Prepzone Hardcourt Preview 2017

BOYD COUNTYBOYS
The Boyd County boy’s
basketball squad will be hungry
for success after finishing 21-3 but
missing out on the NSAA state
tournament last season.
The chances of the Spartans
putting together another strong
season are high, as head coach
Jim Carlson returns to the
sidelines sporting an outstanding
495-156 career record.
The group will be led by guard
Justin Drueke, who posted 11.3
points a game as a junior while
knocking down 67 three-pointers.
He will be complimented on the
court by guard/forward hybrid
Clay Hansen, who dished out 140
assists and snagged 53 steals last
year.
Senior Blake Ahlers will also
be a player to watch, as will
sophomore Colby Hansen, who
racked up 20 steals during his
freshman season.
But even with some experience
returning, Carlson knows some
younger players are going to have
to step into bigger roles in 2017-
18, after the Spartans lost a few
key contributors to graduation.
“We have to replace three seniors
including starters Matthew
Hansen and three-time all-stater
Caleb Rihanek, who scored 1,828
points in his career,” Carlson said.
“We need to be healthy coming
out of football, increase our
scoring, and develop depth. We
should be able to compete with
most teams on our schedule.”
TEAM FACTS
Team Name: Spartans
Class: D-1
2016-17 Record: 21-3
Head Coach: Jim Carlson
Career Record: 495-156
YOUR BROADBAND PROVIDER
866.569.2666
PROUDLY SUPPORTING THE BOYD COUNTY SPARTANS
1106 16TH AVE. • FRANKLIN, NE
308.425.9974
MONDAY-FRIDAY 8-5 • SATURDAY 9-12
FEBRUARY 9-25, 2018
BOYD COUNTYGIRLS
FRANKLINGIRLS
The Boyd County girl’s basketball
squad has a number of reasons
to be optimistic heading into the
2017-18 campaign.
Not only are the Spartans coming
off a 13-9 campaign that featured
a third place finish in the tough
Niobrara Valley Conference, but
they are returning a core group of
contributors under experienced
head coach Jeff Hart.
Hart, who is entering his sixth year
at Boyd County, has a talented trio
of returners on his roster, including
senior Rhiannan Smalley, who
posted 9.5 points and 5.5 rebounds
a game last year.
Junior Emma Stahlecker, who
averaged 6.4 points and 2.4
rebounds as a sophomore, and
senior Kelsey Reiman will also
play major roles for the Spartans
this season.
“Once again, we have an
experienced nucleus of juniors
and seniors, but will need a group
of freshmen and sophomores to
really step up and provide playing
time, scoring and defense,” Hart
said. “We need to replace 15 points
and 15 rebounds from last year’s
seniors. Size will be an issue for
us, but we hope to counter with
aggressive defense and the ability
to run the floor. Our conference is
always tough and non-conference
games with Crofton and Wausa
early will test us.”
The season will get underway for
Boyd County on Nov. 30 against
North Central.
TEAM FACTS
Team Name: Spartans
Class: D-1
2016-17 Record: 13-9
Playoff Appearances: 1
Head Coach: Jeff Hart
Coming off a 10-10 season
under second-year head coach
Adam Boettcher, the Franklin
girl’s basketball squad will
have one major advantage in
2017-18 — experience.
The Flyers return nine
letterwinners from last season,
including four of the team’s five
starters, and the entire bench.
“This experience, as well as
going 1-18 in 2015-16 to 10-10
in 2016-17, will be a big key to
our success,” Boettcher said.
The Flyers will be extremely
senior heavy this season, and
will be led by guard Jordan
Wilbur, who averaged 8.4
points per game last year.
In addition, seniors Lilia
Aberle, Sierra Bruce, Haley
Shannon and Mariah Biesecker
will all be back on the
hardwood come December.
Four juniors with game
experience are also set to return
for Franklin, including guards
Emma Goosic, Courtney Meade
and Cassie Saathoff.
The Flyers will open the season
when they host Harvard on
Dec. 1.
TEAM FACTS
Team Name: Flyers
Class: D-1
2016-17 Record: 10-10
Playoff Appearances: 1
Head Coach: Adam Boettcher
Career Record: 94-89
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