Prepzone Hardcourt Preview 2017

CENTENNIALBOYS
SOUTHERN VALLEYBOYS
For most teams, repeating the
success of a 22-4 campaign can
be difficult. However, that is
exactly what head coach Cam
Scholl and the Centennial boy’s
basketball squad will attempt to
do during the 2017-18 season.
The Broncos impressed last
year, dominating the regular
season in Class C-2 before
falling to Ponca in the NSAA
state playoffs.
But with seven letterwinners
returning, Centennial has a
unique opportunity to put
together another impressive
campaign.
“We will need to develop
some depth at the start of the
season,” Scholl said. “Our goal
is to win our next game and be
playing our best at the end of the
season.”
The Broncos will be led by
junior guard Jack Hirschfeld,
who is coming off an all-state
selection after averaging 18
points, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists
last season.
Senior forward Heath
Haberman, junior guard Wyatt
Ehlers, and sophomore forward
Joel Bargen will also return to
the court for the Broncos as
impact players.
Centennial will open the season
on Nov. 30 when they battle
David City.
TEAM FACTS
Team Name: Broncos
Class: C-2
2016-17 Record: 22-4
Playoff Appearances: 5
Head Coach: Cam Scholl
Career Record: 51-41
The Southern Valley boy’s
basketball squad is coming off
a solid 2016-17 season, which
featured the Eagles finishing
14-11 under head coach Tylor
Fincher, who owns a 75-42
career coaching record.
However, with a new campaign
ready to begin, Southern Valley
is preparing to do some damage
in Class C-2, and push into the
NSAA state tournament.
To reach that goal, the Eagles
will have to rely heavily on
senior guard Chaston Burgeson.
Complimenting Burgeson on the
court will be senior post player
Kade Bose, who was able to turn
some heads as a junior last year.
Billie Paine, Ryder Lewis, Gabe
Haase, and Jaden Quinn will
also look to contribute once the
season gets underway for the
Eagles.
TEAM FACTS
Team Name: Eagles
Class: C-2
2016-17 Record: 14-11
Playoff Appearances: 5
Head Coach: Tylor Fincher
Career Record: 75-42
CENTENNIALGIRLS
SOUTHERN VALLEYGIRLS
For the Centennial girl’s basketball
squad, growing pains are expected
during the 2017-18 season.
The Broncos are coming off a
7-17 campaign, which featured a
mid-season coaching change as
head coach Jake Polk took over
with 13 games remaining.
Now, Polk will enter his first
full year at the helm, but will
do so with a very inexperienced
roster that contains six returning
letterwinners and only one senior.
“I believe that in order for us
to have a successful season, we
need to expedite the development
of our youthful team,” Polk said.
“With only one senior on the
roster, we will need to have some
young players kick in a lot of
minutes this year.”
One of those players will be
sophomore Kaitlyn Fehlhafer,
who averaged 4.7 points, 5.4
rebounds, and recorded 37 blocks
as a freshman.
Junior guard Brooklyn Gierhan,
who averaged 9.4 points and 5.1
rebounds last year, as well as
sophomore Hunter Hartshorn, will
also see significant playing time.
“I’m excited about the group
we have coming back and I’m
grateful that I’m being given
the opportunity to lead the girls
basketball program,” Polk said.
“At the end of the year, we want
to be playing our best basketball
so that we can give our best shot
to whomever we play in subdistricts
and take it one game at a
time from there.”
TEAM FACTS
Team Name: Broncos
Class: C-2
2016-17 Record: 7-17
Playoff Appearances: 3
Head Coach: Jake Polk
Career Record: 4-9
The 2016-17 season brought a
lot of success for the Southern
Valley girl’s basketball team,
as the group went 14-10 before
a 52-40 loss in the district
tournament.
And although head coach Jeff
Ellis has five letterwinners
returning on the heels of a
successful campaign, he said that
leadership will define the Eagles
this season.
“With this group, we need to
develop leadership both on and
off the court,” Ellis said. “That
leadership needs to help build
positive relationships between
our upper and lower classmen.”
Ellis will likely look to a trio of
seniors to lead, as forwards Cassi
Bose, Becca Lennemann, and
Halle Linner will all return to the
court.
Bose is the leading returning
scorer after averaging 13 points a
game last year.
“Offensively, we need girls to
step up in new roles and be able
to contribute on a consistent
level,” Ellis added. “Defensively,
we need to be able to apply
pressure both in the front court
and the half court, depending on
the situation.”
Southern Valley will open the
season on Nov. 30 when they
travel to Minden.
TEAM FACTS
Team Name: Eagles
Class: C-2
2016-17 Record: 14-10
Playoff Appearances: 5
Head Coach: Jeff Ellis
Career Record: 75-109
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