Conference Preview: Top of Iowa East

<!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>The Teams</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Central Springs (1-22 last season, 98.9% of scoring returning):</strong> The Panthers won just one game last season but bring back the top 10 scorers from that group, including a promising group of 2028 players in Mason Dirksen (6.4), Jamison Rothmeyer (5.8), Kade Tabbert (2.7), and Sheamus Lindsay (2.2). Leading scorer and rebounder Braydin Crum (10.6, 6.2 rebounds) will once again be the focal point of the attack after leading the team in nearly every major category. The Panthers will need to focus on protecting the ball better (19.9 turnovers a game) if they want to make significant improvement.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Nashua-Plainfield (12-10, 96.3%): </strong>The Huskies got off to a strong start last season, holding a 12-5 record before losing their last five games of the year. They bring back the top six scorers from that group, including four who averaged at least 9.0 points per game. Senior guard [player_tooltip player_id='2235353' first='Matthew' last='Malven'] (15.2, 4.8 assists) and [player_tooltip player_id='2731860' first='Jase' last='Hansen'] (14.8) are the headliners of the attack, both capable of playing with or without the ball in their hands and scoring from anywhere on the floor. Jake Smith (9.5, 6.7 rebounds) and Landon Foelske (9.0, 6.4 rebounds) are both active on the glass on both ends of the floor and will hold down the painted area. This group was close to putting together a really good season, and with the experience they have coming back, maybe they can close out several of those games this year.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Newman Catholic (17-5, 52.3%):</strong> Four of the Knights' five losses last season came by single digits and they bring back a pair of double-figure scorers from that group in juniors [player_tooltip player_id='2420788' first='Westley' last='Cole'] (18.6) and [player_tooltip player_id='2420772' first='Thomas' last='McGuire'] (11.0). Cole is one of the top players in the division, a versatile scorer and defender who can do a little bit of everything on both ends of the floor, while McGuire will have the ball in his hands more this winter following the graduation of their point guard. Role players Brady Martin (3.4), Lucas Nelson (2.6), and Jaxon Dutcher (1.8) return and will help fill out the rotation. Can any of them step into a reliable tertiary scoring role? If so, the Knights will have a chance within the division again this year.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>North Butler (8-15, 64.7%):</strong> The Bearcats lost their top two scorers but bring back six players who averaged between 2.4 and 5.7 points per game. Seniors Jax Thorne (5.7) and Brody Wangsness (5.6) and sophomore Jarrett Shear (5.0) are the top returnees and figure to be the top scoring threats this winter. This is a team that plays pretty slow, and by limiting possessions they're able to stick around and beat more talented teams (see: back-to-back wins over Nashua-Plainfield last season).</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Northwood-Kensett (20-4, 11.4%): </strong>After the best season in recent school history, the Vikings will take a pretty big step back this year. They lost the top four scorers to graduation, leaving senior Bowan Behne (3.7) and junior Landon Nelson (3.3) as the top returnees. With very little production returning, expect the Vikings to drop quite a bit within the division.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Osage (18-6, 44.7%): </strong>The Green Devils have been really strong defensively for years now, and last year was no exception, allowing just 46.5 points per game en route to an 18-win season. Senior guard [player_tooltip player_id='1765543' first='Quinn' last='Street'] (19.1, 4.3 assists) is the headliner of the group, the leading returning scorer in the division and a versatile offensive weapon who can score and facilitate at a high level. Junior [player_tooltip player_id='2385549' first='Griffin' last='Uhlenhopp'] (5.5) will step into a bigger scoring role this season, and senior forward Sawyer Brandau (2.8, 4.2 rebounds) should provide some toughness in the paint. Outside of those three, not much else returns, but Osage has won at least 12 games every year since 2010-11, so they'll remain competitive at the top of the division.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Saint Ansgar (7-15, 56.6%): </strong>The Saints lost their leading scorer but bring back the next three in Derek Hemann (8.3, 7.7 rebounds), Anthony Schnable (7.9), and Joe Clevenger (6.0). Hemann is solid in the paint and a force on the glass, while Schnable and Clevenger provide some perimeter scoring punch. Look for sophomore guard [player_tooltip player_id='2973695' first='Trey' last='Johanns'] (2.2) to step into a more significant role this winter. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>West Fork (11-12, 21.1%): </strong>This is a program that has routinely won a ton of games, with last year being just the second in the Bound era (dating back to 2007-08) in which they finished below .500. The Warhawks lost their top three scorers from that group, leaving juniors [player_tooltip player_id='2838684' first='Zander' last='Hansen'] (7.4) and Keston Lambertsen (2.5) as the top returnees. This is a strong program, and they won't bottom out, but they probably also aren't going to contend at the top of the league.</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. Osage<br>2. Nashua-Plainfield<br>3. Newman Catholic<br>4. West Fork<br>5. Saint Ansgar<br>6. Northwood-Kensett<br>7. North Butler<br>8. Central Springs</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Analysis: </strong>Osage has been the constant at the top of the division and that should continue this year, but they'll get pushed by both Nashua-Plainfield and Newman Catholic.</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><strong>2026 [player_tooltip player_id='1765543' first='Quinn' last='Street'] (Osage): </strong>There are a lot of good options for this honor, and it should be one of the tightest races in the state in any conference this year. We'll side with Street, who is a big-time scorer and playmaker for the Green Devils.</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='1765543' first='Quinn' last='Street'] (Osage)<br>2027 [player_tooltip player_id='2385549' first='Griffin' last='Uhlenhopp'] (Osage)<br>2027 [player_tooltip player_id='2420788' first='Westley' last='Cole'] (Newman Catholic)<br>2027 [player_tooltip player_id='2420772' first='Thomas' last='McGuire'] (Newman Catholic)<br>2026 [player_tooltip player_id='2235353' first='Matthew' last='Malven'] (Nashua-Plainfield)<br>2026 Jake Smith (Nashua-Plainfield)<br>2026 Landon Foelske (Nashua-Plainfield)<br>2026 [player_tooltip player_id='2731860' first='Jase' last='Hansen'] (Nashua-Plainfield)<br>2026 Braydin Crum (Central Springs)<br>2027 Cohen Meyer (Central Springs)<br>2028 Mason Dirksen (Central Springs)<br>2028 Jamison Rothmeyer (Central Springs)<br>2026 Derek Hemann (Saint Ansgar)<br>2028 Anthony Schnable (Saint Ansgar)<br>2026 Joe Clevenger (Saint Ansgar)<br>2027 [player_tooltip player_id='2838684' first='Zander' last='Hansen'] (West Fork)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->