Conference Preview: Rolling Valley

<!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>The Teams</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Ar-We-Va (14-8 last season, 33.8% of scoring returning): </strong>The Rockets have a lot of production to replace after losing two of their top three scorers to graduation, and four of the top six. Senior Hayden Studer (11.6, 3.5 assists) was the team's second leading scorer and led the team in assists last season, so he's a nice player to start building this year's roster around, but other than junior Grant Wilken (5.0), there isn't much experience back around him. The program in Westside is pretty strong and the bottom isn't going to fall out here, but they're more than likely a middle-of-the-pack team in the league this winter. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Audubon (15-10, 35.8%):</strong> The Wheelers are one of two schools (IKM-Manning) joining the league this winter. They lost their top two scorers, and five of their top seven, but bring back a pair of talented juniors who should help make the transition from the Western Iowa Conference pretty smooth. [player_tooltip player_id='2853843' first='Aiden' last='Kjergaard'] (10.6) and Jorgen Nowatzke (10.2) are both capable scoring threats who can create plays for themselves and their teammates, and that one-two punch should be among the tops in the league. A lot of new faces will join the rotation alongside them this winter, but they'll carry this group to plenty of wins.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Boyer Valley (12-12, 60.1%): </strong>The Bulldogs played really good basketball for a two-week stretch from the middle of January until early February, going 5-1 from January 16 to February 3, and that stretch included a really nice win over Woodbine. They lost three of the top five scorers from that group, but bring back their leading scorer and rebounder from last year in [player_tooltip player_id='3620642' first='Tristen' last='Burkhart'] (13.4, 6.7 rebounds), who will be one of the best players in the conference. Brody Koski (7.3), Jace Bromert (3.8), and Jericho Ingram (3.0) are experienced pieces alongside Burkhart, but they're going to go as far as he takes them. Another finish within a game or two of .500 in either direction seems like the most likely outcome here. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>CAM (9-14, 52.6%): </strong>There is a big (literally) hole to fill in the paint for the Cougars following the graduation of Collin Bower, who averaged 14.5 points and 10.8 rebounds a game last season. He's not the only big to have graduated, either, with Gunnar Hoguelson taking 11.6 points and 7.2 rebounds a game with him as well. That tandem pulled down over half of the team's rebounds last year, and they'll need to replace that production, likely in the aggregate. Seniors Braxton Dennis (10.0), Kayden Winther (7.8), Calen Anstey (4.4), and Carson McKee (4.2) each saw a lot of time last season and return with plenty of experience, so the cupboard isn't completely bare, but replacing the interior production that Bower and Hoguelson provided will be a lot to deal with. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Coon Rapids-Bayard (23-2, 53.8%):</strong> The Crusaders were unbeaten in league play last season, with only one conference game decided by single digits, an early-season double overtime win over Woodbine. They have a huge piece to replace with the graduation of Cal Heydon, who averaged 23.6 points and 8.8 rebounds per game, but the next three scorers return and in total, five of the seven rotation pieces from last year are back. Senior forward [player_tooltip player_id='2906442' first='Ty' last='Heydon'] (13.0, 11.6 rebounds) will be the headliner. He's a dominant force on the glass on both ends of the floor and a long, athletic and versatile defender. [player_tooltip player_id='2906452' first='Caden' last='Oswald'] (9.5, 5.5 assists), [player_tooltip player_id='2853857' first='Bryce' last='Lewis'] (8.3, 35.6 3P%), and Bennett Heiderscheit (3.7, 42.1 3P%) return to headline the backcourt. Oswald is one of the better pure point guards in 1A basketball, a pass-first guard who loves to set the table for his teammates, and Lewis and Heiderscheit are both quality shooting threats. This team was fantastic defensively last season, allowing just 44.2 points per game, and that should remain the case this winter with the length and experience they have returning. This is the team to beat in the league. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Exira-EHK (1-20, 30.2%): </strong>This is a team that won only one game last season and lost the top three scorers from that group, so the expectations won't be very high heading into 2026-27. Junior Blake Nelson (5.8) and senior Anthony Young (3.0, 5.7 rebounds) are the top returnees. Only one of their losses last season was decided by single digits, so just playing a few more competitive games this winter would be a step in the right direction.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Glidden-Ralston (6-16, 33.4%):</strong> The Wildcats lost their top two, and five of their top seven, scorers from last year's team, which is the bad news. The good news is that this was a really balanced team last season, with seven players averaging between 4.9 and 9.2 points per game, so while the depth is something that needs to be replaced, they don't have a go-to star player with a big hole to fill. Senior Greyson Renze (8.2) and junior Colton Rohrbeck (7.0) are the top returning players and will carry a heavy load for this group after finishing third and fourth on the team in scoring last season. Replicating last year's six wins would probably be a pretty good outcome for this team. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>IKM-Manning (14-9, 45.7%):</strong> The Wolves join the Rolling Valley this winter, coming over from the Western Iowa Conference along with Audubon. They have a huge piece to replace with the graduation of Ben Ramsey, who averaged over 20 points and nearly 5 assists a game last season. The second and third leading scorers return, however, in Wyatt Danner (11.2) and Brock Kusel (10.1, 53.8 FG%), giving them a solid duo to help with the transition. Outside of those two, the rotation will be largely comprised of new faces in bigger roles, so there will probably be some ups and downs throughout the season, but that tandem should be one of the best in the league and this is probably a better fit in terms of school size for IKM.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Paton-Churdan (7-16, 57.8%):</strong> The Rockets did pretty much what was expected of them last season, taking care of business against the teams they were clearly better than, and losing to the teams they didn't have as much talent as. The problem against those better teams is that they were rarely competitive in those games. Senior forward [player_tooltip player_id='2754681' first='Trevon' last='Keely'] (19.6, 7.0 rebounds) will be looking to change that this winter. He's an impressive athlete who can finish around the rim at a high level as well as control the glass. Blaise Schilling (6.6) and Bryce Stephenson (3.0, 7.9 rebounds) will handle ball-handling duties after being the top two in assists last season, and Damen Rice (3.0) also returns with experience. This is a team that struggled to shoot it from 3 (25.6%) last season, and unless that number improves, it's hard to see them keeping pace with the top teams in the league. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Woodbine (17-9, 65.0%): </strong>The Tigers have reached three straight state tournaments in Class 1A, and they'll have a chance to make it four in a row, provided star wing [player_tooltip player_id='1977076' first='Landon' last='Blum'] (20.2, 9.2 rebounds) is playing basketball this winter. A Penn State football signee, I haven't heard if he is enrolling early or staying in high school and playing basketball this winter. If he leaves, the Tigers will fall pretty far down the league standings, but if he's playing, they'll be right up near the top of the conference and a threat to make some noise in 1A again, that's just how talented he is. Juniors [player_tooltip player_id='3681787' first='Henry' last='Gruver'] (5.2, 41.6 3P%) and Ayden Coenen (4.9), and sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='3542512' first='Braden' last='Barry'] (3.8), are the other notable returnees for Woodbine. This is a school that has had a ton of success on the football field in recent years, and they're going to have good athletes on the floor.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Projected Order of Finish</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>1. Coon Rapids-Bayard<br>2. Woodbine<br>3. IKM-Manning<br>4. Boyer Valley<br>5. Audubon<br>6. Ar-We-Va<br>7. CAM<br>8. Paton-Churdan<br>9. Glidden-Ralston<br>10. Exira-EHK</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Analysis: </strong>Despite losing their leading scorer from last year's team, Coon Rapids-Bayard remains a pretty heavy favorite to win the league again. They have three big-time players returning and are an elite defensive team. Woodbine, provided Blum plays, will be a factor, and both IKM-Manning and Audubon should find success in the new league. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Preseason Player of the Year</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>2027 [player_tooltip player_id='1977076' first='Landon' last='Blum'] (Woodbine): </strong>One of the state's elite athletes, Blum is a long, bouncy wing who can stuff the stat sheet on both ends of the floor. Woodbine will battle it out with Coon Rapids-Bayard again at the top of the league, and Blum is the reason why.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Players to Watch</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>2027 [player_tooltip player_id='1977076' first='Landon' last='Blum'] (Woodbine)<br>2028 [player_tooltip player_id='3681787' first='Henry' last='Gruver'] (Woodbine)<br>2027 Ayden Coenen (Woodbine)<br>2027 [player_tooltip player_id='2754681' first='Trevon' last='Keely'] (Paton-Churdan)<br>2027 Blaise Schilling (Paton-Churdan)<br>2027 [player_tooltip player_id='3620642' first='Tristen' last='Burkhart'] (Boyer-Valley)<br>2027 Brody Koski (Boyer Valley)<br>2027 [player_tooltip player_id='2906442' first='Ty' last='Heydon'] (Coon Rapids-Bayard)<br>2027 [player_tooltip player_id='2906452' first='Caden' last='Oswald'] (Coon Rapids-Bayard)<br>2027 [player_tooltip player_id='2853857' first='Bryce' last='Lewis'] (Coon Rapids-Bayard)<br>2027 Hayden Studer (Ar-We-Va)<br>2028 Grant Wilken (Ar-We-Va)<br>2027 Wyatt Danner (IKM-Manning)<br>2027 Brock Kusel (IKM-Manning)<br>2028 Jorgen Nowatzke (Audubon)<br>2028 [player_tooltip player_id='2853843' first='Aiden' last='Kjergaard'] (Audubon)<br>2027 Braxton Dennis (CAM)<br>2027 Kayden Winther (CAM)<br>2027 Greyson Renze (Glidden-Ralston)<br>2028 Colton Rohrbeck (Glidden-Ralston)<br>2028 Blake Nelson (Exira-EHK)<br></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->