Conference Preview: War Eagle
In this article:
The Teams Akron-Westfield (1-20): The 2019-2020 season was a tough one for the Westerners. There are a few bright spots for this young squad with Sawyer Drent (12.5 PPG 2.7 RPG) and Carter Drent (10.0 PPG 6.6 RPG). They led…
Access all of Prep Hoops
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingThe Teams
Akron-Westfield (1-20):
The 2019-2020 season was a tough one for the Westerners. There are a few bright spots for this young squad with Sawyer Drent (12.5 PPG 2.7 RPG) and Carter Drent (10.0 PPG 6.6 RPG). They led Akron-Westfield in points per game with over 50% of the teams scoring totals. For A-W to improve in the War Eagle they will need players to step up after graduating six seniors and limit their turnovers per game (24.1).
Gehlen Catholic (7-15):
If you look just purely at the record in the conference that does not tell the whole story of Gehlen Catholic. The Jays worked through the season with a number of underclassmen that gained a wealth of experience from 2019-2020. Look for last year’s youth-led by Keaton Bonderson (18.4 PPG 4.4 RPG), and Carter DeRocher Carter DeRocher 6'2" | SF Gehlen Catholic | 2022 State IA (15.7 PPG 4.3 RPG), meaning they return 60% of the 56.9 points per game. Gehlen Catholics youth will need to bring last year’s experience and build upon it to improve their standing in the conference.
Harris-Lake Park (11-11):
The Wolves hit their stride at the end of last season in the tournament coming up one game short of the State Tournament. The graduation of four seniors, including 1000 pt career scorer Issac Ihnen, will hit the wolves hard losing 50% of their scoring from the 2019-2020 campaign. Bubba Sohn Bubba Sohn 5'10" | PG Haris-Lake Park | 2021 State IA (15.8 PPG 3.8 RPG) and Brody Boles (9.1 PPG 2.1 RPG) are returning to help the wolves try to punch their ticket to State this year.
Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn (9-14):
The Hawks finished in the middle tier of the War Eagle last season. Two freshmen were big contributors to the success of the 2019-2020 campaign Kooper Ebel (7.2 PPG 3.3 RPG) and Lance Berends (13.8 PPG 8.2 RPG). The Hawks will have to value the possession of the basketball this season and limit their turnovers per game (16.5 topg), which will keep them in more games this upcoming season.
Hinton (14-8):
Hinton finished middle of the pack last year in the War Eagle. The Blackhawks will be returning a youthful squad with 63% of last year’s scoring including leading scorer Caleb Holmes Caleb Holmes 6'2" | SF Hinton | 2022 State IA (21.7 PPG 4.0 RPG) and Desmond Riley (6.2 PPG 3.6 RPG). If Hinton’s returning players can take what they learned from their previous season, look for Hinton to make some noise this winter in the War Eagle.
MMCRU (3-19):
MMCRU was another youthful team with no seniors on last year’s squad that will bring that experience into this upcoming season. That experience will help close the gap to hopefully transcend to keeping the Royals in more games and hopefully more wins. Cade Pepper Cade Pepper 5'10" | SG MMCRU | 2021 State IA (15.2 PPG 4.0 RPG) and Kamden Steffen (14.6 PPG 6.5 RPG) will be helping lead the Royals this season.
Remsen St. Mary’s (22-4):
The Hawks finished runner up last season in the War Eagle splitting games with the 2019-2020 champion West Sioux. Look forward to another strong season for Remsen St. Mary’s with a few question marks due to the graduation of six seniors and 77% of their total scoring. Austin Jensen Austin Jensen 6'2" | PF St. Mary's, Remsen | 2022 State IA (5.2 PPG 4.4 RPG) and Jaxon Bunkers (5.4 PPG 2.7 RPG) are coming back from last year to continue the success of last season.
South O’Brien (21-4):
South O’Brien finished the year one game short of punching their ticket to Des Moines. The upcoming season will be a toss-up due to the graduation of seven players including Dordt commit Jackson Louscher Jackson Louscher 6'2" | CG South O'Brien | 2020 State IA and 83% of last year’s season total. Look for the wolverines to try to reload and fill some big holes in their roster this season.
Trinity Christian (6-16):
The Tigers are gearing up for another season in the War Eagle. Last season Trinity Christian finished in the bottom tier of the conference and graduated four players that made up 69% of total scoring (46.7 PPG). Returning player Anthony Kooiker (10.0 PPG 6.8 RPG) will help lead the Tigers this season. Do not overlook Trinity Christian, four of their losses came down to two possessions or less during the season and can help push them into the middle tier of the conference.
Unity Christian (12-10):
Unity Christian graduated six players that consisted of 44% of the team scoring per game. Look for Logan Franken (10.4 PPG 3.1 RPG) and Tyrell Hulshof (7.4 PPG 3.2 RPG) will try to improve upon their first-round exit from the tournament last season. Key wins last season: Bishop Heelan, MOC-FV, and Hinton.
West Sioux (22-3):
Conference Champion and State Tournament qualifier West Sioux will continue to be a tough team to play but the graduation of their two leading scorers Bryce Coppock Bryce Coppock 5'10" | SG West Sioux | 2020 State IA (24.6 PPG 3.9 RPG) and Hunter Dekkers Hunter Dekkers 6'1" | PG West Sioux | 2020 State IA (21.3 PPG 8.3 RPG) will leave big shoes to fill for the Falcons. Underclassmen Mason Coppock Mason Coppock 6'0" | SG West Sioux | 2023 State IA (8.6 PPG 2.3 RPG) and Blake Van Ballegooyen (2.4 PPG 2.1 RPG) bring last year’s varsity experience to help lead the Falcons this upcoming season.
Projected Order of Finish
1. Gehlen Catholic
2. Hinton
3. Remsen St. Mary’s
4. Unity Christian
5. Harris-Lake Park
6. West Sioux
7. South O’Brien
8. Hartley Melvin Sanborn
9. MMCRU
10. Trinity Christian
11. Akron-Westfield
Analysis:
With a number of teams either bringing back a number of players or losing a majority of their scoring, we may see a shakeup in the War Eagle this winter. Five of the top teams from last season’s conference graduated sixty percent of their scoring, which may lead to the shakeup and leaving some room for a new champion.
Preseason Player of the Year
Caleb Holmes Caleb Holmes 6'2" | SF Hinton | 2022 State IA , 6’2 Hinton (2022) – The athletic ability and length of Holmes is hard to contain for teams in northwest Iowa. Caleb is a smooth player that stretches the defense with the set three should help Hinton be in the running for the War Eagle Conference Championship.
21.7 PPG–4.0 RPG–FG% 47.9%–3PT% 37.8%
Players to watch
Mason Coppock Mason Coppock 6'0" | SG West Sioux | 2023 State IA , 6’0 West Sioux (2023)
Austin Jensen Austin Jensen 6'2" | PF St. Mary's, Remsen | 2022 State IA , 6’2 Remsen St. Mary’s (2022)
Logan Franken, 6’2 Unity Christian (2021)
Tyrell Hulshof, 6’3 Unity Christian (2021)
Kooper Ebel, 5’11 Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn (2023)
Lance Berends, 6’4 Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn (2023)
Bubba Sohn Bubba Sohn 5'10" | PG Haris-Lake Park | 2021 State IA , 5’10 Harris-Lake Park (2021)
Brody Boles, 6’0 Harris-Lake Park (2021)
Keaten Bonderson Keaten Bonderson 6'0" | PG Gehlen Catholic | 2023 State IA , 6’0 Gehlen Catholic (2023)
Carter DeRocher Carter DeRocher 6'2" | SF Gehlen Catholic | 2022 State IA , 6’2 Gehlen Catholic (2022)
Anthony Kooiker, 6’3 Trinity Christian (2021)
Cade Pepper Cade Pepper 5'10" | SG MMCRU | 2021 State IA , 5’10 MMCRU (2021)
Kamden Steffen, 6’0 MMCRU (2023)
Sawyer Drent, 5’10 Akron-Westfield (2023)
Carter Drent, 6’2 Akron-Westfield (2022)