Northeast Nebraska Hoops: Wisner-Pilger Boys and Girls look to compete at high level

Team: Wisner-Pilger

Mascot: Gators

Colors: Green and White

Class: C-2

Conference: East Husker

Head Coach: Chet Beckmann (1st season)

2019-2020 record: 16-9 (lost to Hartington Cedar Catholic in Sub-District Final)

Returning Starters: N/A

Overview:

The Wisner-Pilger Boys are under new leadership as Chet Beckmann takes over the program for legendary Head Coach Duane Mendlik, who retired as the winningest Head Coach in Nebraska High School Basketball History following the conclusion of last season.

Key returners from last year include Beau Ruskamp (5'7, JR PG SG), Regan Bellar 5'8, SR PG/SG), Rockney Peck 5'9, SR SG), Klay Koehlmoos (6'1, SR PG/SG/SF), and Spencer Batenhorst 6'0, JR PG/SG/SF).

Coach Beckmann says the coronavirus pandemic has forced his team to adapt and adjust. "Things have been very different all around. The athletes have acclimated themselves to the circumstances quite well. We’ve been through one sport already so that helped with getting the wrinkles out of routines for the athletes. During practice, the mask wearing as been a bit of a mental toughness builder for the athletes. Hoping that this will be a blessing in disguise down the road. We do have a big task yet that we have not been apart of yet. Small crowds at games are going to be a norm for quite some time and looks to be a possibility for the entire season. High school sports if full of loud crowds and especially momentum at home is huge. I think this gives the advantage to all visiting teams. It is much more of a neutral atmosphere when you travel for a game. Noise is going to be at an all-time low."

Hopefully the Gators get to play some games with a normal sized crowd, but they may not get that opportunity this year.

At the end of the day I'm sure Wisner-Pilger is just happy to be playing, and at this point that is a very good and great thing.

At least it appears that there is going to be a season this year as things are starting on time at the very least.

Season Outlook:

If the Wisner-Pilger Boys are to be successful this year, they will have to win in front of just 25% capacity gyms and immediate household family members, at least to start.

Coach Beckmann says he hopes this doesn't impact his team in a negative way. "Since we are starting off this way, with just household members, I’m hoping that the athletes view this is the new normal, and become acclimated quite fast. They will be used to crowd levels that these small but mighty crowds will bring. If the players would have first gotten a normal crowd, then seen a major reduction in that crows, this would have more of an impact. At the end of the day, players often don’t pay attention to the size of the crowds. With the game happening to fast and players being focused this could have a little impact overall."

It definitely could be a situation where the Gators do just as well in front of small crowds as opposed to large crowds.

After all, both teams have to adjust and adapt and so there is no advantage for either team either way.

Coach Beckmann says he and the boys are anxious to get going, and are hopeful for a full season. "We’re pretty excited to get things up and rolling. The athletes are excited to get games going as well. I hope that everyone involved understands the severity of this current situation and how close these seniors are to potentially losing out on their winter sports season. Everyone has taken the correct precautionary measures in order to get this season started. Now it's going to take that much and more to keep the season going, and especially to see the year conclude in March."

It is definitely a day-by-day, wait and see approach to things that is for sure.

Things could change at a moment's notice, and so Wisner-Pilger has to be ready to adapt and adjust to anything thrown their way.

The Gators are in Sub-District C2-3 with GACC, Oakland-Craig, Clarkson/Leigh, and Tekamah-Herman.

2020-2021 Wisner-Pilger Gators Boys Basketball Schedule:

12/03/20 @ Lutheran High Northeast

12/04/20 Guardian Angels Central Catholic

12/11/20 Tekamah-Herman

12/17/20 @ Oakland-Craig

12/18/20 Wayne

12/22/20 Stanton

12/29-12/30 (To Be Determined) Wisner-Pilger Holiday Tournament Wisner-Pilger

01/05/21 Arlington

01/08/21 West Point-Beemer

01/12/21 Humphrey/Lindsay Holy Family

01/15/21 @ Howells-Dodge

01/16/21 Logan View-Scribner-Snyder

01/19/21 @ Twin River

01/21/21 Pender

01/26/21 Clarkson/Leigh

01/28/21 @ North Bend Central

01/30-02/06 (To Be Determined) East Husker Conference Tournament Midland

02/09/21 BRLD

02/11/21 @ Laurel-Concord-Coleridge

02/19/21 Madison

Team: Wisner-Pilger

Mascot: Gators

Colors: Green and White

Class: C-2

Conference: East Husker

Head Coach: Brooke Fullner (2nd season)

2019-2020 record: 5-18 (lost to Homer in Sub-Districts)

Returning Starters: N/A

Overview:

The Wisner-Pilger Girls look to build off last year's 5-18 mark under 2nd year Head Coach Brooke Fullner.

Returning letterwinners for the Gators include:

#3 - Macy Stuhr

#5 - Tymarie Ott

#10 - Kennedie Ott

#12 - Adison Meyer

#14 - Lindsey Kneifl

#32 - Kayla Svoboda

#44 - Emma Heller

I would anticipate that these will be the main kids that see the floor for Wisner-Pilger this season, and get the most playing time.

Coach Fullner says the team expects to be much improved given who all returns. "We have a strong returning nucleus, along with an athletic group of underclassmen. I look for our experience on the court, knowledge of the game, and work ethic to allow us to make big strides of improvement this year."

Of course things look different this year cause of the Coronavirus Pandemic. Coach Fullner says her team has been very lucky during this whole thing. "With all that is going on in our world, we are very fortunate here at Wisner-Pilger. While there are many things that are happening and changing in our world daily we have been able to keep school in session and more recently we have been able to begin winter sports, after a complete fall season. We were fortunate enough to be able to have open gyms and weight lifting over the summer. Our athletes were able to lift weights in shifts, so there were less people in the weight room at a time. We were also able to have a consistent open gym schedule and scrimmages with other schools."

Coach Fullner adds the pandemic may have altered some things, but the game itself is still the same. "Practice has gotten off to a great start this season. Just like many other places, we are doing extra sanitizing, hand washing, and mask wearing. In the midst of everything that is going on, we are very thankful to have a winter sports season. While there may be things that have changed this year, the free throw line is still 15 feet from the backboard, high school games are still 32 minutes long, and the best teams are still and always will be those that work together and communicate!"

The real only big difference this year in games will be just immediate household family members being able to attend games with gyms at 25% Capacity.

Season Outlook:

With limited fan attendance at games this year, everyone will have to adapt and adjust to the smaller crowd sizes.

Coach Fullner says they'll miss the fans, but they can watch from afar. "While fans are a wonderful part of the game of basketball, we are fortunate and happy to be able to play games this season. We will undoubtedly miss Gator Nation, but we know that they will be in their homes watching or listening to the games, wearing their Gator apparel, and cheering us on. We have the best fans around and we will miss them, but we know they will be back in the stands as soon as they can be!"

Hopefully fans are able to return to the gym at some point this season.

Coach Fullner says the team is chomping at the bit to get going. "In terms of getting the season started, excited is an understatement. Coaches, players, and student managers are thrilled to get the season underway. Our girls have put in a lot of work in the offseason and they have continued working hard during the first week and a half of practice. With the heart and determination these girls bring to the court daily, it is sure to be one exciting season!"

I think the Gators can definitely be an improved team this season.

Wisner-Pilger is in Sub-District C2-3 with GACC, Howells-Dodge, and Tekamah-Herman.

2020-2021 Wisner-Pilger Gators Girls Basketball Schedule: