Conference Preview: Bluegrass

The Teams   Ankeny Christian (15-8, 32.5% of scoring returning): This is a program that is accustomed to success and they'll be looking to rebound and get closer to Moravia this season. The Eagles' back-to-back 15-win seasons are the least successful years they've had since 2006-07 when they won 11 games, which is a testament to how consistently strong this team has been. They lose three of their top four scorers from last year's team, with junior wing Cade Wierck (10.2) the lone returning starter. Wierck is a 6-5 combo forward who can score inside and out, and he looks primed to have a big junior year. Look for increased production out of junior guard Eli Christensen (5.7), who should have the ball in his hands a lot this year. Led by Wierck and Christensen the 2024 class at ACA is strong. Expect to see classmates Landon Nehring (2.5), Jude Worsham (2.1), and Brody Hoefle (1.5) step into bigger roles this year. Moravia may be out of reach for this group, but they should battle it out for second in the conference and be a team that teams won't want to see in their district in February.   Diagonal (11-10, 67.7%): A pair of double-figure scorers return for the Maroons in seniors Ben Werneck (10.3, 7.1 rebounds) and Caleb Hubbard (10.3, 8.4 rebounds), which will give them one of the best duos in the conference. Hubbard is also the team's top ball-handler while Werneck proved to be a strong interior defender last season, blocking 2.3 shots a game. Look for increased production out of senior guard Scotty Bohn (6.1, 35.7 3P%) and junior Garrett Stephens (6.0). Diagonal's starting five should be among the best in the conference, which will keep them competitive.   Lamoni (15-9, 25.8%): The Demons were solid last year but have a lot of production to replace following the graduations of their top four scorers from last year's team. Kalvin Brown (6.7) and Eli Owen (3.3) are the top returning scorers. Brown was second on the team in assists last season and gives them a reliable ball-handler in the backcourt to build around. This program has averaged 15 wins a year over the last six seasons and despite the heavy personnel losses, should remain competitive and in the running for an upper-third finish.   Melcher-Dallas (4-17, 99.5%): Of the three teams that really struggled last year, the Saints were the most competitive on a nightly basis with seven of their losses coming by a dozen or fewer, including three by four points or less. The top eight from last year's team return and this could be a team that makes a significant jump in the "win" column this year. They're led by a quartet of seniors in Owen Suntken (13.8, 11.6 rebounds), Chase Ripperger (11.4), Logan Godfrey (8.4, and Max Enfield (6.1), giving them a lot of experience and a fairly balanced quartet of scoring threats. Suntken was really good on the interior on both ends of the floor last year, blocking 3.5 shots a game as well. Look for this to be a very improved team that could push for a near .500 record if a few things break their way.   Moravia (20-4, 96.9%): After putting together the best season in school history last season, the Mohawks have a chance to be even better this year. They bring back their top seven scorers from a team that won 20 games, reached the substate semifinals, and won the league in convincing fashion. Senior wings [player_tooltip player_id='1367453' first='Gage' last='Hanes'] (15.6) and [player_tooltip player_id='1367459' first='Riley' last='Hawkins'] (14.8) are the big scorers, but this is a team that can go fairly deep into their bench with quality options, as six players averaged at least 5.7 points a game last year. Junior big [player_tooltip player_id='2325457' first='Shane' last='Helmick'] (9.4, 9.3 rebounds) is an interior presence and this is a team that was dominant on the glass last year, ripping down 15 offensive rebounds a game, which helps offset their biggest weakness - perimeter shooting. A deep, talented team with a lot of scoring options, Moravia should run through the league again this season.   Mormon Trail (15-6, 49.5%): The Saints were the highest-scoring team in the conference last year, averaging 65.3 points a game, and they bring back two significant pieces from that team in senior guard Gavin Dixson (13.0) and junior forward Triton Gwinn (9.4). Dixson's 26 made 3-pointers led the team last season and he should have an even bigger "usage rate" this year following the graduation of leading scorer Remington Newton. If players like Ty Hysell (4.3), [player_tooltip player_id='2721729' first='Owen' last='Anderson'] (2.7), and Fulton Flesher (2.3) can emerge as reliable rotation pieces, Mormon Trail could be in the running for a runner-up finish in the conference.   Moulton-Udell (0-21, 95.8%): The bad news is that the Eagles were winless last season with only two games decided by 20 points or fewer. The good news is that there is nowhere to go but up now, and with a majority of the roster returning, they should be a bit more competitive this season. Senior wing Zane Hackathorn (8.5, 5.3 rebounds) and sophomore brother Mason Hackathorn (5.8) are the top returnees.   Murray (12-9, 52.1%): Murray got off to a strong 6-1 start last season, using strong defense to help them jump out of the gates quickly. Following the graduation of their top two scorers from last year's team, they'll need to lean on that defense again this year, especially early on. Senior wing Gauge Mongar (9.0) is the top returnee, while Zack Belden (5.5) should provide some toughness on the interior. This is a group that did a pretty good job protecting the ball (12.3 turnovers a game) last season and each of the returnees took good care of it last season, which will go a long way toward keeping them in the top half of the conference.   Orient-Macksburg (1-20, 74.5%): The Bulldogs' lone win last year came against Moulton-Udell, but they did have a handful of games that they were competitive in late. Senior forward Tyson Ross (9.0, 9.5 rebounds) is the headliner for this group, an efficient finisher who shot nearly 52% from the floor. Jase Davidson (5.8) is the team's top perimeter option and should have the ball in his hands quite a bit as a senior.   Seymour (8-10, 53.3%): The Warriors got off to a solid 6-3 start before the holiday break then stumbled when the schedule got more difficult post-break, going just 2-7 in their final nine tilts. Senior wing [player_tooltip player_id='1167738' first='Carter' last='Houser'] (11.6) is the top returning scorer, but senior guard Kennan Hinners (8.1, 3.1 assists) may be the most important returnee. He led the team in rebounding and assists last season while also chipping in four steals a night. His ability to impact the game on both ends will be important for a Seymour team looking to get above .500 this season. Outside of Houser and Hinners, there isn't much scoring punch coming back, but that's a good place to start in this league.   Twin Cedars (7-15, 29.5%): The Sabers have a major hole to fill following the graduation of Devin Arkema, who averaged 23.2 points a game last season. The top returnee is senior Kail Arkema (6.0) who will be tasked with stepping into older brother's shoes and filling it up for this group. Aiden Hare (2.9), Landyn Roland (1.4), and Kasey Clark (1.3) are the other top returnees, and sophomore Dillon Stevenson (1.2) should see an increased role this year after contributing a bit as a freshman.     Projected Order of Finish   1. Moravia 2. Mormon Trail 3. Ankeny Christian 4. Murray 5. Diagonal 6. Lamoni 7. Seymour 8. Melcher-Dallas 9. Twin Cedars 10. Moulton-Udell 11. Orient-Macksburg   Analysis: The Mohawks rolled through this league last year and bring back nearly everyone from that group, so they should be considered a heavy favorite in the conference. Mormon Trail, Ankeny Christian, and Murray are always solid and the race for runner-up in the league should be very competitive.     Preseason Player of the Year   2023 [player_tooltip player_id='1367453' first='Gage' last='Hanes'], Moravia: Hanes is the best all-around player on what is clearly the best team in the league. He led the Mohawks in scoring and was second in rebounding and assists last season. A versatile and efficient 6-2 wing who can defend multiple positions, score from all three levels and facilitate, he's a pretty easy pick for the POY honor here.     Players to Watch   2023 [player_tooltip player_id='1367453' first='Gage' last='Hanes'] (Moravia) 2023 [player_tooltip player_id='1367459' first='Riley' last='Hawkins'] (Moravia) 2024 [player_tooltip player_id='2325457' first='Shane' last='Helmick'] (Moravia) 2023 Cole Hamilton (Moravia) 2023 Owen Suntken (Melcher-Dallas) 2023 Chase Ripperger (Melcher-Dallas) 2023 Gavin Dixson (Mormon Trail) 2024 Triton Gwinn (Mormon Trail) 2023 [player_tooltip player_id='1167738' first='Carter' last='Houser'] (Seymour) 2023 Kennan Hinners (Seymour) 2024 Cade Wierck (Ankeny Christian) 2023 Caleb Hubbard (Diagonal) 2023 Ben Werneck (Diagonal) 2023 Gauge Mongar (Murray) 2023 Tyson Ross (Orient-Macksburg) 2023 Zane Hackathorn (Moulton-Udell)

The Teams