Section 7AAA Player Profiles

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Who returns in 7AAA? We give you 24 names!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Chisago Lakes</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2825707' first='Joseph' last='Couwenhoven'] (2026, [program_tooltip program_id='2888391' first='Minnesota' last='Comets'] Kuhl). Joseph averaged 17 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 2.5 steals per game shooting 45 percent from the field for his junior year. Joe will be a two year captain and will be working towards his second post season all league honor. Joe is a 6'4 wing.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1560843' first='Cohen' last='Underhill'] (2026, [program_tooltip program_id='2888391' first='Minnesota' last='Comets'] Peter Meier). Cohen is also going to be a two time captain. Cohen is also going for his section post season all conference honor. This 6'4 guard averaged 14.5 points, six rebounds, and a couple assists a game last season. He's an explosive athlete that has a growing ceiling.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Colton Betts (2026). Betts is a six foot guard that scored eight points a game. Chisago Lakes seemed to have very strong pieces with some role guys around them last year. Three of those four main pieces return including Betts. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Cloquet</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Evan Rothamel (2027). Evan was the 7th man for the Lumberjacks last year averaging 5.3 points, three rebounds and two assists per game. He moves from seventh man to the top returning guy and he is a ball handler so that is a positive as Cloquet turns the page to a new team.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Max Jazdzewski (2027). This 6'3 wing was the 8th Man last year when the team went that deep to the bench. Max saw some varsity time and JV time to get ready for this season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Ty Stiffarm (2027). Ty is a 5'10 guard that played junior varsity last year and a tad bit of varsity. He's a backcourt piece that is a part of this Cloquet sophomore movement (they only had two juniors last year so its a small senior class). </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Duluth Denfeld</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2877064' first='Carter' last='Brown'] (2027, [program_tooltip program_id='2078859' first='Starks' last='Elite']). Brown is a 6'5 athletic wing with a lot of potential. Brown was the second leading scorer last season at 13.4 points per game shooting 45 percent from the field. Brown also grabbed nine rebounds a contest and blocked 1.6 shots a game. Looks to be ready for a big junior year. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2466472' first='Lee' last='Brooks'] (2026). Brooks is a 5'9 lead guard that scored 8.7 points per game with 4.5 boards, five assists and over two steals a game. With Ferguson graduated Brooks will take that playmaking ability and magnify it each possession. It's his time with the ball as a playmaker and he has a chance to lead the team back to state. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2910340' first='Antonio' last='Brown'] (2026). Brown is a strong five man that averaged eight points, 7.5 rebounds and a couple blocks a game. Brown shot 60 percent from the field and gave his team a screener, a low post defender, and end of possession finisher. Three of the top four Denfeld players are back.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Grand Rapids</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1560804' first='Joey' last='Sutherland'] (2026, [program_tooltip program_id='2078859' first='Starks' last='Elite']). This is a 6'3/6'4 20 point per game scorer entering his senior year with a chance to do something special. Joey can be one of the top scorers in Class AAA this year and he has a chance to push GR back in the direction as one of the better teams competing for a section title. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Brenden Sylvester (2026). This six foot guard scored in double figures last year on average and was the second best player on the team last season. Sylvester might run circles around people, he's not only an all league player, he is an all league honored track and field guy, and an all league cross country guy. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2860110' first='Ethan' last='Morgan'] (2027). Morgan is another returning player on a GR team that was almost all juniors and sophomores a season ago. Morgan is a 5'10 guard that is also a quality football player. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Hermantown</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2810623' first='Sawyer' last='Senst'] (2027, Wisconsin Playmakers). Sawyer is the top returning player for Hermantown after averaging 16 points and ten rebounds a game last year as a sophomore. This 6'5, 220 pound forward had 13 double-doubles last season and has a chance to have an even more dominant season this winter. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Ben Sundland (2027, Playmakers North). Ben had a nice playmaking season for the Playmakers after being the Hermantown main playmaker last year. A returning key junior for the team. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2466467' first='Lance' last='Janson'] (2027, Playmakers North). Lance bounced back from injury to have a nice 17u season with the Playmakers and now the 6'7 face up big is ready for a big senior year. The frontcourt potential of Senst and Janson together is promising, now they need to find some consistency to get the season started and good things can happen. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Hibbing</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2126126' first='Ray' last='Brau'] (2027, [program_tooltip program_id='2075672' first='Minnesota' last='Fury']). Brau had an All State Sophomore Season after averaging 23 points and 13 rebounds a game last year. Hibbing make an outstanding 15 game turnaround and Ray was at the forefront of it. The 6'6 big had a nice 16u season with the Fury as well. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Jack Bottoms (2027, [program_tooltip program_id='2078859' first='Starks' last='Elite']). Jack is a player that I think has been overshadowed a tad. He's a 6'1 guard that scored almost 18 points per game as a sophomore taking a big step forward allowing Hibbing to be a more versatile scoring team. Bottoms could have a huge junior year. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1585301' first='Evan' last='Bolden'] (2026, [program_tooltip program_id='2078859' first='Starks' last='Elite']). Evan was the third leading scorer and the third biggest contributor last year, and he is back as well. Hibbing has high hopes because of the depth of the team and Evan averaged 12 points and five boards a game as a junior. Overall Hibbing has their top five players returning.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>North Branch</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Jacob Knoespel (2026). Jacob was the top North Branch player a season ago averaging 15 points a game as a 6'4 frontcourt player. A hard working interior defender and rebounder. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Ethan Thorsen (2026). Ethan was the second leading scorer for North Branch also posting 15 points per game, also as a 6'4 forward. Ethan and Jacob are a good combo. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2439105' first='Vinny' last='Dufeck'] (2026). This 6'3 wing was the third/four option last year scoring 7-8 a game and if the Vikings can get the guard play this senior group of 6'3-6'4 scorers should defy some of the odds out there. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Rock Ridge</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Wyatt Canter (2026). Canter scored six points per game last season as a shooting guard. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Jaxson Lamppa (2026). Lampa is also a returning shooting guard, he scored four points a game last year. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Beau Akerson (2026). A 210 pound forward that scored four points and four rebounds a game last season. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->