2021-22 5A Preview: Midwestern League

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">After a short, turbulent season last spring, the 2021-22 campaign in the MWL is highly anticipated. Largely unable to complete a full conference schedule last season, these teams are hungry to prove themselves, and will look to do so in arguably the toughest 5A league this winter.</span></p> <p><b>League Predictions</b></p> <ol> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Churchill</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Thurston</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Willamette</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Springfield</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Crater</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Eagle Point</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Ashland</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">North Eugene</li> <li aria-level="1">North Bend</li> </ol> <p><b>Player of the Year: [player_tooltip player_id="857343" first="Samaje" last="Morgan"]</b><span style="font-weight: 400;">, Churchill</span></p> <p><b>All-League Predictions: </b><span style="font-weight: 400;">Morgan; </span><b>[player_tooltip player_id="964538" first="Jacob" last="Newell"]</b><span style="font-weight: 400;">, Thurston; </span><b>Parker Bracy</b><span style="font-weight: 400;">, Willamette; </span><b>Anthony Hill</b><span style="font-weight: 400;">, Springfield; </span><b>[player_tooltip player_id="857360" first="Ty" last="Weiskind"]</b><span style="font-weight: 400;">, Churchill; </span><b>[player_tooltip player_id="1229390" first="Hawthorn" last="Lapierre"]</b>, Ashland; <strong>Colton Vranes</strong>, Crater</p> <p><b>Top Sleeper/Newcomer: Bugsy Jensen</b><span style="font-weight: 400;">, Churchill</span></p> <p><b>State Tournament Threats: </b><span style="font-weight: 400;">Churchill, Thurston, Willamette, Springfield, Crater</span></p> <p><b>Analysis: </b></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Once again, Kelly Bokn and the Churchill Lancers should contend for both the MWL and 5A state titles behind a standout trio of upper-class guards. </span><b>[player_tooltip player_id="857343" first="Samaje" last="Morgan"] </b><span style="font-weight: 400;">(20.5 ppg, 6 apg, 2.6 spg) leads the way as perhaps 5A’s top returning player. </span><b>[player_tooltip player_id="857360" first="Ty" last="Weiskind"]</b><span style="font-weight: 400;"> (9.1 ppg) and </span><b>Bugsy Jensen</b><span style="font-weight: 400;"> add depth and tremendous experience to one of the premier backcourts in the state. Thurston will be led by dominant paint presence </span><b>[player_tooltip player_id="964538" first="Jacob" last="Newell"] </b><span style="font-weight: 400;">(19.6 ppg, 15.1 rpg), who recently committed to Arizona State to play football and should be one of the top rebounders in the state. </span><b>Miguel Perez </b><span style="font-weight: 400;">and </span><b>Lucas Stutesman</b><span style="font-weight: 400;"> also return as a seasoned backcourt duo for the Colts, who will look to dethrone the similarly experienced Lancers and make a deep postseason run this season.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Behind the returning duo of versatile scorer </span><b>Parker Bracy</b><span style="font-weight: 400;"> and athletic forward </span><b>Izzy Hemphill</b><span style="font-weight: 400;">, Willamette will also have their eyes on a league title. Despite losing an offensive juggernaut in Luke Smith to college, the Wolverines remain talented and well-coached with their eyes set on Gill Coliseum. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Similarly, Springfield will look to shake things around up top behind </span><b>Anthony Hill</b><span style="font-weight: 400;">, a 6-foot-2 shooting guard who should be one of the top scorers in the league come March. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Crater rounds out the true contenders of the conference after an impressive shortened season last spring. Standout facilitator </span><b>Colton Vranes </b><span style="font-weight: 400;">will take the reins of a somewhat depleted Comets lineup in hopes of upsetting the likes of Churchill and Thurston at the top. </span></p> <p>&nbsp;</p>