Sullivan Picked To Finish First In FRC Coaches Preseason Poll
Sullivan was picked by Four Rivers Conference coaches to finish first in the preseason poll, released in October.
The Eagles are coming off a 14-13 season that saw them finish 4-3 in the conference.
Sullivan will bring back four starters from last season’s squad, including guards Cody McKinney and Landon Hoffman and forwards Austin Lewis and Jacob Rohrer.
All four players are seniors, along with guard Austin Frye and forward Cameron Cunningham.
Junior forward Jacob Hatcher and junior guard Joshua Wiese also return.
Sullivan received only one first-place vote, but had four second-place votes and one third-place vote.
Union and Pacific were tied in the poll, with coaches expecting a wide range of outcomes.
Union received three first-place votes, but also two second-place, one third-place and one fifth-place vote.
Pacific also was picked by three other coaches to finish first. The Indians also had one second-place vote, but two third-place votes and one fourth-place vote.
Coaches were all over the map in placing Hermann as well. One coach gave Hermann a first-place vote, another a sixth-place vote. In between, Hermann had three third-place votes and two fourth-place votes.
There was more of a consensus from there.
St. James was picked fifth, with one coach slotting the Tigers as high as third. Five other coaches picked St. James fourth and one as low as fifth.
St. Clair finished sixth and five coaches picked them fifth, one sixth and another seventh.
New Haven had one fifth-place vote and six sixth-place votes. Owensville was the consensus at the bottom, getting seventh seventh-place votes.
Coaches were not allowed to vote for their own team.
Union
Last Season: 12-15
FRC: 6-1
Head Coach: Chris Simmons
There is a lot of optimism surrounding the Wildcats, who bring back five starters, plus 6-8 forward Wil Strubberg. Strubberg played in just three games last season.
Trevor Kelly (18.4 ppg) leads the way, along with Jacob Towell (7.9 ppg) and Kale Crawford (7.5 ppg). Peyton Burke (6.4 ppg) and Caleb Mabe (3.0 ppg) started and played in all 27 games last season.
Junior Derek Hulsey and sophomores Mason Bailey and Lance Corum are being bumped to varsity.
Pacific
Last Season: 22-6
FRC: 7-0
The defending district champions will turn over nearly their entire lineup, except for senior guard Jordan Cowsert.
John VanLeer will work in seniors Mason Fleming, James Iliff and Nick Hoerchler. Sophomores Donta Harris and Jacob Sauvage also saw varsity time last season.
Juniors Dylan Meyers and Jeremiah Murray and sophomores Gavin Bukowsky and Devin Casey move up to varsity.
VanLeer said the team will be inexperienced and lacking size, but they will play hard.
Hermann
Last Season: 8-18
FRC: 1-6
Josh Vinyard will return all five of his starters, plus five other players who saw varsity time last season.
The Bearcats are led by junior forward Trent Anderson (14.5 ppg. 7 rpg) and seniors Rhet Scheidegger (9.4 ppg) andChet Moeckli (9.8 ppg). Senior guards Andrew Schannuth and Sam Holland round out the starting five.
Other varsity returners include senior Aaron Overkamp, juniors Boyd Phillips, Chase McKague and Carter Hemeyer, along with sophomore Holden Ash.
Brody Fredrick moves up from the junior varsity.
Vinyard says his team can score in multiple ways and are a high-character group.
St. James
Last Season: 20-8
FRC: 5-2
Ben Smith’s Tigers were strong last season and they return three starters in senior guard Tyler Recker (10 ppg), senior forward Tate Whitener and junior guard Mason Parker.
St. James’ other returners are Austin Ridenhour, Andrew Branson, Logan Chick, Isaac Helterbrand, Dante Poole and Drew Moritz.
Smith said the team should have good outside shooting and quickness. The Tigers will be athletic, but undersized.
St. Clair
Last Season: 5-20
FRC: 2-5
Tim Isgrigg will have four starters back from last season, including junior guard Calvin Henry (7.2 ppg). Seniors Kamalei Bursey, Pepper Stark and Tyler Stark also return. The Bulldogs will have seniors Noah Richardson (11.7 ppg), Timmy Hoffman and Michael Hughes. Juniors Justin Hoffman, Johnny Kindel and Nick Dierking will come up from the junior varsity.
New Haven
Last Season: 10-18
FRC: 2-5
Aaron Pierick’s Shamrocks improved last season and a junior varsity team that went 20-2 will hopefully provide an additional spark.
Seniors Ethan Groner (11.0 ppg) and Martin Lewis (5 ppg, 4 assists per game) lead the way, while seniors Trent Kormeier, Joseph Rethemeyer, Levi Schroeder, Christian Paterson and Colton Ruediger help provide more experience. Juniors Jay Eichelberger, Luke Gerlemann return and sophomore John Liggett is up from the junior varsity.
Pierick said his team has a lot of roles to figure out and the Shamrocks need to turn the ball over less.
Owensville
Last Season: 9-17
FRC: 1-6
Todd Rehmert will have three returning starters from last season. Led by 6-3 senior forward Brady Smith (7 ppg, 5 rebounds per game) and junior guards Cason Gray and Trevor Abernathy, the Dutchmen will try to buck expectations.
Senior guards Seth Mayberry and Jay Copeland also saw varsity time last season. They will be joined by newcomers Jacob Barch, who is a senior; juniors Daxton Mehrhoff, Justin Garner and Boyde Nicks and sophomores Austin Terry and Ethan Basham.