February 2020 ROAR

The RHS JV Boys Basketball Team (L-R): Front Row: Kyle Varady, Colin Williams, Isaac DeMan, Max Williams, Joe Williams, and Zak
Ahern. Back Row: Head coach Jay Peterson, Logan Kaiser, Gabe Spees, Charlie Deutsch, Jack Lamancusa, Blake Murphy, Hudson
Fehsenfeld and Simon Bolo. ~ Photo by Douglas Photography
‘Hoop Junkies’ Shine on Court
JEANNIE GREGORY
ROAR Editor
The motto for the boys basketball program is “Family,” and
the 2019-20 boys junior varsity team have taken that message
to heart.
Their head coach, Jay Peterson, tells why.
“This is a special group of kids who really support each other.
They are all ‘hoops junkies’ who are always in the gym. They
believe in what they are doing, and they love each other. When
you do that, you can be great.”
This is the first year Peterson has been at the helm for the
Rams JV team, but he brings plenty of experience with him.
He actually started coaching elementary basketball when he
was in high school, and then spent six years as an assistant at
the varsity level in Marquette. He is not new to the Rockford
program, spending last year assisting Rams varsity head coach
Kyle Clough.
The team has done well this season, tallying a 7-3 overall
record while going 3-2 in the always tough OK Red.
It hasn’t been an easy road; the team has had to make adjustments
as the season has progressed.
“Three of their sophomore classmates are up on varsity, including
Jack Lamancusa, who started the year with the JV,” Peterson
shares. “He was our leader and when Jack left, some of
our guys figured out pretty fast that he rebounded and cleaned
up a lot. Guys have had to step up in some different roles and
play tougher and we have had some adversity through that experience.
We’ve had bouts of the flu, so changing playing rotations
and some tough competition have solidified our guys.
They have bounced back every time I have challenged them.”
The team has been pretty solid with two players stepping
up to help the team’s cause.
“Blake Murphy has been our leading and most consistent
scorer and rebounder,” shares Peterson. “His footwork in the
post is extraordinary for a young player. He has really worked
hard in the offseason and developed a toughness that will
serve him well in the future. Our point guard Kyle Varady is
also developing into a really good player. I have probably
coached him harder than any of our guys, because I know
what it will take for him to succeed at the next level. He has all
the tools, good ball handler, good shooter, tough kid, but he
has really worked on taking care of the basketball and doing
the little things that make me proud as a coach.”
The Rockford culture isn’t lost on Peterson.
“It is such a blessing to be a part of this program and the
Rockford schools community,” he says. “Our kids have tremendous
resources available to them and every opportunity
is theirs if they want it. The administration, the facilities, the
kids, the dedicated parents and coaches working together,
it takes everyone to succeed at a high level. We are building
something special here. Coach Clough has high standards for
our basketball program and higher standards for our young
men. We are competitors, but basketball is just another teaching
opportunity we can use to teach life lessons. That’s why I
am here. From our varsity kids I coached last year, to our JV
guys this year, I have told this group that they can be special.
They are competitors with talent and have the potential to
make a run. I am looking forward to our basketball future with
this group of young men.”
16 ROAR MAGAZINE FEBRUARY, 2020