Mt. Vernon-Plankinton Titans: Team Intro

<!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">The Mt. Vernon–Plankinton Titans enter the season as an exciting and energized squad in Region 5 under head coach Jason Helling. After an excellent offseason of growth and development, the Titans are stepping onto the court with high expectations, strong team belief, and an eagerness to show just how dangerous they can be. This group isn't just excited for the season—they're ready to chase something big.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":3102480,"sizeSlug":"full","linkDestination":"media"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/11/image_f66965.png"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/11/image_f66965.png" alt="" class="wp-image-3102480" /></a></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:image {"id":3102288,"width":"291px","height":"auto","sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"media"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/11/TeamIntroduction_3d1fb8.jpg"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/11/TeamIntroduction_3d1fb8.jpg?w=865" alt="" class="wp-image-3102288" style="width:291px;height:auto" /></a></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"small"} --> <p class="has-small-font-size"><strong>Program:</strong> Mount Vernon-Plankinton</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"small"} --> <p class="has-small-font-size"><strong>Mascot:&nbsp;</strong>Titan</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"small"} --> <p class="has-small-font-size"><strong>Head Coach:</strong>&nbsp;Jason Helling</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"small"} --> <p class="has-small-font-size"><strong>Athletic Director:</strong>&nbsp;Preston Kristensen</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"small"} --> <p class="has-small-font-size"><strong>Class:</strong>&nbsp;A</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"small"} --> <p class="has-small-font-size"><strong>Region:</strong>&nbsp;5</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"small"} --> <p class="has-small-font-size"><strong>24-2025 Record:</strong>&nbsp;6-16</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The MVP Titans will begin the year with clarity, confidence, and a renewed sense of identity. Last year had some growing pains, but the way the team closed the season—finding their rhythm, refining their decision-making, and learning what winning basketball looks like—set the foundation for what's ahead. That late-season growth has transformed into belief: this group now knows what it takes, and they expect to take the next step.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This year's Titans will once again be defined by relentless effort, defensive pressure, and an aggressive style of play designed to make opponents uncomfortable for 32 minutes. With key returners stepping into expanded roles, young talent pushing from below, and several players coming off strong summer development and competitive travel experiences, MVP hits the hardwood with momentum and ambition. In Region 5, the Titans are absolutely one to watch.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">Titans To Watch</span></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"style":{"typography":{"fontSize":"11px"}}} --> <p style="font-size:11px"><em>*Player Comments from Coach Helling</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='3102556' first='Derrick' last='Fletcher']&nbsp;- 5'10 Senior Guard:</strong> "<em>We will rely more on Derrick to handle the basketball for us this year.&nbsp;If he can develop into the floor general we need, he could be the type of player who helps us get to the next level.</em>"</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2763588' first='Tyce' last='Fiestner']&nbsp;- 5'10 Senior Guard:</strong> "<em>He will be our go-to again.&nbsp;Last year, he received a ton of attention from opposing teams and we will look to him to continue to grow in understanding of how to attack defenses.</em>"</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='3102560' first='Riley' last='Mayer'] -&nbsp;6'0 Senior Forward:</strong> "<em>Riley is an ATHLETE for us.&nbsp;We will rely on him to create in transition and at times call upon him to defend the other teams top players</em>."</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Cole Sandland -&nbsp;6'0 Senior Guard:&nbsp;</strong>"<em>Cole is a player who can really shoot the basketball.&nbsp;He is a good defender and could do some really good things for us this season.</em>"</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Camden Stahl&nbsp;- 6'0 Senior Forward:</strong> "<em>Camden is a silent leader.&nbsp;He has a lot of savvy around the basket and will be asked to shoulder some of our inside scoring load.</em>"</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='3028024' first='Mason' last='Karst']&nbsp;- 6'4 Senior Center:</strong> "<em>We are going to ask Mason to man the middle for us this season.&nbsp;He came on strong at the end of last year, posting double-doubles in 3 out of our last 4 games.</em>"</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Wyatt Fillaus&nbsp;- 6'0 Senior Forward: </strong>"<em>Transitioned from playing Guard to Post last year and did some nice things at the JV level.</em>"</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Walker VanGorp&nbsp;- 6'1 Junior - G/F:</strong> "<em>Played well for us last year in JV. Look for him to make some strides this year.</em>"</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='3102563' first='Ethan' last='Hoffman']&nbsp;- 6'1 Junior G/F:</strong> "<em>Athlete. Is a menace in the passing lanes and does some nice things in the open court.</em>"</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Hudson Schmidt&nbsp;- 5'11 Junior G:</strong> "<em>Good Shooter.&nbsp;Can really pressure the basketball.&nbsp;Has a chance to carve out varsity minutes this year if he keeps developing.</em>"</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":2508303,"width":"234px","height":"auto","sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"media"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/07/QA.jpg"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/07/QA.jpg?w=865" alt="" class="wp-image-2508303" style="width:234px;height:auto" /></a></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">With Jason Helling</span></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">PHD: How would you sum up last season?</span></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>"<em>Last season, we struggled to find our identity to start the year.&nbsp;At times, we really struggled to score and had to rely on some “gimmicks” on the defensive end of the floor to create points.&nbsp;Towards the end of the year, things really started to click and we really started to understand what it takes to be successful.</em>"</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">PHD: Does your program/team have any non-negotiables?</span></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>"Very rarely do we step onto the court and have the tallest, fastest, or most skilled team.&nbsp;The #1 non-negotiable for us is effort.&nbsp;We want to play harder and more aggressively than every team on our schedule. If we can bring that kind of intensity each night, we will win a lot of basketball games this year.</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">PHD: What will your defense "hang its hat on"?</span></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>"<em>We want to be aggressive, whether it be full court or in the half court. It will be important for us to make the other team uncomfortable. We want them to always be looking over their shoulder.</em>"</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">PHD: Who will be a couple of your lead guards?</span></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>"<em>[player_tooltip player_id='2763588' first='Tyce' last='Fiestner'] will be our lead guard.&nbsp;He is a player that has started for us the last 2 seasons and is a competitor. Tyce not only is a competitor for us, he can really shoot the basketball. We will need him to improve on his decision-making and leadership for us to really take the next step this year.</em>"</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">PHD: How did the offseason go for your team/program?</span></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>"<em>We had a great summer.&nbsp;Our JV/JH played in a summer league in White Lake, where they had a chance to work and get better and our Varsity team played in the Impact League in SF every Monday night.&nbsp;We had a good number of kids show up to summer workouts and put in some individual work as well.&nbsp;We ended up taking some of our Varsity players to Denver, CO to compete in the Gold Crown Classic.&nbsp;We ended up going 5-1 and won our division.&nbsp;We grew a lot during that experience and it really got me excited for the season.</em>"</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">PHD: Who are a few of your top defensive players?</span></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>"<em>Camden Stahl is one of our smartest defenders.&nbsp;He seems to have a knack for being in the right place at the right time. [player_tooltip player_id='2763588' first='Tyce' last='Fiestner'] is a “dawg” on the defensive end of the floor.&nbsp; He has good hands and really gets after people.</em>"</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">PHD: Who are a couple of up-and-comers to look out for?</span></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>"<em>Our C and JV both had pretty solid seasons last year.&nbsp;The C lost 1 game and our JV finished 15-5.&nbsp;This was due to a solid group of players at both levels.&nbsp;Some names to watch out for are [player_tooltip player_id='3028027' first='Trysten' last='Eide'] (5'10 Soph) who already is one of the best shooters in our program and [player_tooltip player_id='3102617' first='Mason' last='Degeest'] (6'0 Soph) that has a good feel for the game and a nice skill set to go with.&nbsp;One other up-and-comer is [player_tooltip player_id='3102620' first='Sawyer' last='Williams'] (6'0 8th grader).&nbsp;Sawyer is an intelligent player who plays years ahead of his age.&nbsp;Sawyer could push for some Varsity action this season.</em>"</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">PHD: Who do you think will be your best rebounder?</span></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>"<em>[player_tooltip player_id='3028024' first='Mason' last='Karst'] (6'4 Senior) really came on strong at the end of last season finishing with double digit rebounds in 3 out of the last 4 games.&nbsp;[player_tooltip player_id='3102560' first='Riley' last='Mayer'] (6'0 Senior) is another athlete that has a knack for rebounding the basketball.</em>"</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">PHD: What are your team goals this year?</span></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>"<em>We want to improve our ½ court defense. Last year, we relied too much on our aggressive nature to carry us and we want to be much better this season at being able to get a stop when we need it.&nbsp;If we can do this, I don't think winning our Region is out of the question and we have a real chance of taking the next step.</em>"</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">PHD: Who are some of the top teams &amp; players in your Region?</span></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>"<em>Our Region is wide open. I really think it will come down to who is able to get better each week and clicking when region play roles around.&nbsp; [player_tooltip player_id='2132820' first='Jesse' last='Zephier'] from Wagner, [player_tooltip player_id='2860153' first='Ben' last='Wiebersick'] from MCM, [player_tooltip player_id='3066705' first='Nate' last='Wilber'] from Hanson, [player_tooltip player_id='3044063' first='Izayah' last='Ulmer'] from Scotland-Menno, and [player_tooltip player_id='2763588' first='Tyce' last='Fiestner'] from MVP are all names to keep an eye on.</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"style":{"typography":{"fontSize":"20px","fontStyle":"italic","fontWeight":"1000"}}} --> <p style="font-size:20px;font-style:italic;font-weight:1000">BEST OF LUCK TO THE TITANS!!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":3102480,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"media"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/11/image_f66965.png"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/11/image_f66965.png?w=288" alt="" class="wp-image-3102480" /></a></figure> <!-- /wp:image -->