Conference Preview: Raccoon River

<!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>The Teams</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>ADM (22-5 last season, 79.3% of scoring returning): </strong>The Tigers bring back the top three scorers from a team that reached the 3A semifinals last season. They'll be led by senior guard [player_tooltip player_id='1978130' first='Hudson' last='Lorensen'] (24.3), one of the most efficient high-level scorers in the state. He posted 54-42-88 shooting splits last season and is an all-around dynamic offensive threat with a silky smooth stroke from anywhere on the floor. Point guard [player_tooltip player_id='1978115' first='Trey' last='Bryte'] (12.9, 6.7 rebounds, 6.4 assists) uses his 6-4/6-5 frame to his advantage, seeing over the defense and posting up smaller defenders, and [player_tooltip player_id='1978146' first='Hudson' last='Shull'] (9.9, 42.7 3P%) gives them a quality secondary playmaker and shooter. Look for sophomores [player_tooltip player_id='2917300' first='Tate' last='Troster'] and [player_tooltip player_id='2772351' first='Walker' last='Holmberg'] to step into bigger roles this season, and senior forward [player_tooltip player_id='2520020' first='Hayden' last='Dohlman'] could emerge as a reliable rotation piece as well. The Tigers are loaded with offensive talent, have tons of experience, and open the year ranked #2 in our preseason 3A rankings.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Ballard (21-3, 64.1%):</strong> Another RRC team that is going to open the season high in our 3A rankings, Ballard came in #5 in our preseason poll. The Bombers reached the state tournament last season and lost to eventual champion MOC-Floyd Valley by 4 in the quarterfinals. They bring back three of their top four scorers from that group, and add a big-time transfer. Senior point guard [player_tooltip player_id='1765518' first='Jude' last='Gibson'] (15.8) leads the team. He's a talented lead guard who can create pays off the dribble for himself and his teammates, and he's a really good on-ball defender. Junior forward [player_tooltip player_id='2419750' first='Parker' last='Miller'] (10.2, 5.5 rebounds, 61.4 FG%) is an athletic, mobile combo forward who protects the paint at a high level, as does [player_tooltip player_id='2731749' first='Easton' last='Ersland'] (8.2, 37.2 3P%, 1.4 blocks). [player_tooltip player_id='2886779' first='Caden' last='Agena'] (4.7) and [player_tooltip player_id='2754660' first='Bryce' last='Miller'] (3.6) were both quality role players last season and should step into bigger roles, as could seniors Dillon Shoen and Mojoe Nybong, who each showed some flashes at the Winterset Shootout when we saw them in June. The aforementioned transfer is [player_tooltip player_id='2419714' first='Evan' last='Abbott'], who averaged 12.3 points per game playing in the best league in the state, the CIML, at Ankeny Centennial last season. A 6-4 junior wing, he can score from all three levels and will take some of the scoring and playmaking pressure off of Gibson.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Bondurant-Farrar (11-12, 24.1%):</strong> The Bluejays lost their top two, and three of the top four, scorers from last year's team, but do bring back one of the best players in the conference in junior forward [player_tooltip player_id='2617495' first='Drake' last='Pfaltzgraff'] (10.7, 7.3 rebounds). An athletic, versatile big man, he can step out and stretch the floor, score on post touches, create for teammates out of the mid-and-high post areas, and is a force on the glass. He'll be the focal point of the offensive attack this season following the graduations of Hudson McConnell and Cole Miller. The only other returnee who saw much time last season is senior Jasper Wilson (2.3), so there will be a ton of new faces taking the floor this winter for the Jays. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Boone (8-15, 28.5%):</strong> Another team that was hit hard by graduation, the Toreadors lost their top two, and three of the top four, scorers from last year's team. That leaves senior forward [player_tooltip player_id='2520033' first='Jude' last='Baumgardner'] (8.6, 6.9 rebounds) and senior guard Hendrix Moorman (5.8, 35.9 3P%) as the two notable returnees. Baumgardner was third on the team in scoring and second in rebounding last season and should step into a primary scoring role this winter, while Moorman is the team's top returning shooter. Outside of those two, it'll be a lot of new faces.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Carlisle (8-14, 35.4%):</strong> In junior guard [player_tooltip player_id='2754714' first='Trey' last='Osterhaus'] (15.2, 37.1 3P%), the Wildcats have one of the best two-way guards in the league. The 'Cats also gained the services of junior guard [player_tooltip player_id='2419752' first='Hayden' last='Schulte'], who averaged 5.8 points and 3.4 assists per game last season at Indianola. He'll give them a solid lead guard alongside Osterhaus who can create quality looks for his teammates. Senior forward Dawson Van Zante (2.5) is the only other returnee with much experience, so this will be another group breaking in a lot of new pieces early this season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Carroll (10-13, 57.5%): </strong>As they showed last season with wins over Storm Lake and Gilbert, the Tigers can compete at a high level. They bring back four of the top five scorers from that group, led by senior wing [player_tooltip player_id='2413644' first='Jared' last='Mohr'] (12.8, 5.3 rebounds), who led the team in scoring, rebounding, and steals last season. [player_tooltip player_id='2413647' first='Mac' last='Collison'] (7.8, 3.5 assists) led the team in helpers, while Trey Tassell (7.5, 42.3 3P%) and [player_tooltip player_id='2617531' first='Miles' last='Nuzback'] (6.9, 35.3 3P%) are both capable perimeter shooting threats. Look for senior forward Jual Tharjiath (2.6) to step into a more significant role, particularly defensively, this winter. He's a long, mobile forward with some real length. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Gilbert (15-9, 50.5%):</strong> Senior guard [player_tooltip player_id='1765542' first='Preston' last='Stensland'] (17.0, 52.7 FG%) is a highly efficient three-level scorer who returns to lead the Tigers this season. He'll be joined in the backcourt by lead guard [player_tooltip player_id='1765544' first='William' last='Terrones'] (9.0, 5.5 assists), who posted a sterling 2.69 assist-to-turnover ratio last season. Gabe Fierce (3.8), Trent Wesselmann (3.1), Ean Eldred (2.2), and Matt Zoz (1.2) each saw some time last season and are also back, giving the Tigers some pieces alongside Stensland and Terrones. Size and rebounding could be a question mark for this group, but they should be able to play pretty fast and try to speed teams up and force turnovers defensively.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>North Polk (10-13, 56.1%):</strong> New coach Alan Jenkins comes to Alleman from Southeast Polk and inherits a roster that brings back their top two scorers from last year - [player_tooltip player_id='2887875' first='Jack' last='Spieker'] (10.0) and Jayson Slings (9.1). Both are capable perimeter scoring threats who should be good in Jenkins' system. [player_tooltip player_id='2677307' first='Eli' last='Pederson'] (5.7) is a talented guard who can play on or off the ball, and sophomore shooting guard [player_tooltip player_id='2917304' first='Aaron' last='Ausborn'] looks like he could be a really good player as early as this year. Size and rebounding, like with Gilbert, could be an issue for the Comets, but there is a good amount of young talent in North Polk's program and they should be pretty good in coming years.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Winterset (6-17, 58.5%): </strong>Josh Henry's group loses their top two scorers but bring back the next seven from last year's team, all seniors. [player_tooltip player_id='2520006' first='Daxon' last='Weeks'] (6.9, 2.8 assists) is the top returning scorer, while Reed Smith (6.5), [player_tooltip player_id='1580274' first='Logan' last='Porter'] (6.3, 5.8 rebounds), and Jace Bellamy (5.0, 5.1 rebounds) are all capable scoring threats as well. Last year's six wins were the fewest Winterset has had since the 2014-15 season (5-17), and despite losing the top two, they should be improved from where they were last season. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Projected Order of Finish</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>1. ADM<br>2. Ballard<br>3. Gilbert<br>4. Carroll<br>5. Carlisle<br>6. North Polk<br>7. Bondurant-Farrar<br>8. Winterset<br>9. Boone</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Analysis: </strong>The RRC has become one of the better conferences in the state in recent years, and they have a pair of legitimate state title contenders in 3A this season in ADM and Ballard. The two meetings between those teams should be a ton of fun to watch. Gilbert has a good backcourt, Carroll has quite a bit back, and Carlisle, North Polk, Bondurant-Farrar, and Winterset are all capable of pulling off upsets on any given night.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Preseason Player of the Year</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>2026 [player_tooltip player_id='1978130' first='Hudson' last='Lorensen'] (ADM): Lorensen is an explosive scorer who averaged more than 24 points a game last season, and did so with remarkable efficiency. The Tigers will be not only one of the best teams in the RRC, but a real threat to win it all in 3A.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Players to Watch</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>2026 [player_tooltip player_id='1978130' first='Hudson' last='Lorensen'] (ADM)<br>2026 [player_tooltip player_id='1978115' first='Trey' last='Bryte'] (ADM)<br>2026 [player_tooltip player_id='1978146' first='Hudson' last='Shull'] (ADM)<br>2028 [player_tooltip player_id='2917300' first='Tate' last='Troster'] (ADM)<br>2027 [player_tooltip player_id='2419714' first='Evan' last='Abbott'] (Ballard)<br>2026 [player_tooltip player_id='1765518' first='Jude' last='Gibson'] (Ballard)<br>2027 [player_tooltip player_id='2419750' first='Parker' last='Miller'] (Ballard)<br>2026 [player_tooltip player_id='2731749' first='Easton' last='Ersland'] (Ballard)<br>2026 [player_tooltip player_id='1765542' first='Preston' last='Stensland'] (Gilbert)<br>2026 [player_tooltip player_id='1765544' first='William' last='Terrones'] (Gilbert)<br>2027 [player_tooltip player_id='2754714' first='Trey' last='Osterhaus'] (Carlisle)<br>2027 [player_tooltip player_id='2419752' first='Hayden' last='Schulte'] (Carlisle)<br>2026 [player_tooltip player_id='2413644' first='Jared' last='Mohr'] (Carroll)<br>2026 [player_tooltip player_id='2413647' first='Mac' last='Collison'] (Carroll)<br>2026 Trey Tassell (Carroll)<br>2027 [player_tooltip player_id='2617531' first='Miles' last='Nuzback'] (Carroll)<br>2027 Drake Plfatzgraff (Bondurant-Farrar)<br>2026 [player_tooltip player_id='2887875' first='Jack' last='Spieker'] (North Polk)<br>2026 Jayson Slings (North Polk)<br>2026 [player_tooltip player_id='2520033' first='Jude' last='Baumgardner'] (Boone)<br>2026 [player_tooltip player_id='2520006' first='Daxon' last='Weeks'] (Winterset)<br>2026 Reed Smith (Winterset)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->