Class A Forwards to Watch
Class A should be one of the most competitive classes in the state this year as there isn’t a clear-cut top team. With multiple teams that figure to contend in each individual section, there is a lot to be excited about for the upcoming winter.
Here are some individuals to keep an eye on this winter:
Carter Henry, Sr., BOLD: Few players especially at the Class A level can match Henry’s size and athleticism. The 6-foot-8 center averaged 16 points, 10 rebounds and more than four blocks per game as a junior. BOLD has some lofty goals this upcoming year and with Henry anchoring both ends of the floor, the Warriors could follow through on them.
Ethan Matzke, Sr., Spring Grove: Matzke was working his way back into the basketball swing of things after a knee injury wiped out his sophomore year. He averaged 13 points and nine rebounds and should be even better the further removed he is from knee surgery. Few in his area can match his strength and savvy.
Baden Noennig, Sr., Mayer Lutheran: Noennig was the go-to guy on a loaded Mayer Lutheran team last winter and his status as the top dawg only elevates now that the Crusaders graduated a very good senior class. With his combination of length, athleticism and skill, Noennig should routinely put up 20-plus points and 10-plus rebounds.
Bentley Boike, Sr., Dawson-Boyd: Boike is one of the best players in the Camden Conference and averaged better than 18 points and seven rebounds as a junior. He’s got inside-outside skills, making him a nightmare for opposing teams to try to defend. Dawson-Boyd should be very strong this winter and Boike is the reason why.
Travis Yohnke, Sr., Parkers Prairie: Yohnke’s a top-level football prospect so he may have fallen a bit under the radar as a basketball talent but the 6-foot-5 forward is as good as any big in Central Minnesota. Parkers Prairie won 23 games last season and while they lose a handful of talented perimeter players, Yohnke’s got the ability to dominate games inside.
Mason Miller, Jr., Ada-Borup: Miller is one of the dominant bigs in northern Minnesota and like Yohnke, he’s drawing a lot of football interest. At 6-foot-8 and 235 pounds, Miller brings a size and physicality that teams at the Class A level just don’t see often. He’ll anchor things for an Ada-Borup team that has state tournament aspirations.
Jon Zinniel, Jr., New Ulm Cathedral: New Ulm Cathedral should be one of the best teams in the Tomahawk Conference and Zinniel’s emergence as one of the best players in the league is big reason why. At 6-foot-5, Zinniel has guard skills which make him a very tough cover. He’ll be the feature guy on a team with a number of talented scorers.
Trevor Morrison, Jr., North Woods: Morrison emerged as a viable third guy last year as North Woods advanced to the state championship game. If the Grizzlies are going to replicate that success, he’ll need to take his game to another level. The 6-foot-5 junior averaged 14 points and seven rebounds as a sophomore and could pump those numbers up to 20-10 as a junior.