The South Suburban Conference Preview
Next up is the South Suburban Conference which seems like it will be deeper this year. Last Year. Apple Valley won the league but it was Lakeville North who made the state championship game. Both teams lost to Hopkins. The…
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Continue ReadingNext up is the South Suburban Conference which seems like it will be deeper this year.
Last Year. Apple Valley won the league but it was Lakeville North who made the state championship game. Both teams lost to Hopkins. The Panthers may have had a 2 on their trophy compared to Apple Valley’s 3, but the Eagles beat the Panthers in both games played. Shakopee was expected to be the third team from the league at state but they fell short. After those three teams and Lakeville South, the rest of the league was under .500 meaning six of the ten schools had losing records. Prior Lake got to 13-14 because of the league winning 10 of 18 games and then going 3-6 in non-league play.
Conference Commentary
State Contender: Lakeville North, Apple Valley
The more things change…you know the saying. Apple Valley lost Gary Trent to some oddly named prep school that 99 percent of the people have forgotten the name of plus Brock Bertram is at Buffalo and Cameron Kirksey. Lakeville North graduated three starters including Carter Brooks who is now at Concordia-St. Paul. Good players? Yes but Coach Zach Goring and Coach John Oxton have a lot of reserves in the tank to keep these programs among the top five in the state. Apple Valley of course has an elite point guard in Tre Jones while Lakeville North has Wisconsin bound top 100 talent Nathan Reuvers. And both have returning talent and upcoming talent around them.
Potential Top Ten: Lakeville South
I think the only other team you can confident say belongs in this category is Lakeville South. The Cougars return big number producing guard Jack Sorenson, top ten level junior Shae Mitchell, shooter Cade Carlson, and others. It’s time for these guys to stop being “the next team”. They are playing second fiddle to North and Apple Valley in conference, and second fiddle to North and Rochester JM in section. If they are ever going to get into the picture for one of these team honors the time is now.
Compete with Most: Eastview, Shakopee, Prior Lake, Rosemount
Eastview will definitely improve by 3-4 wins but if the young talent grows up quick, maybe they jump to 20 wins when their year is all over. They have leaders in Mason Carpenter and Augustana committed Jameson Bryan but that sophomore group is really good too. Shakopee will take a step back with Steffon Mitchell moved on but Bruce Kugath doesn’t take big steps back. Prior Lake may not have star power but this may be their deepest team in some time and maybe their most complete team throughout the line-up. And Rosemount. On one hand they had six wins last year. On the other, they have a pair of D1 kids in the Loehrs, Alec and Luke.
Rebuilding: Eagan, Farmington, Burnsville
Burnsville seems to be on the verge of a good year as they have some nice players, but then again they won five games last year. Who knows for sure. Like Sam Wilson at Farmington but not sure what else they have, and Eagan has a few pieces back from a ten win team.
Conference Predictions
- Apple Valley
- LakevilleNorth
- Lakeville South
- Eastview
- Prior Lake
- Rosemount
- Shakopee
- Burnsville
- Eagan
- Farmington
Preseason All South Suburban
First Team
Tre Jones, Apple Valley, Jr
Nathan Reuvers, Lakeville North, Sr
Jack Sorenson, Lakeville South, Sr
Shae Mitchell, Lakeville South, Jr
Luke Loehr, Rosemount, Sr
Second Team
Alec Loehr, Rosemount, Sr
Jameson Bryan, Eastview, Sr
Brian Sitzmann, Prior Lake, Sr
Luke Martens, Apple Valley, Jr
Trevor Schermann, Lakeville North, Sr
Third Team
Ethan Igbanugo, Lakeville North, Sr
Mason Carpenter, Eastview, Sr.
Jake Kutina, Shakopee, Sr.
Cade Carlson, Lakeville South, Sr
Sam Wilson, Farmington, Sr
Fourth Team
Spencer Rolland, Apple Valley, Jr
Nathan Macho, Apple Valley, Jr
Trent West, Prior Lake, Sr
Marcus Shepley, Burnsville, So
Matt Baisch, Burnsville, Sr