Prepzone Hardcourt Preview 2017

ANSELMO-MERNAGIRLS
STUARTBOYS
The Anselmo-Merna girl’s
basketball squad took steps in
the right direction last season,
finishing the 2016-17 campaign
with a 15-7 record.
Under the tutelage of head
coach J.D. Furrow, the Coyotes
will look to keep building
momentum this season, and will
rely on a core of eight returning
letterwinners to do so.
Leading the charge for
Anselmo-Merna will be senior
point guard Megan Christen,
who posted 7.1 points, 7.8
rebounds, and 3.1 steals a
contest as a junior.
Complimenting Christen on the
court will be junior shooting
guard Kourtney Safranek,
who averaged 6.2 points and 2
rebounds a game last year.
Seniors Jalea Chandler and Tara
Geiser, as well as sophomore
Alexis Zimmer, will also
look to make significant
contributions for the Coyotes.
“We will rely heavily on our
defense to give us scoring
opportunities,” Furrow said.
“I think we will be a decent
shooting team, but our lack of
size will make rebounding and
defending the post a challenge.
We compete in a really tough
conference, so the girls will
be battle tested by the time
districts roll around.”
TEAM FACTS
Team Name: Coyotes
Class: D-2
2016-17 Record: 15-7
Playoff Appearances: 5
Head Coach: J.D. Furrow
A 5-18 record wasn’t exactly
what head coach Travis Ludwig
was hoping for out of the Stuart
boy’s basketball squad last
season, but that doesn’t mean the
campaign was a waste.
Even though the Broncos
scuffled through much of the
2016-17 campaign, a number of
young players earned valuable
experience, setting the group up
to make a run this season.
Eight letterwinners will be back
on the roster for the tenured
head coach, led by junior Issac
Steinhaser, who posted 12.6
points and 8.7 rebounds a game
last year.
Junior guard Ethan Sattler will
also be a key contributor for the
Broncos after averaging 6 points
and 4.2 assists in his sophomore
campaign.
Juniors Coltin Schroder, Wyatt
Paxton, and Zach Michka will
also see significant run this
season.
“We have a lot of kids back who
played a lot last year,” Ludwig
said. “They gained valuable
experience and were forced to
grow up quick. We will look to
make an impact this year.”
Stuart will open the season
on Nov. 30 at home against
Niobrara-Verdigre.
TEAM FACTS
Team Name: Broncos
Class: D-2
2016-17 Record: 5-18
Playoff Appearances: 10
Head Coach: Travis Ludwig
Career Record: 93-84
FEBRUARY 9-25, 2018
CENTRAL NEBRASKA’S
HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS
LEADER
FEBRUARY 4, 2018
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