Cloverbelt West Preview 2025-26

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Final 2024-25 Standings:</strong><br><br>1. Bloomer 10-2 (18-6); 2. Regis 9-3 (19-7); 3. Fall Creek 8-4 (18-9); 4. Stanley-Boyd 7-5 (15-12); 5. McDonell Central Catholic 6-6 (16-10); 6. Cadott 2-10 (8-16); 7. Thorp 0-12 (3-21).<br><br><em>Note: Elk Mound joins the Cloverbelt West Conference from the Dunn-St. Croix Conference for 2025-26 season.</em><br><br><strong>2025-26 Picks</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>1.<a href="https://prephoops.com/team/fall-creek/"> Fall Creek</a> </strong>-- Expectations are running high at Fall Creek, and with good reason. Five starters and five key reserves are returning for the Crickets, who finished 18-9 last season. Coach Rick Storlie has a roster with good size, plenty of experience and lots of hunger to do well. Seniors [player_tooltip player_id='3019936' first='Cullen' last='Kramer'] (5-11, 7.1 ppg, 4.2 rpg) and [player_tooltip player_id='3019937' first='Corbin' last='Sell'] (6-3, 6.3 ppg, 7.4 rpg) along with juniors [player_tooltip player_id='2405803' first='Jackson' last='Tangley'] (6-0, 9.6 ppg, 2.5 rpg), [player_tooltip player_id='3019927' first='Josh' last='Wright'] (6-1, 6.6 ppg, 2.6 rpg) and [player_tooltip player_id='2391346' first='Miles' last='Schmidgall'] (6-7, 16.7 ppg, 11.6 rpg) form a solid core for the Crickets. Depth comes with additional talent and includes seniors [player_tooltip player_id='3019926' first='Evan' last='Seidling'] (6-1, 4.2 ppg, 2.2 rpg), [player_tooltip player_id='3019929' first='Jayse' last='Hillman'] (6-1, 3.3 ppg, 2.5 rpg) and [player_tooltip player_id='3019938' first='Braylen' last='Prorok'] (5-11) along with junior [player_tooltip player_id='2405805' first='Koen' last='Tumm'] (5-11) and sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='3019933' first='Bryson' last='Elkins'] (5-11, 2.2 ppg). <br><br><strong>2. <a href="https://prephoops.com/team/stanley-boyd/">Stanley-Boyd </a></strong>-- Dakota Nichols gets to live every coach's dream this winter as he has a pair of towering big men to work with in 6-foot-8 junior [player_tooltip player_id='2411648' first='Charlie' last='Hoel'] (16 ppg, 8 rpg) and 6-foot-7 sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='2696683' first='Josiah' last='Demske'] (8.6 ppg, 9.0 rpg). Hoel blossomed over the spring/summer and owns a NCAA Division II scholarship offer from Northern Michigan. Demske's ability to score and rebound while defending the paint will be a big asset for the Orioles. Guard play will be split among juniors [player_tooltip player_id='2828192' first='Brenner' last='Myers'] (5-11, 8.9 ppg), [player_tooltip player_id='2873581' first='Troy' last='Haas'] (5-10, 2.6 ppg), Carsen Woodcock (5-10) and [player_tooltip player_id='2873574' first='Brayten' last='Mallo'] (5-10). <br><br><strong>3<a href="https://prephoops.com/team/regis/">. Regis</a> </strong>-- The Ramblers figures to be an interesting study case of whether size or guard play wins out as coach Connor Miller is loaded with talented backcourt players but shy of big men to match up against the talented frontcourt players in the Cloverbelt West. The backcourt of sophomore point guard [player_tooltip player_id='2615520' first='DJ' last='Cooper'] (5-10, 10.6 ppg, 3.6 rpg) and [player_tooltip player_id='2375323' first='Blake' last='Risler'] (6-3, 21.5 ppg, 2.9 rpg) might be the best in the league. Cooper is quick and exceptionally skilled while Risler is the returning Player of the Year in the league. Toss in junior wing [player_tooltip player_id='2623256' first='Joey' last='Brahmer'] (6-3, 6.4 ppg, 4.1 rpg) and promising freshman wing [player_tooltip player_id='2369880' first='Bennett' last='Risler'] (6-2) and the Ramblers are set with ball handling, shooting and quickness. Juniors Ben Balts (6-3) and [player_tooltip player_id='3021923' first='Chase' last='Brogelman'] (6-0) along with senior Ty Gehling (6-0) also could be in the mix at Regis. <br><br><strong>4. <a href="https://prephoops.com/team/elk-mound/">Elk Mound</a></strong> -- As the league newcomer, many will be interested to see how Elk Mound fares after doing so well in the Dunn-St. Croix Conference in the past. The Mounders have two starters back from a 24-5 squad in senior forward [player_tooltip player_id='2895382' first='Victor' last='Noller'] (6-6, 12.6 ppg, 5.8 rpg) and sophomore guard [player_tooltip player_id='2418811' first='Zeb' last='Robinson'] (6-0, 8.6 ppg, 3.7 rpg). Coach Dennis Arneson have five additional returning seniors, including one of last year's top reserves in [player_tooltip player_id='2865208' first='Brody' last='Niven'] (5-10, 2.1 ppg, 1.9 rpg). Elk Mound's JV1 and JV2 teams went a combined 40-4 so depth figures to be an asset for the Mounders. <br><br><strong>5. <a href="https://prephoops.com/team/mcdonell-central/">McDonell Central Catholic</a> </strong>-- There is some diversity among the returning players at McDonell Central Catholic and that could mean difficulty for opponents trying to slow the Macks' attack. Coach Adam Schilling has some size, quickness and length on his roster. He also has three returning starters from a 16-10 squad in seniors [player_tooltip player_id='2970926' first='Cael' last='Holm'] (5-10, 10.5 ppg, 2.0 rpg) and [player_tooltip player_id='2389764' first='Karson' last='Galvez'] (6-5, 8.4 ppg, 4.5 rpg) along with junior [player_tooltip player_id='2970932' first='Nathan' last='Hazel'] (6-3, 6.3 ppg, 3.7 rpg). Senior [player_tooltip player_id='2970935' first='Eli' last='Stepp'] (5-11, 5.8 ppg) saw plenty of action off the bench as did rugged senior forward [player_tooltip player_id='2970928' first='Mason' last='Busse'] (6-4, 3.8 ppg, 7.1 rpg). Seniors [player_tooltip player_id='3020971' first='Desian' last='Matthews'] (6-1, 1.8 ppg) and [player_tooltip player_id='3020973' first='Dawson' last='Moulton'] (5-10), juniors [player_tooltip player_id='3020969' first='Luke' last='Andersen'] (6-3) and [player_tooltip player_id='3020970' first='Isaac' last='Crawford'] (5-9), and sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='3020974' first='Cameron' last='Mudrick'] (5-9) also return. Fall Creek transfer [player_tooltip player_id='2140890' first='Brennan' last='Loiselle-Christianson'] (6-5) could be a factor on the frontline. <br><br><strong><a href="https://prephoops.com/team/bloomer/">6. Bloomer </a></strong>-- Defending Cloverbelt West champion Bloomer lost five key players to graduation so it might be a bit of a rebuilding year for coach Keenan Dahl at Bloomer. But the Blackhawks boast a proud tradition and do bring back a gifted senior in wing [player_tooltip player_id='3019118' first='Orin' last='Buresh'] (6-1, 11.5 ppg, 7.8 rpg). Buresh will lead a young team that also includes seniors [player_tooltip player_id='2864510' first='John' last='Bischel'] (5-10, 4.9 ppg, 1.6 rpg), [player_tooltip player_id='3019114' first='Max' last='Meindel'] (5-10), Zach Asher (5-11) and [player_tooltip player_id='3019119' first='Luke' last='Carlson'] (5-11). Work ethic and coachability are listed strengths while scoring punch and guard play are concerns. <br><br><strong>7. <a href="https://prephoops.com/team/cadott/">Cadott </a></strong>-- After snapping a 40=game Cloverbelt West losing skid last December, Cadott is looking to continue its competitive play this winter. Even though coach Shawn Schoelzel must replace five starters, the Hornets do return some experienced players in seniors [player_tooltip player_id='2919104' first='Aiden' last='Rykal'] (6-1, 5.1 ppg, 2.8 rpg), [player_tooltip player_id='3019264' first='Asher' last='Sikora'] (6-4, 4.7 ppg, 4.5 rpg) and [player_tooltip player_id='2919107' first='Colin' last='Kowalczyk'] (5-10, 2.6 ppg). Those three players form the nucleus at Cadott and will have to increase their outputs in order for the team to match last year's win total of nine. <br><br><strong><a href="https://prephoops.com/team/thorp/">8. Thorp </a></strong>-- The old saying you are as good as the company you keep could pay off in the playoffs for the Cardinals, who could utilize their rugged schedule to their advantage once the WIAA Division 5 action get underway in March. While THorp may not have enough to contend for an upper-division finish in the highly competitive Cloverbelt West, coach Scott Horn's squad could be improved nonetheless. Junior [player_tooltip player_id='3034986' first='Jack' last='Whitmire'] (6-2, 3 ppg, 5 rpg) and sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='3034984' first='Cooper' last='Rosemeyer'] (6-4, 10 ppg, 4 rpg) are returning starters for Thorp, which went 3-21 last winter. Senior [player_tooltip player_id='2919121' first='Brayden' last='Wicks'] (6-3), junior Ethan Kane (6-0) and sophomores [player_tooltip player_id='2860022' first='Liam' last='Sivertson'] (5-11) and [player_tooltip player_id='3022540' first='Jaden' last='Ciolkosz'] (5-5). <br><br><strong>Top Returning Scorers</strong><br><br>[player_tooltip player_id='2375323' first='Blake' last='Risler'] (Regis) 21.5 ppg<br>[player_tooltip player_id='2391346' first='Miles' last='Schmidgall'] (Fall Creek) 16.7 ppg<br>[player_tooltip player_id='2411648' first='Charlie' last='Hoel'] (Stanley-Boyd) 16.0 ppg<br>[player_tooltip player_id='2895382' first='Victor' last='Noller'] (Elk Mound) 12.6 ppg<br>[player_tooltip player_id='3019118' first='Orin' last='Buresh'] (Bloomer) 11.5 ppg<br>[player_tooltip player_id='2615520' first='DJ' last='Cooper'] (Regis) 10.6 ppg<br>[player_tooltip player_id='2970926' first='Cael' last='Holm'] (McDonell Central Catholic) 10.5 ppg<br>[player_tooltip player_id='2448150' first='Cooper' last='Rosemeyer'] (Thorp) 10.0 ppg<br><br><strong>Projected All-Conference Teams<br>First Team<br></strong><br>[player_tooltip player_id='2375323' first='Blake' last='Risler'], 6-3, Sr., Regis<br>[player_tooltip player_id='2391346' first='Miles' last='Schmidgall'], 6-7, Jr., Fall Creek<br>[player_tooltip player_id='2411648' first='Charlie' last='Hoel'], 6-8, Jr., Stanley-Boyd<br>[player_tooltip player_id='2405803' first='Jackson' last='Tangley'], 6-0, Jr., Fall Creek<br>[player_tooltip player_id='2389764' first='Karson' last='Galvez'], 6-5, Sr., McDonell Central Catholic<br><br><strong>Second Team</strong><br>[player_tooltip player_id='2615520' first='DJ' last='Cooper'], 5-10, Soph., Regis<br>[player_tooltip player_id='2696683' first='Josiah' last='Demske'], 6-7, Soph., Stanley-Boyd<br>[player_tooltip player_id='2970926' first='Cael' last='Holm'], 5-10, Sr., McDonell Central Catholic<br>[player_tooltip player_id='2895382' first='Victor' last='Noller'], 6-6, Sr., Elk Mound<br>[player_tooltip player_id='3019118' first='Orin' last='Buresh'], 6-1, Sr., Bloomer<br><br><strong>The Big Five</strong><br><br><strong>Best Shooter: </strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2375323' first='Blake' last='Risler'], Regis<br><strong>Best Rebounder:</strong> [player_tooltip player_id='2391346' first='Miles' last='Schmidgall'], Fall Creek<br><strong>Best Defender:</strong> [player_tooltip player_id='3019937' first='Corbin' last='Sell'], Fall Creek<br><strong>Best Collegiate Prospect:</strong> [player_tooltip player_id='2411648' first='Charlie' last='Hoel'], Stanley-Boyd<br><strong>Most Improved Player: </strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2970932' first='Nathan' last='Hazel'], McDonell Central Catholic</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->