Friday, November 18, 2016
Howells-Dodge Boys and Girls have high expectations this season
Team: Howells-Dodge
Mascot: Jaguars
Colors: Green, Black, Silver
Class: C-2
Conference: East Husker
Head Coach: Cole Fischer (5th season) (73-35 record)
2015-2016 record: 9-16 (lost to High Plains in Sub District Final)
Returning Starters: 1
Overview:
The Howells-Dodge Boys Basketball team expects to compete at a high level this year after finishing strong in the postseason a year ago.
One starter returns for 5th year Head Coach Cole Fischer, and that is Connor Blum (6’1, 11, PG, 2).
A bunch of newcomers will help make up this year's team. Fischer expects Lane Hegemann, Dax VanLengen, Zach Bayer, Kade Hegemann, Josh Brester (6’0, 10, PG), Ryan Macholan (6’2, F. 11) Jordon Brichacek (5’11, G, 11), Justin Shonka (6’3, F, 12), and Caden Jackson (6’2, G, 10) to all play big roles on this year's team.
Bayer (6’1, 12, G, 0), Lane Hegemann (6’4, 10, F, 0) VanLengen (6’3, 11, G, 0), and Kade Hegemann (5’11, 10, G, 0) are all first year starters for the Jaguars, and will look to help lead Howells-Dodge this season.
The Jaguars must replace the likes of Tyler Polacek, Mitchell Prusa, and Nolan Lund.
I feel the best player out of that group that needs to be replaced is Polacek. He was a team leader during his career without a doubt.
VanLengen did a really nice job filling Polacek's shoes in football though, and I think he can do that in basketball as well.
Fischer says he thinks the success the boys had in football can translate to success on the hardwood.
"Yes, our boys were disappointed in how they lost a tough one in football and I think that will motivate them to want more in basketball. I think anytime you have success in one sport it without a doubt leads to better things in other sports. Our guys are a close knit group who look out and demand a lot from each other."
I would agree with Fischer in that I think the loss to Nebraska City Lourdes in the Football Playoffs will only had more fuel to the fire for basketball season.
Fischer adds the team can also build off of last year's finish to the basketball season.
"Yes, I feel that we were a basket short of making a district final and in district finals anything can happen. I think that it reassured the guys how close we are to competing at the state level. We do however move up to C-2 this year so our guys will have accept the challenge and peak at the right time of the season."
Howells-Dodge is in Sub-District C2-7 with the likes of Battle Creek, Stanton, Wisner-Pilger, and Humphrey/Lindsay Holy Family.
Season Outlook:
The Howells-Dodge Jaguars look to improve upon last year's 9-16 mark, and be a force and a factor in C-2 this year.
Fischer says he's excited to coach this young team.
"I am looking forward to seeing who out of my young kids will step up and play an important role on the team. We have about 7-8 kids who can play, but they are all underclassmen with very little experience. I also look forward to this team growing in every opportunity they step on the floor. Coaching young teams can be frustrating but at the same time I feel you see the most improvement and kids stepping up."
The Jaguars were young in football too and had a lot of success so I don't see why that can't and won't carry over to the basketball court.
Fischer says this team came together over the offseason.
"We really had a terrific offseason. We focused more on us and held some in house camps. I knew that being young we had to work on development rather than just playing games. We really gelled towards the end of the summer."
Sometimes a good offseason translates into success during the actual season. We will see if that is the case with Howells-Dodge.
Fischer says he can't wait for the season to get started.
"I'm very excited about this season and what they potential of this team is. We will take some hits as the season progresses but I feel we will get better and more confident as it progresses. We need some guys to step up and I can’t wait to see who it will be."
It will be interesting to see who steps up and emerges for the Jaguars. I feel like there are multiple players who can step up and score and lead this team on defense. Playing team ball is going to be absolutely critical to any success the Jaguars have this season though, in my opinion.
Howells-Dodge will be tested right away against Pierce and Stanton.
Other tough games for the Jaguars will be against Humphrey/Lindsay Holy Family, Oakland-Craig, West Point-Beemer, BRLD, Humphrey St. Francis, Logan View/Scribner-Snyder, North Bend Central, and Lutheran High Northeast.
The schedule certainly has its challenges, but I think Howells-Dodge can win some of those games they didn't last year.
I think 15-16 wins is a very realistic goal for this team. I look for the Jaguars to be right there and compete real well come sub-district time.
I think the schedule helps prepare Howells-Dodge for what they are going to see come the end of February and into March if they make it that far.
I look for this to be a good bounce back year for the Jaguars.
Howells-Dodge opens up the season at Pierce on December 1st.
2016-2017 Howells-Dodge Jaguars Boys Basketball Schedule:
12/01/16 @ Pierce
12/02/16 Stanton
12/06/16 Aquinas Catholic
12/08/16 @ Humphrey/Lindsay Holy Family
12/10/16 Oakland-Craig
12/13/16 @ West Point-Beemer
12/16/16 BRLD
12/17/16 @ Clarkson/Leigh
12/29-12/30 (To Be Determined) GACC Holiday Tour West Point
01/06/17 Humphrey St. Francis
01/07/17 @ Plainview
01/13/17 Wisner-Pilger
01/21/17 @ Pender
01/24/17 Logan View-Scribner-Snyder
01/28-02/04 (To Be Determined) East Husker Conference Tournament TBD
02/09/17 @ North Bend Central
02/10/17 Wakefield
02/17/17 Lutheran High Northeast
Team: Howells-Dodge
Mascot: Jaguars
Colors: Green, Black, Silver
Class: C-2
Conference: East Husker
Head Coach: Scott Polacek (25th season) (341-190 record)
2015-2016 record: 21-7 (Lost in D-1 State Title Game to Emerson-Hubbard)
Returning Starters: 4
Overview:
The Howells-Dodge Girls have very high expectations this year as they should given all who they bring back.
The Jaguars return four starters in Sam Brester (5'9" Senior Forward. 3X Starter 2X all-state), Kalli Brester (5'9" Senior guard 2X) Chelsea Bayer (5'6" Senior Guard: 1x.) and Emily Ritzdorf (5'4" Senior Guard 1X).
Erin Prusa is expected to be the 5th starter for Howells-Dodge.
The Jaguars only lost one senior off last year's team in Kelly Cech.
She is a significant loss though as she was physical inside and a great post defender, according to Head Coach Scott Polacek.
Newcomers on this year's team include Tessa Brester (5'9" Senior Guard), Prusa (6'0 soph center), and Macey Kulhanek (5'5" Junior Guard).
Howells-Dodge had a lot of success in Volleyball this year, and that should lead to success in basketball this year.
Polacek agrees.
"Having a solid VB season never hurts. With the tough schedule they had in VB, and earning the record they had was a nice accomplishment. That should transfer on to our season."
Anytime you make the state championship game and finish as state runner-up you are doing something right as was the case with Howells-Dodge's Girls Basketball team a year ago.
And the thing is the Jaguars return almost everyone from that team. I know Howells-Dodge makes the jump to C-2, but look for this Jaguars' team to be very good this season.
Polacek says this team is ready for the challenges that lie ahead.
"We hope to be right there. We have 7 or 8 top players back. Crofton is the 5X C2 champion, so we will need to improve our game to that level if we want to win the title. It is a tough task, but the team is up for it."
C-2 is definitely a different animal than D-1. I would say Howells-Dodge would have a really good shot to win D-1 this year, but they're in C-2, and while beating a team like Crofton isn't out of the question, it's just not going to be easy.
I think this team is up to the task of competing well in C-2 though. I think the Jaguars can compete with and beat just about anyone on their schedule.
Season Outlook:
Getting back to State and winning games at the State Tournament is what Howells-Dodge has in mind this year without a doubt.
Polacek says things need to happen the way they did last season for this team do well in Lincoln again, should they make it.
"Just like last year, the pieces have to fall into place. You always need some good fortune, injury wise, and to have enough good shooting nights to pull out the close games."
The Jaguars are loaded with veteran players, and Polacek says he really looks forward to seeing what this team can do.
"Having a great group of senior leaders that have experience. Those teams are always fun to coach."
Polacek says this season has a chance to be very special.
"If we can stay healthy, this should be a memorable one for us."
Howells-Dodge has a tough schedule again this year, going up against the likes of Pierce, Stanton, Humphrey/Lindsay Holy Family. Oakland-Craig, West Point-Beemer, BRLD, Humphrey St. Francis, Wisner-Pilger, Columbus Scotus, Tekamah-Herman, Pender, and North Bend Central.
These teams are really tough, but I wouldn't be surprised if the Jaguars only lost one or two games in the regular season.
This team knows how to win, and has been there and done that before, so should have a really good chance to be successful.
Howells-Dodge is in Sub-District C2-7 with the likes of Battle Creek, Stanton, Humphrey/Lindsay Holy Family, and Wisner-Pilger.
I think that district could come down to Howells-Dodge and Stanton like it did in Volleyball, and what a great battle that would be if those two teams met in the Sub-District Final.
The biggest thing for the Jaguars is to dominate in the regular season and win a lot of games because you never know if you'll need that wildcard to make state.
The good news for Howells-Dodge is there is no sub-state for basketball so if the Jaguars lose in Sub-Districts they would make state with a wildcard instead of sub-state.
Howells-Dodge opens up the season at Pierce on December 1st.
2016-2017 Howells-Dodge Jaguars Girls Basketball Schedule:
12/01/16 @ Pierce
12/02/16 Stanton
12/06/16 Aquinas Catholic
12/08/16 @ Humphrey/Lindsay Holy Family
12/10/16 Oakland-Craig
12/13/16 @ West Point-Beemer
12/16/16 BRLD
12/17/16 @ Clarkson/Leigh
12/29-12/30 (To Be Determined) GACC Holiday Tour West Point
01/06/17 Humphrey St. Francis
01/07/17 @ Plainview
01/10/17 @ Lutheran High Northeast
01/13/17 Wisner-Pilger
01/14/17 @ Columbus Scotus
01/20/17 Tekamah-Herman
01/21/17 @ Pender
01/24/17 Logan View-Scribner-Snyder
01/27-02/04 (To Be Determined) East Husker Conference Tournament TBD
02/09/17 @ North Bend Central
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