Experience may lead to a better ‘21 season: Boys lean on athleticism, hope to improve on 5-13 record
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2021-22 PANTHER BOYS BASKETBALL - Front, from left: Ben Schoenrock, Charlie Nissen, Daxter Lee, Porter Peterson, Connor Nelson, Sam Olson. Back row: Brady Schlaak, Tyrone Wilson, Jack Olson, William Tuttle, Jaxon Beck, Coach Isaiah Lundberg.
Photo by Eli Lutgens
By ELI LUTGENS
Publisher/Editor
They used to do it on a consistent basis, but still, every once in a while, the NRHEG Panthers boys basketball program rises up and competes for a Gopher Conference title.
Let’s hope this is one of those years.
Led by returning All Conference Honorable mention players Porter Peterson and Daxter Lee, along with three other returning letter winners, the Panthers enter their fourth year under head coach Isaiah Lundberg, hoping to better last year’s record of 5-13 and 5-9 in conference play.
The Panther’s graduated two year captain Kordell Schlaak and Ashton Johnson from last winter and return letter winners Benjamin Schoenrock, Jaxon Beck, and Jack Olson. The rest of the roster includes: Sam Olson, Connor Nelson, Tyrone Wilson, Charlie Nissen, Jaxon Beck, William Tuttle, and Brady Schlaak.
Coach Lundberg is assisted by Hunter Eustice and 2016 NRHEG graduate, fourth year coach, and also recently engaged, Tyler Schlaak.
Team strengths?
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By Wyatt Groskreutz and Bo Budach
Panther Press
The Panther basketball season kicks off in a few weeks with a Dec. 7 home game against the Blooming Prairie Awesome Blossoms. The Panther Press wanted to give its readers some insights on the team for this season.
Returning Head Coach Isaiah Lundberg said, “ Experience will be a key factor for us with players that have played at the varsity level for 2 going on 3 years now. We are a very strong and athletic team. We have some guys who are very quick and good, which will help us play faster and allow us to do more things offensively and defensively.
The Panther Press also sat down with some returning starters from last year's team to get their thoughts on the upcoming season.
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SUB-SECTION RUNNER UPS - Front row from left: Grace Wilkenson, Mayla Soulisak, Faith Nielsen, Sidney Schultz, Hallie Schultz, Tayler Schmidt. Back row: Bailey Ihrke, Andy Briggs, Erin Jacobson, Bree Ihrke, Sophie Stork, Sarah George, Madison Murray, Tatum Smith Vulcan, Rhys Martin, Keira Lenort.
Photo by Judy Tweeten
By ELI LUTGENS
Publisher/Editor
The NRHEG Panther Volleyball program may very well need to set their sights a little higher next year after their season came to an end in the Section 2AA South Sub-Section finals.
The Panthers came tantalizingly close to taking rival WEM to a fifth game, losing three games to one Thursday night in New Prague.
“This was our goal, to get to the sub section championship, and we did it,” NRHEG Coach Onika Peterson said. “I am so proud of this group of girls and what they have accomplished this season.”
An ongoing theme this year has been slow starts and this was again the case Thursday night. The Panthers dropped the first two sets 25-18 and 25-15 before rallying for a two point win in set three.
And, as was the case a decade ago in 2011 when the Panthers came within a ‘whisker’ of forcing a fifth game, this Panther squad also dropped game four by two points, 27-25.
“We started out a little slow tonight, but the girls never once gave up,” Coach Peterson said. “It shows how much heart and grit that this team has had all season.”