Team: Howells-Dodge
Mascot: Jaguars
Colors: Green, Black, Silver
Class: C-2
Conference: East Husker
Head Coach: Kevin Janata (1st season)
2017-2018 record: 13-12 (lost to Battle Creek in Sub-Districts)
Returning Starters: 3
Overview:
There's a new Sheriff in Town as 2007 Howells High School Graduate Kevin Janata takes over the reigns of the Howells-Dodge Boys Basketball Program, taking over for Cole Fischer, who took the AD job at the school.
Janata was Head Coach at Plainview for 4 years and spent last year as an Assistant at Crofton.
Janata says he's excited to get things going. "I'm just really excited for this opportunity. Just being a hometown kid I feel I got a little bit to prove, that I didn't just get the job because I'm from here. And I feel like the kids on the team are kind of buying into that spirit. That we have a lot to prove. And we're going to show that we're not just a football school, we are pretty good at basketball too."
Janata inherits a team that brings back three starters from last year's 13-12 team in Josh Brester (5'11, SR G), Lane Hegemann (6'4, SR P), who averaged 8 points and 7 rebounds a game last year, and Kade Hegemann (5'11, SR G), who is currently injured.
Luke Rocheford (6'1, JR G) is another returning letterwinner for the Jaguars.
Newcomers likely to contribute include Darrin Pokorny (6’1, Jr), Seth Cech (6’2, Sr.), Cole Stewart (6’3, Sr.), Matt Cada (5’9, Sr.), Charlie Dvorak (5’11, Jr), and Blake Sindelar (6-1, Fr.).
Janata says there's a lot of varsity playing time to be had with the graduation of last year's seniors and the injury in football to Kade Hegemann.
Key losses from last year include Connor Blum, Dax VanLengen, Ryan Macholan, and Jordan Brichacek.
I think there's a lot of talent and potential in this returning group of players.
I feel the Jaguars are capable of going on and having a nice season.
Janata says this squad has good plenty of depth and motivation. "We are a very athletic team with a lot of depth. We realistically could play 8 or 9 deep with different starters depending on the matchups. This is a very hungry team that wants to improve on their 13-12 record from last year."
Janata adds working together and scoring is something the team is working on. "With a new coach, there will be some growing pains to a new system. Getting the team to play as a group and shooting higher percentage shots is something we look to improve upon this year."
Janata says the team is ready to go to work. "Going to be a young team with a lot to prove. New coach with a new system so there may be some growing pains, but a hungry team ready to work. .500 team last year, but potential to improve on that mark this year."
I think there is some good talent on this team and solid guards and post players. Not having Kade Hegemann will hurt, but I feel there's plenty of other players ready to step up and fill the void left from his absence.
Season Outlook:
Howells-Dodge looks for success in Janata's first season.
The Jaguars open up the season at Pierce on Thursday, November 29th. "Coach Emory is a great coach. He usually has his kids ready to go. And in the past they've gone deep into the Football playoffs, which was kind of an advantage for us. But they've had a full season to get ready, just like we have. And I think by the time we roll up into Pierce, our kids are tired of beating up on each other they'll be ready for that game," Janata said.
Janata adds the game will be a good measuring stick for his team.
Howells-Dodge is in Sub-District C2-6 with Stanton, Wakefield, Wisner-Pilger, and Lutheran High Northeast. "Come Sub-District time it's going to be anyone's game. Just looking at the teams in our district, we play a few of them during the season, be a good chance to see where we're at, but there is not an easy game on the schedule. So we'll have to really come to play and see what happens when subs roll around," Janata said.
The Jaguars appear to have a bunch of games on the schedule they should win.
I think Howells-Dodge will do no worse than hover around the .500 mark, and feel this team could upset a few teams and finish above .500 even.
Janata says his team wants to be playing their best basketball come Sub-District time. "Our goals are to improve in every practice and in every game. We want to improve on our record from last year and make a run come district time. It's a young team, so there is a lot of potential. We also have a good group of seniors who are motivated and want to go to state."
This program was dominant and elite not that long ago.
The team won state 6 years ago, and took 3rd at State in 2013-2014.
I don't think there's any doubt the Jaguars want and can get back to that elite level.
I feel the pieces are in place for Howells-Dodge to set a good foundation year and a level of success for years to come.
There's plenty of talent on this team, and with some growth and development I feel the Jaguars have what it takes to be a successful squad.
I feel Howells-Dodge is capable of being above .500 heading into Christmas so we'll see what the early part of the season brings for the Jaguars.
I feel Howells-Dodge can really make some hay in the middle part of their schedule before it gets tough at the end of the regular season.
2018-2019 Howells-Dodge Jaguars Boys Basketball Schedule:
11/29/18 @ Pierce
11/30/18 Stanton
12/04/18 Aquinas Catholic
12/06/18 @ Humphrey/Lindsay Holy Family
12/08/18 Oakland-Craig
12/11/18 @ West Point-Beemer
12/14/18 BRLD
12/15/18 @ Clarkson/Leigh
12/28-12/29 (To Be Determined) Howells-Dodge Holiday Tournament Howells
01/04/19 Humphrey St. Francis
01/05/19 @ Plainview
01/11/19 Wisner-Pilger
01/12/19 Mead
01/18/19 Tekamah-Herman
01/19/19 @ Pender
01/22/19 Logan View-Scribner-Snyder
01/26-02/02 (To Be Determined) East Husker Conference Tournament TBD
02/07/19 @ North Bend Central
02/08/19 Wakefield
02/15/19 Lutheran High Northeast
Team: Howells-Dodge
Mascot: Jaguars
Colors: Green, Black, Silver
Class: D-1
Conference: East Husker
Head Coach: Scott Polacek (27th season) (378-205 record)
2017-2018 record: 12-12 (lost to Stanton in Sub-Districts)
Returning Starters: 3
Overview:
The Howells-Dodge Girls Basketball Team looks to have success this year after bringing back 3 starters from last year's 12-12 team.
The returners are Point Guard Cassie Pieper 5'4, SO), Center Erin Prusa 6'0, SR), and Jessi Brester (5'9, SR).
Head Coach Scott Polacek says Senior Hannah Bayer (5'6, SR F) will come off the bench.
Polacek also says his team will be without Grace Dvorak and Tonya Brester for much of the season due to injury.
He adds the team played 59 games over the summer between the three levels.
Macey Kulhanek is a big loss from last season.
I look for Prusa, Jessi Brester, and Pieper to do big things this year.
You look to your senior leaders to step up and do a lot for you, and I feel these players are capable of carrying the load for the Jaguars.
Prusa has to establish herself as a dominant, physical force on the inside, and must score and rebound well.
Brester has to find her mid range game and be a force on the boards as well.
Pieper has to take care of the ball and dish it off to other players to score.
I think not having Dvorak and Tonya Brester is really going to hurt.
Tonya Brester was a guard Howells-Dodge was probably going to rely upon to shoot from the outside.
Dvorak's versatility in the post will be missed also.
It will be interesting to see which guards can step up and hit shots from the outside.
I feel the Jaguars' inside game will be strong, but I'm uncertain about their outside game, especially with the injury to Tonya Brester.
Howells-Dodge has murderers row to start the season schedule wise so it could be a slow and rough start to the season for the Jaguars, but we shall see.
Season Outlook:
The Howells-Dodge Girls look to be successful this year, but it won't be easy.
Polacek says the team has a gauntlet through December. Season opener against Pierce and then Stanton the next night.
The Jaguars open up the season at Pierce on Thursday, November 29th.
Other games before Christmas come against David City Aquinas, Humphrey/Lindsay Holy Family, Oakland-Craig, West Point-Beemer, BRLD, and Clarkson/Leigh.
I think a few of those games at least are games Howells-Dodge can win, but man the early part of the schedule is brutal for the Jaguars.
Howells-Dodge drops back down to D-1 after being C-2 the past couple of years. "Our conference is mostly C-1 and C-2 Schools. So almost our entire regular season we're going to be playing competition bigger. So that will help us a lot for district seeding, and then to keep you in contention for a wildcard with our new serpentine system in basketball. It's going to be a big advantage. Regardless of what our record is it's going to keep us competitive and in contention for that wildcard the whole season," Polacek said.
The Jaguars are in Sub-District D1-5 with Humphrey/Lindsay Holy Family, Fullerton, Nebraska Christian, and High Plains Community.
Polacek says the Bulldogs are the Sub-District favorite. Nebraska Christian is a good team too, according to Polacek.
He says the team hopes to do well enough in the regular season to get to a Sub-State game. "Our goal is to battle the whole way, be as competitive as we can through a tough conference. And hopefully we can get ourselves into a district final game and make another shot at State. That's really what we want to do."
I think Sub-State really helps a team like Howells-Dodge this year given the new format and Humphrey/Lindsay Holy Family being in the Sub-District.
The Jaguars need to do well throughout the regular season to have a chance at a Sub-State game though.
If Howells-Dodge struggles this year and isn't in contention for a Sub-State game at the end of the regular season then a Sub-State game is a moot point for them.
I look for the Jaguars to play their best Basketball at the end of the season though given their schedule and everything.
2018-2019 Howells-Dodge Jaguars Girls Basketball Schedule:
11/29/18 @ Pierce
11/30/18 Stanton
12/04/18 Aquinas Catholic
12/06/18 @ Humphrey/Lindsay Holy Family
12/08/18 Oakland-Craig
12/11/18 @ West Point-Beemer
12/14/18 BRLD
12/15/18 @ Clarkson/Leigh
12/28-12/29 (To Be Determined) Howells-Dodge Holiday Tournament Howells
01/04/19 Humphrey St. Francis
01/05/19 @ Plainview
01/08/19 @ Lutheran High Northeast
01/11/19 Wisner-Pilger
01/12/19 Mead
01/18/19 Tekamah-Herman
01/19/19 @ Pender
01/22/19 Logan View-Scribner-Snyder
01/25-02/02 (To Be Determined) East Husker Conference Tournament TBD
02/07/19 @ North Bend Central
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