Lake County's high school boys' basketball teams, coaches surveys
Leaders Sports
Charlo Vikings
Coaching staff: head coach Michael Brown; assistant coach Walley Esterby
Record last year: three wins
2008 Playoffs: no
Team motto: Defense wins games!
Returners:
Josh Sharbono, Clay Hoyt, Ed Dumont
Potential new starters:
Our starters will be decided in practice.
Challenges:
Youth and defense.
Expectations:
State champs!
Coaches’ comments:
All of the competition were better than us last year, but this is a new year.
Arlee Warriors
Coaching staff: head coach Clyde Tucker (first year back since 1996); assistant coach Sean Matt, third year.
Conference: District 13-C
Record last year: 6-14
Returners:
Seniors Cubby Pierre and Wyatt O’Neill were the leading scorers last year along with Kyle Felsman who showed continued improvement throughout the season.
Potential starters:
Senior Arlyn Matt has much potential; juniors Trevor Rubel, Kody Morigeau and exchange-student ‘William’ Chen; sophomores Thomas McClure, Jesse Pfau, Trae Burland, and Kasey Bridgewater have all shown potential during open-gym.
Challenge:
Our biggest challenge may be a lack of height and experience in a couple of positions. Good depth should be a plus. Every game will be a challenge because each team on our schedule beat us at least once last season. However, I feel we have a talented group who should be in the thick of every game. I’ll know more after we’ve practiced for a week or so.
Coaches’ comments:
Senior Kevin Allensworth may also see some playing time but has not been to open-gym. Also exchange student Nicolae ‘Nic’ Bulgac may play; he would add some height at 6-foot- 4-inch.
Mission Bulldogs
Coaching staff: first year head coach James Lozeau, assistant coach Nigel Probert, several years of coaching experience.
Conference: District 7-B
Record: Approximately 4-12
Playoffs: Didn’t make playoffs in 2008. Beat out for final spot in Districts by Eureka.
Returners:
Junior Jorren Gies, a well-rounded player and a threat playing post of wing; sophomore Riley Charlo, who knows his role and works hard; junior Lakota Matt, a big player under the net and a defensive threat; sophomore Spencer Ahlborn, the biggest hustler on the court; and senior Wyatt McCollum, who has a lot of quickness.
Challenges:
We need to work on depth since we have a lot of young players. They need to realize they can play varsity.
Expectations:
We want to be the third seed in conference so we don’t have to compete for the last spot (fourth) in Districts.
Competition:
The conference is pretty tough. Thompson Falls only had one loss last season. Plains and Troy are the other teams that usually make up the top three.
Coaches’ comments:
Judging by our cohesiveness, that the kids don’t bicker at each other yet, it should be a good rebuilding year.
Polson Pirates
Coaching staff: head coach Karl Tait, JV coach Brad Pluff, freshman coach Mike Elleis
Conference: Northwestern A
Record last year: 12-10
2008 Playoffs: Won conference, lost out in divisionals
Team motto: “32”
Returners:
Post/forward Ryan Kelley, forward Craig Bagnell, guard Waylon Michel, forward Tm Rausch
Potential new starters: guard Joe Andrews, guard/forward Louis Mohr, post Derrick Rathe, guard Kyle Bagnell, guard Sheldon Fisher
Challenges:
Having the team mesh together.
Expectations:
We expect to win the conference, move on to state and challenge for a state title.
Competition:
Whitefish, Columbia Falls, Ronan, Libby, Bigfork.
Ronan Chiefs boys basketball
Coaching staff: first year head coach Steve Woll, assistants Rich Janssen, Gale Decker
Conference: new to A
Record last year: 16-7
Playoffs: won divisionals and went to state and lost 0-2 in two close games
School motto: “Runnin Chiefs”
Returners:
Mike Fisher was an all-conference honorable mention in 2008, Nolan Harris went second-team all-conference, Eddy Nesh and Kyle Hendrix were
Potential starters:
A new player, senior Dallas Courdier transferred from Mission this year and may play.
Challenges:
Team defense and sharing the ball are the two biggest things to work on for the season.
Expectations:
The goal is to win conference, finish top two in divisionals and get back to state.
Competition:
New to conference, it is tough to judge. Whitefish and Columbia Falls will be good.
It depends on who comes to play on any given night — anybody’s capable of beating anybody.
Coaches’ comments:
We have a tough school, hopefully it will pay off in the end … (Ronan will) bring our ‘A’ game every night.