Basketball Tip-off
By David Paradise
New Lisbon's John McCann and Mauston's Dustin Manthe tip-off the 2009-10 season on Tuesday night, as the Golden Eagles took on the Rockets.
By David Paradise
Star-Times Sports Editor
Basketball season for five area teams kicked off last night with season openers for boys teams from Mauston, New Lisbon, Royall and Wonewoc-Center and the Golden Eagles girls team starting their seasons.
With the new season officially underway, I wanted to take a look at what area teams have in store for fans this season.
The South Cental Conference boys race should be an interesting one this season.
Many teams will look different as 12 of the 15 players to receive All-Conference honors a season ago have graduated leaving; Adams-Friendship's Bryce Wormet, Mauston's Dustin Manthe and Wisconsin Dells' Nate Gibson as the only returnees.
Manthe will look to lead a Mauston team that lost a pair of All-SCC first team players in Tyler Tardiff and Brian Hall, but returns three starters including himself along with Brady Nelson and Jeff Erickson and should compete for the conference crown after taking second last season with a 7-3 conference record.
Mauston is my pick to win the title, but they will receive tough competition from the Wormet led Green Devils and the defending conference champions Chiefs.
On the girls side of the South Central Conference,
Mauston will look to improve on their fourth place finish last year under second-year coach Lori Hammer, despite losing a pair of All-Conference players in Lydia Bergeson and Ashley Leverenz.
The Golden Eagles will look to the inside duo of seniors Kelsey Walsh and Miranda Jirousek to try and climb the South Central Conference ladder.
My pick for the conference title will be
Nekoosa and Mauston should round out the top-three but don't count out last season's champion Wisconsin Dells despite losing three first team selections from last season's team.
Scenic Bluffs Conference boys basketball fans should also be in for an exiting season.
A solid core of players return for area teams from last season, led by All-SBC first team selections: Necedah's Brett Jump, New Lisbon's Chad Wyss and Royall's Riley Brown.
Last season's champion Hillsboro Tigers lost a pair of 1,000 point scorers in Justin Thompson and Pat Alexander and this season's championship race should be up for grabs.
Royall is my pick for the conference champion, after a second place finish last season.
Led by Brown along with last season's honorable mention selections Jake Murphy and Brian Miller the Panthers should be able to cope with the loss of All-SBC players Tom Vieth and Allen Roscovius.
Necedah should also be in the mix for the title with the return of Jump and honorable mention selection Jason Steen.
Wyss and honorable mention selection John McCann will also look to keep the Rockets near the top of the conference standings.
Wonewoc-Center will look to the senior duo of Stewart Thompson and Ethan Sullivan, both honorable mention selections a year ago, to improve on a seventh place conference finish a year ago.
For the girls, in the Scenic Bluffs, look for Cashton and Royall to battle for the conference crown. I will go with Royall.
Cashton finished second a year ago to a senior laden New Lisbon Rockets team that finished 13-1 in conference play. Royall handed the Rockets their only conference loss and return a pair of All-SBC performers in senior Morgan Harris and sophomore Hailey Brown and honorable mention selection Alexis Murray.
New
Wonewoc-Center will also look to fill holes left by a strong senior class, and continue to climb up the conference standings.
Necedah will try to improve on an 0-14 campaign from a year ago. The Cardinals will look to senior Kayla Kohutko, an honorable mention selection last season, for leadership to try and pick up some conference wins this season.
It should be a great season.