Preseason All-Conference Teams: Bluegrass Conference

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Preseason Player of the Year: </strong>2027 [player_tooltip player_id='2906492' first='Jed' last='Rood'] (Ankeny Christian)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Take your pick with any one of three Eagles on the first team as the Preseason POY in the league. We'll side with Rood, a consistent two-way guard who is a strong three-level scoring threat. He led the Eagles in rebounding last season and was second in scoring. ACA is a heavy favorite in the league, and Rood is one of the primary reasons why.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>First Team</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>2027 [player_tooltip player_id='2906492' first='Jed' last='Rood'] (Ankeny Christian): 13.7 points, 6.0 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 2.0 steals, 50.9 FG%, 38.1 3P%</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>One of the most versatile scoring threats in the conference, Rood is capable of lighting it up from distance or taking his defender off the dribble and getting to the bucket or the free-throw line. He's a heady defender who knows when to pick his spots, and is really good on the glass, showcasing his ability to contribute across the board for the Eagles.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>2027 [player_tooltip player_id='3344417' first='Marcus' last='Pedersen'] (Ankeny Christian): 14.3 points, 5.4 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 1.4 steals, 61.4 FG%</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Last year's leading scorer for the league's best team, Pedersen is a highly efficient scoring threat who shot better than 61% from the floor last season. He's a strong, physical forward who isn't afraid to throw his weight around on the block.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>2028 [player_tooltip player_id='3650659' first='Casen' last='Woodward'] (Moravia): 14.7 points, 3.2 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.6 steals</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Woodward is the league's leading returning scorer, putting up just shy of 15 points per game last season for a Moravia team that finished runner-up to ACA. He's a quick, skilled guard who can score from all three levels, and he'll once again be the focal point of a Mohawks team that has the best chance in the conference of knocking off ACA.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>2027 [player_tooltip player_id='3343952' first='AJ' last='Clarke'] (Murray): 12.3 points, 6.1 rebounds, 2.0 steals, 2.0 blocks</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Clarke doesn't have the same offensive efficiency that most of the other players on these all-conference teams do, but he's arguably the most impactful defender in the conference, averaging 2 steals and 2 blocks per game as a junior for the Mustangs. He was the lone player on the team to average more than 5.3 points last season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>2028 [player_tooltip player_id='3650845' first='Kade' last='Clarkson'] (Ankeny Christian): 10.5 points, 2.1 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 1.4 steals, 41.5 3P%</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A third Eagle on the first team, Clarkson is a knockdown shooter who has steadily improved as a playmaker as well. He dished out 2.9 assists per game last season, good for third on the team, and with the top two in that category graduating, look for him to have the ball in his hands more this winter.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Second Team</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>2028 Gage Collis (Seymour)<br>2027 Chase Hanes (Moravia)<br>2028 Noah Arnold (Mormon Trail)<br>2028 [player_tooltip player_id='2714974' first='Drayden' last='Miller'] (Seymour)<br>2028 Elias Bronson (Moravia)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Honorable Mentions</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>2027 Colton Cox (Melcher-Dallas)<br>2027 Hudson Davis (Ankeny Christian)<br>2027 Kale Moore (Moravia)<br>2028 Cody Burton (Lamoni)<br>2027 Austin Remster (Melcher-Dallas)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->