Final 2024-25 Standings:</strong><br><br>1. Mount Horeb 14-0 (25-3); 2. McFarland 11-3 (17-9); 3. Stoughton 10-4 (16-9); 4. Baraboo 7-7 (14-12); 5. Edgewood 5-9 (6-19); 5. Sauk Prairie 5-9 (12-13); 7. Reedsburg 4-10 (9-16); 8. Portage 0-14 (2-23).<br><br><em>Note: Baraboo moves to the Badger Large while Fort Atkinson joins the Badger Small for 2025-26.</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>2025-26 Picks<br><br>1. Mount Horeb</strong> -- The Vikings went undefeated in Badger Small play a year ago and return six key players from that squad, including one of the state's elite players in senior guard [player_tooltip player_id='1561888' first='Josh' last='Manchester'] (6-3, 30.8 ppg, 4.0 rpg). With Manchester leading the way, Mount Horeb ranks among the premier WIAA Division 2 teams in the state and looks to match or surpass its 25-3 record of a year ago. Joining Manchester, a four-year varsity performer for coach Todd Nesheim, as key returning players are seniors [player_tooltip player_id='2390158' first='Kam' last='Nesheim'] (6-1, 2.6 ppg), [player_tooltip player_id='2641669' first='Hayden' last='Anderson'] (6-6, 5.6 ppg, 5.5 rpg), [player_tooltip player_id='2381702' first='Cal' last='Odgers'] (6-4, 1.7 rpg) and Nick Ibinger (6-1, 2.3 ppg) along with junior [player_tooltip player_id='2433100' first='Alex' last='Chapman'] (6-4, 8.8 ppg, 4.9 rpg). <strong><br><br>2. McFarland </strong>-- The Spartans have the luxury of having two juniors who figure to play scholarship basketball of some kind at the next level. Forward [player_tooltip player_id='2140913' first='Eli' last='Krueger'] (6-8, 11.4 ppg, 9.2 rpg) owns NCAA Division I scholarship offers from Green Bay, Southern Utah and Toledo. Wing [player_tooltip player_id='2140920' first='Garrett' last='Crull'] (6-3, 15.4 ppg, 5.6 rpg) excels in football and basketball, and figures to pick up some offers next spring and summer on the club circuit with the [program_tooltip program_id='2078835' first='Wisconsin' last='Swing']. Outside of Krueger and Crull, long-time coach Jeff Meinholdt looks for senior Ben Bosold (6-2, 2.0 ppg) and junior Kam Meinholdt (5-6, 3.0 ppg) to play important roles for the Spartans.<strong><br><br>3. Stoughton </strong>-- The Vikings might have the best backcourt combination in the Badger Small with senior [player_tooltip player_id='1561944' first='Jacob' last='Hibner'] (6-3, 19.4 ppg, 3.5 rpg) and [player_tooltip player_id='2508305' first='Jaren' last='Vale'] (6-0, 7.3 ppg, 4.3 rpg) holding down the backcourt spots for coach Nolan Weber. Hibner is a muscular wing with deep shooting range and a hard-to-stop-off-the-dribble game. He has committed to NCAA Division II Minnesota-Duluth. Vale is a quick and competitive point guard who can push the ball and put good defensive pressure on opposing guards. Weber has several other returning seniors who could emerge as key players, including Payton Danforth (5-10), Quinn Poole (6-2), Parker Sellnow (5-11), [player_tooltip player_id='2404969' first='Moses' last='Harris'] (6-3) and Andy Perkins (6-1). Sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='2855904' first='Holden' last='Ackerman'] (6-0) also figures to be in the playing rotation.<strong><br><br>4. Fort Atkinson </strong>-- Just when Fort Atkinson was getting acclimated to the opponents in the Badger Large, an enrollment dip finds the Blackhawks switching spots with Baraboo and moving to the Badger Small. All five regulars from last year's stellar 17-8 squad have graduated, but a very strong junior class returns for coach Mike Hintz. Junior point guard [player_tooltip player_id='2508477' first='Graeson' last='Geiger'] (6-1, 7.3 ppg, 3.8 rpg) is one of the better lead guards in the state's 2027 class while junior forward [player_tooltip player_id='2508476' first='Oliver' last='Evans'] (6-8) took major strides in his game of the spring and summer on the club circuit. Sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='2390204' first='Carter' last='Klopcic'] (6-4) and juniors [player_tooltip player_id='2140967' first='Nolan' last='Quamme'] (6-3) and [player_tooltip player_id='2839915' first='Ryley' last='Kloster'] (6-3) also figure to play big roles. <strong><br><br>5. Sauk Prairie </strong>-- Shooting and guard play are the top assets for Sauk Prairie, which must overcome a lack of size. Senior point [player_tooltip player_id='2641947' first='Otis' last='Andres'] (5-10, 11.0 ppg, 3.5 rpg) and senior wing Jake Buckles (6-1, 7.1 ppg, 3.2 rpg) are returning starters from a club that finished 12-13 under coach Sean McGann. Senior Boden Breunig (6-2, 7.8 ppg, 2.9 rpg) and juniors [player_tooltip player_id='2508486' first='Brendan' last='Marquardt'] (6-5, 3.5 ppg, 2.4 rpg) and Lincoln Ganser (5-10, 4.9 ppg) figure to contend for starting roles after being key reserves last winter. Newcomers from a 17-5 JV1 club also figure to be in the mix for the Eagles.<strong><br><br>6. Edgewood </strong>-- The coaching ranks at Edgewood have been a bit askew since Chris Zwettler stepped down following the 2021-22 season. Reggie Patterson and Kevin Schmotzer each coached a season and a half with Schmotzer stepping down over the summer. [player_tooltip player_id='2140929' first='Jackson' last='Riley'], a former Monona Grove athlete and current club coach with the [program_tooltip program_id='2076023' first='Wisconsin' last='Academy'], was hired to replace Schmotzer in September. He takes over a program in flux as both [player_tooltip player_id='2231583' first='Timmy' last='West'] (6-0, 15.0 ppg, 4.0 rpg) and [player_tooltip player_id='2369866' first='AJ' last='Gnewuch'] (6-3, 10.9 ppg, 3.2 rpg) left Edgewood for out-of-state prep schools. Riley does have some returning talent, though, as senior [player_tooltip player_id='2500063' first='Gannon' last='Bagstad'] (6-2, 7.5 ppg, 4.2 rpg), junior [player_tooltip player_id='2508657' first='Henry' last='Clark'] (6-3, 3.0 ppg, 3.2 rpg) and sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='2673454' first='Kaleb' last='Oeth'] (6-3, 3.6 ppg, 3.4 rpg) started a times a year ago. The off-season development of senior [player_tooltip player_id='2618111' first='Evan' last='Breidel'] (6-6) and juniors [player_tooltip player_id='2299462' first='Triston' last='Mitchell'] (6-2, 4.4 ppg), [player_tooltip player_id='2415360' first='Owen' last='Rist'] (6-4, 2.0 ppg), [player_tooltip player_id='2415505' first='Ben' last='Morey'] (6-1, 3.5 ppg) and [player_tooltip player_id='2452072' first='Drew' last='Christensen'] (6-3, 6.9 ppg, 2.5 rpg) gives Edgewood hope of improving on last year's 6-19 finish. <strong><br><br>7. Reedsburg </strong>-- Justin Kuhnau, hired as the Beavers' head coach in September, needs to replace Reedsburg's top three players as Danny Pickel (6-2, 15.9 ppg, 9.3 rpg), Alek Southworth (6-2, 14.4 ppg, 5.6 rpg) and Bo Bestor (5-11, 8.2 ppg, 2.6 rpg) graduated last spring. Seniors [player_tooltip player_id='2959868' first='Will' last='Mikonowicz'] (6-0, 8.4 ppg, 5.2 rpg) and [player_tooltip player_id='2959870' first='Winston' last='Alonso'] (6-2, 4.2 ppg, 3.1 rpg) headline the list of returning players, although Kuhnau figures to rely heavily on a talented sophomore class that includes [player_tooltip player_id='2553682' first='Lincoln' last='Benish'] (5-11), [player_tooltip player_id='2613971' first='Ian' last='McClure'] (6-4, 3.9 ppg, 3.9 rpg) and [player_tooltip player_id='2916777' first='Lucius' last='Wells'] (6-2, 2.4 ppg, 2.3 rpg). Seniors [player_tooltip player_id='2989540' first='Jonah' last='Williams'] (6-6, 2.8 ppg) and [player_tooltip player_id='2959872' first='Luke' last='Verch'] (6-5, 2.2 ppg, 3.9 rpg) also could emerge as key players. <strong><br><br>8. Portage --</strong> The Warriors have won just one conference game over the past two seasons so there is plenty of room for improvement. And coach Caleb Bohrer begins his second season at the school looking for just that behind the play of returning starters [player_tooltip player_id='2989425' first='Michael' last='Nachreiner'] (6-5, 6.9 ppg, 4.2 rpg) and Brody Kayatz (6-2, 3.7 ppg, 2.5 rpg). Seniors [player_tooltip player_id='2989439' first='Donovan' last='Navone'] (6-1, 6.6 pgp, 2.3 rpg) and [player_tooltip player_id='2989448' first='Wesley' last='Krueger'] (6-5, 1.3 ppg, 2.6 rpg) also return for Portage.<br><br><strong>Top Returning Scorers</strong><br><br>[player_tooltip player_id='1561888' first='Josh' last='Manchester'] (Mount Horeb) 30.8 ppg<br>[player_tooltip player_id='1561944' first='Jacob' last='Hibner'] (Stoughton) 19.4 ppg<br>[player_tooltip player_id='2140920' first='Garrett' last='Crull'] (McFarland) 15.4 ppg<br>[player_tooltip player_id='2140913' first='Eli' last='Krueger'] (McFarland) 11.4 ppg<br>[player_tooltip player_id='2641947' first='Otis' last='Andres'] (Sauk Prairie) 11.0 ppg<br><br><strong>Projected All-Conference Teams<br>First Team</strong><br>[player_tooltip player_id='1561888' first='Josh' last='Manchester'], 6-3, Sr., Mount Horeb<br>[player_tooltip player_id='2140920' first='Garrett' last='Crull'], 6-3, Jr., McFarland<br>[player_tooltip player_id='2140913' first='Eli' last='Krueger'], 6-8, Jr., McFarland<br>[player_tooltip player_id='1561944' first='Jacob' last='Hibner'], 6-3, Sr., Stoughton<br>[player_tooltip player_id='2508477' first='Graeson' last='Geiger'], 6-1, Jr., Fort Atkinson<br><br><strong>Second Team</strong><br>[player_tooltip player_id='2433100' first='Alex' last='Chapman'], 6-4, Jr., Mount Horeb<br>[player_tooltip player_id='2959868' first='Will' last='Mikonowicz'], 6-0, Sr., Reedsburg<br>[player_tooltip player_id='2641947' first='Otis' last='Andres'], 5-10, Sr., Sauk Prairie<br>[player_tooltip player_id='2508305' first='Jaren' last='Vale'], 6-0, Jr., Stoughton<br>[player_tooltip player_id='2673454' first='Kaleb' last='Oeth'], 6-3, Soph., Edgewood<br><br><strong>The Big Five</strong><br><br><strong>Best Shooter: </strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1561888' first='Josh' last='Manchester'], Mount Horeb<br><strong>Best Rebounder: </strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2140913' first='Eli' last='Krueger'], McFarland<br><strong>Best Defender:</strong> [player_tooltip player_id='2508305' first='Jaren' last='Vale'], Stoughton<br><strong>Best Collegiate Prospect: </strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1561888' first='Josh' last='Manchester'], Mount Horeb<br><strong>Most Improved Player: </strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2508477' first='Graeson' last='Geiger'], Fort Atkinson</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->