Preseason All-Conference: Upper Iowa
Player of the Year: 2018 Blake Wettleson, Postville
You could make strong arguments for any of the players that landed on the first team to take this POY spot, but we’ll go with Wettleson. An efficient post player who understands where he excels, he’s among the league’s leading returnees in a number of categories and will lead a Postville team that we expect to contend for the conference title.
First Team
2018 Blake Wettleson, Postville (13.1 points, 6.1 rebounds, 1.5 steals, 47.1 FG%)
The Pirates’ big man is among the league’s leading returnees in scoring, rebounding and steals. All of his damage comes from inside the arc, and he’ll be the focal point of a Postville team that should be among the conference’s top teams.
2019 Levi Lukes, South Winneshiek (13.6 points, 2.7 rebounds, 1.3 steals)
The leading returning scorer in the league, Lukes will look to help South Winneshiek improve on last year’s six wins. Capable of scoring from anywhere on the floor, he should put up some impressive numbers this winter.
2018 Mason Hertrampf, MFL-Mar-Mac (11.6 points, 3.7 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.4 steals, 55 3PM)
Hertrampf becomes the new leader for a Bulldogs team that graduated their other four starters. A solid all-around player, the pressure will be on to improve his efficiency (37.3 FG%) while being asked to take on more of a scoring role for what is traditionally the best team in the conference.
2018 Noah Erickson, Central Elkader (10.5 points, 2.6 rebounds, 1.4 steals, 65 3PM)
Erickson is the league’s most deadly shooter, knocking down 65 3s a year ago. A true gunner, nearly 80% of his shot attempts from last season were from behind the arc. If he can expand his all-around skill set, it’d go a long way towards pushing Central Elkader towards the upper-third of the league.
2018 Owen Jacobson, Postville (11.8 points, 5.0 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 2.7 steals)
Like his teammate Wettleson, Jacobson does a majority of his damage inside the arc. He’s the Pirates leading returnee in assists and steals, and finished behind only Wettleson in scoring and rebounding last season. That one-two punch will be one of the best in the Upper Iowa.
Second Team
2018 Caleb Koch, Starmont
2020 Ethan Leibold, Turkey Valley
2018 Evan Drilling, Turkey Valley
2019 Gabe Peterman, Starmont
2018 Hunter Todd, South Winneshiek
Honorable Mentions
2018 Levi Izer, Turkey Valley
2019 Cole Klimesh, South Winneshiek
2020 Keegan Balk, Turkey Valley
2018 Ben Kelley, Central Elkader
2018 Jacob Steffans, Postville
2018 Collin Kime, West Central