Team: Pender
Mascot: Pendragons
Colors: Red and White
Class: D-1
Conference: East Husker
Head Coach: Sean King (4th season) (18-53 record)
2017-2018 record: 10-15 (lost to Walthill in Sub-Districts)
Returning Starters: 2
Overview:
Big things are expected from the Pender Boys this year as the Pendragons return a couple of starters and a boatload of experience from a team that went 10-15 a season ago.
It's lots of returners that didn't start last year, but a lot of kids that got a lot of playing time and experience, and have been playing together for a long time, according to 4th year Head Coach Sean King.
Returning starters include Sam Mailoux (6'5, SR), who averaged 16 points and 13 rebounds a game last year, along with Jaydon Jump (SR).
Other returning letterwinners are Chris Rutar (6'0, SR G), Eric Schopke (SR G), and Jaxon Maise (SO, G).
Newcomers likely to contribute are Juniors Austin Roth and Larry McManigal, Sophomores Dylan Vogt and Nathan Breitbarth, and Freshman Caleb Trimble.
King says he was very happy with how the offseason went. "We had a lot of kids get into the weightroom. We had a lot of kids get into the gym. Get a lot of shots up. We had very good attendance with a lot of the camps that we traveled to over the summer, and a lot of the summer leagues that we took part in."
Key losses from last year include Jared Tyrrell, Jordan Springer, and Tyler Nelson.
A few solid players for sure lost to graduation, but I think the makeup of returning and incoming players makes the Pendragons a team to be reckoned with this year.
I would say this is Pender's best chance to do something in quite a while.
King says the team has high goals and expectations this year. "Above .500 team, should be in contention to play for sub-district title and a chance to play into state. Chance to be one of the highest scoring teams in Pender in a while."
This is truly the Pendragons' year to do something, in my opinion, with the return of the two starters, four seniors, and five letterwinners.
The time to make a push and do something is now for Pender.
There's no better time than the present for the Pendragons in my estimation.
Expectations couldn't be any higher, and the potential of this team is very high I would say.
I think Pender has a chance to be very good this year.
Season Outlook:
The Pender Boys Basketball Team looks and figures to be very good this year.
Pender opens up the season at home against Wakefield on Thursday. "They're a very good, a very athletic team. They've got some size. They've got some kids that got a lot of height. So we've got to be prepared to rebound, we've got to be prepared to box out. We know they're always very aggressive defensively. We got to be ready to handle the basketball, and we've got to be ready to take the opportunities when they're given to us," King said.
King says there's certain aspects of the game the team matches up well in against the Trojans, and certain aspects they don't match up well in.
The Pendragons are in Sub-District D1-4 with Emerson-Hubbard, Allen, and Homer. "I'm excited to get to Sub-Districts. I think it will be a competitive Sub-District. And I think really any team in that sub-district has a legitimate shot to come out of there and play for a chance at a district final, " King said.
King says the boys have high expectations for the themselves and they have high expectations for the boys.
Team goals include they expect to play well in sub-districts, be in if not win every game they play in, and be well over .500.
I could see the Pendragons starting off decent and really pick things up in the second half of the season just due to the nature of their schedule.
I feel this is a team that has a chance to win 15-20 games at least.
I think Pender has a legit shot to win their Sub-District and get to a Sub-State Game.
The Pendragons could potentially make state as well with the right Sub-State matchup should they get there.
None of the teams in the Sub-District can be counted out though as Pender will have to earn the Sub-District Title should they get it.
The Pendragons have to go out there and play the game at a high level throughout the season.
Pender has to take things seriously and have that killer instinct to win and finish off games.
I think if there's one area the Pendragons could benefit from improving in this year it's on the defensive end of the floor as Pender gave up over 50 points in all but two losses last year.
2018-2019 Pender Pendragons Boys Basketball Schedule:
11/29/18 Wakefield
11/30/18 @ Tekamah-Herman
12/06/18 @ Lutheran High Northeast
12/07/18 Oakland-Craig
12/10/18 Allen
12/15/18 @ Stanton
12/20/18 Humphrey/Lindsay Holy Family
12/27-12/29 (To Be Determined) Northeast Nebraska Shoot Out Wayne
01/08/19 Homer
01/10/19 Omaha Nation
01/12/19 Clarkson/Leigh
01/17/19 @ Wisner-Pilger
01/18/19 @ Wynot
01/19/19 Howells-Dodge
01/21/19 @ Madison
01/22/19 Emerson-Hubbard
01/24/19 Winnebago
01/26-02/02 (To Be Determined) East Husker Conference Tournament TBD
02/04/19 @ Spalding Academy
02/15/19 @ BRLD
Team: Pender
Mascot: Pendragons
Colors: Red and White
Class: D-1
Conference: East Husker
Head Coach: Luke Hoffman (2nd Season)
2017-2018 record: 10-14 (lost to Clarkson/Leigh in Sub-Districts)
Returning Starters: 4
Overview:
The Pender Girls Basketball Team looks to be good this year with the return of four starters from last year's 10-14 team.
Returning starters include Michaela Wegner (5'6, SR G), Sarah Krueger (5'6, SR G), Faith Morris (5'6, JR G), and Ashley Ostrand (5'5, SO G), who averaged 14 points a game last year as a freshman.
Newcomers likely to contribute are freshmen Caitlyn Heise (5'7) and Reese Kneifl (5'5).
Head Coach Luke Hoffman says the team hopes to be successful this season. "The team has everyone back but one senior. Hoping with a second year coach they know what to expect from me and I know what to expect from them. We have put the time in to be successful."
Tymaree Krusemark was the lone senior lost from last year.
Hoffman says team togetherness and continuity has been good. "I feel like the team is growing together preseason here as we've gotten started. We have quite a few girls back from last year, and me as a second year coach. We're kind of just trying to get used to one another, and that's really been evident this year."
Hoffman says the kids know a little more what to expect, and he knows them better as players, and adds the team is gelling pretty well right now.
He adds speed is a team strength.
Hoffman adds he wants to see the kids' hard work pay off. "I want them to see that the time they put in translates over onto the court. I want to see obviously them be successful. That makes the day go a heck of a lot better when you get on there and everything translates of how hard you worked."
I have no doubt that the hard work and time Pender put in this offseason will pay off.
With the majority of last year's team back I fully expect the Pendragons to do big and great things this season.
I thought Pender did some nice things last year, they just had a tough schedule.
This is a veteran team and there's a lot of key pieces back from last year, and I fully expect the Pendragons to have a nice and successful season.
I think scoring consistently will be big for Pender this season.
The Pendragons were held to under 50 points in each of their losses last year, and that has to change this year if Pender is to have a good season and be a successful team.
The Pendragons have to attack the basket and can't be afraid to take the big shot.
Season Outlook:
The Pender Girls look to get back to the type of form they're accustomed to, making state and what not.
The Pendragons open up the season on Thursday at home against Wakefield-Allen. Hoffman says the team doesn't know what to expect against them. "We saw them a little bit at Wayne State Camp this summer, but I don't know everything to expect. I know Coach Metzler over there will have them prepared, ready to go that first game. I know he's going to have I think with that co-op quite a few girls to pick from.
Hoffman says his team has to be prepared for whatever they bring.
That game figures to be very interesting given what Wakefield-Allen brings to the table.
You don't really know what to expect from them so things could go either way in that one I would say.
Pender is in Sub-District D1-6 with Lutheran High Northeast, Osmond, Randolph, and Walthill. "We don't play any of those teams in the past too much except for now we do have Lutheran High Northeast on the schedule. We scheduled them when we dropped a Bob Clough Tournament," Hoffman said.
I think the Pendragons have a legit shot to get out of that Sub-District given their talent and tough schedule.
Pender has an extremely difficult month of December before things lighten up some so I totally expect the Pendragons to catch fire the second half of the season.
I think the tough schedule Pender plays makes them a legit Sub-State and State Contender.
It will be interesting to see how the new Sub-State format treats our area teams.
I think the Pendragons could really benefit from it if they don't have to play a top team from a tough area.
I think time will tell how good this Pender team is, but I fully expect the Pendragons to start hot and pick things up again midseason.
Some challenges await Pender for sure, but I feel the Pendragons are equipped and ready to be a top team in the East Husker Conference, Sub-District, and area.
I think the thing with the tough December schedule is Pender has to compete their hearts out, but not get too frustrated if things don't go their way given the difficulty of the teams they'll be facing.
2018-2019 Pender Pendragons Girls Basketball Schedule:
11/29/18 Wakefield-Allen
11/30/18 @ Tekamah-Herman
12/06/18 @ Lutheran High Northeast
12/07/18 Oakland-Craig
12/14/18 North Bend Central
12/15/18 @ Stanton
12/18/18 @ BRLD
12/20/18 Humphrey/Lindsay Holy Family
12/27-12/29 (To Be Determined) Northeast Nebraska Shoot Out Wayne State College
01/08/19 Homer
01/10/19 Omaha Nation
01/12/19 Clarkson/Leigh
01/17/19 @ Wisner-Pilger
01/18/19 @ Wynot
01/19/19 Howells-Dodge
01/21/19 @ Madison
01/22/19 Emerson-Hubbard
01/24/19 Winnebago
01/25-02/02 (To Be Determined) East Husker Conference Tournament TBD
02/05/19 @ Guardian Angels Central Catholic
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