By Becky Walz,
Members of the South Winn boys’ varsity basketball team this season are (front, l-r) Szymon Kalinowski, Carver Wenthold, Braiden Todd, Matson Winings, Carson Streeter, Irving Flores; (back) Logan Tieskoetter, Kole Hageman, Brody Tieskoetter, Eric Kriener, Kaden Franzen and Nolan Sabelka. (Driftless Multimedia photos by Becky Walz)
The South Winn boys’ basketball team has several opportunities to fill the shoes of last season’s graduates. However, the Warriors may need to develop of few more coming off the bench in 2022-23.
Providing guidance for the winter schedule is Head Coach Derek Taylor, who has been at the helm for the past two seasons. Assisting him will be Mitchell Herold.
Remembering last year
Coach Taylor has five players back who have earned at least one letter in their career. That, combined with some youthful exuberance, provided the Warriors with good results.
Through the conference season, South Winn went 12-4, finishing second in the Upper Iowa Conference. In the first round of playoffs, SW tangled with Tripoli, taking the victory 72-63 to keep the season alive. Facing second-ranked North Linn in the quarterfinals, the Warriors couldn’t get an offensive threat going, falling 97-64.
South Winn ended the season 14-9 overall.
The Warriors averaged 62.3 points per game and gave up an average of 54.6 points, converting on 44.1 percent of all shots taken, with 35 percent from three-point range and 59.3 percent from the free throw line. In total, they picked up 664 rebounds, averaging 28.9 a game. As a team they had 265 steals and 277 assists.
Graduated
South Winn graduated three players off last year’s squad. At the top of the list is a pair of first team all-UIC selections. Carson Wenthold averaged 14.0 points and 4.2 rebounds a contest, leading the Warriors with 62 steals and 73 assists for the season.
Also gone is Keagen Streeter, another first team all-league selection, who averaged 10.0 points and 7.6 rebounds a night. He led the Warriors with 145 total boards (106 defensive, 39 offensive) to go with 28 steals, 11 blocks and 24 assists.
Dawson Wenthold also graduated with a 32.4 percent three-point average, hitting 24 treys during his senior season, earning an honorable mention nod in the Upper Iowa Conference. He contributed a total of 184 points, averaging 9.2 a night.
On the floor
Among the five back with a letter is second team all-UIC honoree Kole Hageman (G/F) who averaged 7.9 points and 34 rebounds last year as a junior. He dished out 46 assists to go with 36 steals.
Another senior, Brody Tieskoetter (F/C), also returns to the hardwood this season having scored 29 points last year to go with 49 total rebounds, 12 assists and 12 steals.
As a freshman last year, Braiden Todd (G) was third in scoring for the Warriors with 171 total points, averaging 8.6 a game. He added 49 total rebounds, 33 steals and 27 assists to the stat sheet as well.
Carson Streeter (G/B) is back after averaging 8.9 points and 2.8 rebounds an outing. As a freshman, he provided a total of 161 points, 50 total rebounds, 42 assists and 28 steals for the Warriors.
Also lettering as a freshman Matson Winings (F/G) returns tied for second in total rebounds with 84 (59 defensive, 25 offensive). He dropped in a total of 85 points for South Winn to go with 17 steals and nine assists.
Coach Taylor has a large bench to call upon as well. He can look to senior center/forward Eric Kriener; juniors Nolan Sabelka (G), Szymon Kailnowski (G), Kaden Barton-Franzen (F/C) and Irving Flores (G); and sophomores Carver Wenthold (G) and Logan Tieskoetter (F/C).
“Experience and chemistry will be our two biggest challenges going into the season,” pointed out Coach Taylor. “I am confident that once we get to Christmas break and get some time to gel that we will be a tough team to beat.”
Among the strengths of the Warriors will be their overall athleticism and size with seven athletes above six feet in height.
“Last year we played small, but this year we have multiple guys that have the size to play around the rim and will also help defensively and on the glass,” added Coach Taylor.
In the UIC
When it comes to conference play, Coach Taylor believes MFL MarMac and Turkey Valley will be in the hunt for the UIC title as both squads have some good seniors back. While South Winn, along with North Fayette Valley and Kee, all are similar with some young kids playing, he also imagines the Warriors in the hunt as well.
“Right now I think any of these five teams could be on top of the conference, it will be interesting as we have more teams that I feel are equally matched than in years past in our conference. It puts a lot of pressure on our young guys to get going fast as we open the season versus Turkey Valley, and have several big conference games before Christmas,” concluded Coach Taylor.
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