The Rotation: West Fargo
Under the direction of first-year head coach Adam Palczewski, West Fargo was one of the best teams in the state last season. The Packers went 18-2 in the regular season, winning twice in the EDC Tournament to secure a trip to the state tournament. They lost to West Fargo Sheyenne in the state semis and finished fourth in Class A. With all-staters Joe Pistorius and Abdi Sufi, along with a big senior class, gone to graduation, the Packers head into the year with a little more uncertainty.
Must Be Replaced: Joe Pistorius, Abdi Sufi, Tanner Zepeda
Pistorius was the leading scorer in the EDC, averaging better than 22 points per game and four assists while burying 55 3-pointers. He was the lifeblood of the Packer offense with his ability to get to the rim, shoot from deep, get to the free throw line and create offense for himself or his teammates when things bogged down. Sufi was terrific as a senior too, averaging 14.6 points and 8.1 rebounds. His athleticism and energy — evidenced by 3.2 offensive rebounds per game — allowed him to sustain high levels of production and his ability to stretch the floor — 47 3-pointers made — made him a perfect running mate on the wing. Tanner Zepeda gave the Packers solid starter minutes, averaging better than nine points and 3.7 assists.
Returning Starters: Luke Lennon
Lennon is one of the best returning bigs in the EDC and was very good as a junior, averaging 13.7 points and 11 rebounds. He is one of the most consistent big guys in the state and can produce with skill, athleticism and effort. Lennon will become the centerpiece for the Packers this winter. As a junior, Lennon recorded 13 double-doubles
Stepping Into Bigger Roles: Hunter Lyman, Jaeden Moton, Matt Miller, Braxton Bruer, Dustin Mertz
The strength of the West Fargo team, according to Palczewski, will be down low. Lennon is a foundational piece and could be in for an all-state type season but there’s more talent up front than just him. Hunter Lyman is one of the top prospects in North Dakota for the 2020 class and likely would’ve contributed quite a bit as a sophomore had it not been for an injury. At 6-foot-8, he’s going to be a difference-maker inside. Jaeden Moton saw rotation minutes inside last year and spent the spring playing with ECI. He’s a physical, high-effort guy who will bully smaller counterparts in the paint. The perimeter rotation is a little murkier as the Packers relied heavily on Pistorius and company last season. Miller had some productive moments in mop-up duty as a sophomore and will likely be relied upon to supply big minutes. The same goes for Bruer who was a fringe rotation guy a season ago. Dustin Mertz is a player to watch as well.
Outlook
The Packers have been good for long enough now to suggest that there’s talent in the pipeline even if there isn’t a lot of returning experience or production. So while the names may not be familiar at the start of the year, the expectations for West Fargo will likely be high still. With an all-state caliber big man in Lennon, plus another high-ender in Lyman, the Packers’ size presents problems for most teams in the EDC. State title contention may not be the goal right now, but it wouldn’t be a surprise if this team pushes for 20 wins again.