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In-depth previews for teams participating in the 2019 WI vs. MN Border Battle

01/11/2019, 12:30pm CST
By Mark Miller

Ethan Reis

2019 WISCONSIN VS. MINNESOTA BORDER BATTLE
Saturday, January 26, 2019
At East Ridge High School

STREAMING:
Available only on BallerTV.com

10:00 A.M. Game (Updated 1/23/2019)

Thorp Cardinals
Coach:
Rich Sonnentag, 20th year
Enrollment: 188
Top Players: Ryan Jacque (6-1, Sr., 9.6 ppg), Ethan Reis (6-3, Jr., 13.5 ppg), Ryan Stunkel (6-1, Sr., 8.4 ppg), Isaac Soumis (6-4, Jr., 9.8 ppg), Anthony Hunt (6-1, Sr., 6.2 ppg).
2018-19 Record: 7-7 (Through Jan. 23)
Notes: The Cardinals compete in the highly competitive Western Division of the Cloverbelt Conference ... Rick Sonnentag has won more than 200 games during his tenure at Thorp and guided the Cardinals to the WIAA Division 5 state title in 2014 ... Ryan Stunkel, Ethan Reis, Isaac Soumis and Ryan Jacque are returning starters from a club that finished 11-13 a year ago. 
Coach's Comments: "Experience is a strong suit along with athleticism and length. We need to become a more consistent team. We need to focus on what we can control."

Minnesota Valley Lutheran Chargers
Coach: Craig Morgan, 19th year
Enrollment: 186
Top Players: Jake Knetter (6-3, Sr.), Matthew Munsen (Sr.), Dunwa Omot (Jr.), Mason Cox (Jr.), Jace Marotz (Jr.).
2018-19 Record: 13-1 (Through games of Jan. 23)
Notes: The Chargers compete in the Tomahawk Conference ... The school is located in New Ulm, Minnesota ... Knetter has signed with NCAA Division II Sioux Falls. 

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Bailey Blanchard

11:30 A.M. Game

Clear Lake Warriors
Coach:
Jason Sargent, 18th year
Enrollment: 176
Top Players: Bailey Blanchard (6-4, Sr., 22.8 ppg, 9.2 rpg), Bryce Hacker (6-5, Sr., 14.7 ppg, 7.7 rpg), Marshall Cain (6-4, Sr., 10.5 ppg, 5.0 rpg), Kincaid Hughes (6-3, Sr., 10.1 ppg, 3.2 rpg).
2018-19 Record: 13-0 (Through Jan. 23)
Notes: The Warriors qualified for the WIAA Division 4 State Tournament last season and have picked up where they left off by winning the first 10 games of the 2018-19 campaign ... Blanchard, Hacker and Cain are returning starters from a club that went 25-1 last winter ... Sargent is closing in on 250 career victories for his stellar tenure at Clear Lake. 
Coach's Comments: "We hope last year' state-tournament birth and overall tournament experience the past two seasons will help us peak at the right time and make another deep tournament run."

Lake City Tigers
Coach: Greg Berge
Enrollment: 362
Top Players: Nathan Heise (6-4, Jr., 21.8 ppg), Reid Gastner (6-4, Jr., 13.6 ppg), Josh Matanich (6-2, Sr., 10.6 ppg), Jake Wohlers (6-2, Jr., 9.9 ppg), Justin Wohlers (6-3, Frosh., 3.8 ppg). 
2018-19 Record: 12-2 (Through games of Jan. 23)
Notes: The Tigers compete in the Gold Division of the Hiawatha Valley Conference ... Lake City is ranked No. 3 among schools at the 2A level in Minnesota by the Minnesota Basketball Hub.

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1:15 P.M. Game

Whitefish Bay Blue Dukes
Coach:
Chris Millner, 4th year
Enrollment: 959
Top Players: Demetrius Johnson (6-3, Sr., 12.8 ppg, 3.9 rpg), Jayden Jackson (6-2, Soph., 14.2 ppg, 5.5 rpg), Ben Abrams (6-5, Sr., 2.2 ppg), Connor Nelson (6-4, Sr., 4.4 ppg, 4.2 rpg), Drew Garcia (5-9, Jr., 4.8 ppg), Harry Grams (6-4, Jr., 12.5 ppg, 3.2 rpg), Cullen Starker (6-2, Soph., 7.9 ppg, 7.4 rpg).
2018-19 Record: 5-8 (Through Jan. 23)
Notes: The Blue Dukes compete in one of Wisconsin's more competitive conferences, the North Shore ... Johnson missed all of last season with an injury, but is one of the top players in the league while Jackson is considered a strong prospect in the state's 2021 class ... Whitefish Bay finished 12-11 a year ago and returns four starters in Jackson, Grams, Abrams and Nelson. 
Coach's Comments: "Shooting, team speed, depth and chemistry are among our strengths. Developing confidence in late-game situations and strengthening our team defense are question marks."

St. Croix Lutheran Crusaders
Coach: Jay Wendland
Enrollment: 403
Top Players: Zach Longueville (6-1, Soph., 17.6 ppg), Ezra Blumer (6-0, Sr., 10.6 ppg), Norman Strickland (5-10, Sr., 10.7 ppg), Xavier Garcia (6-2, Soph., 8.8 ppg), Owen Bushaw (5-10, Soph., 9.8 ppg).
2018-19 Record: 6-7 (Through games of Jan. 23)
Notes: The Crusaders compete in the Tri-County Metro Conference.

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Reece Homan

2:45 P.M. Game

Waupun Warriors
Coach:
 Dan Domask, 11th year
Enrollment: 553
Top Players: Marcus Domask (6-6, Sr., 29.0 ppg, 9.0 rpg), Trevor VandeZande (6-0, Sr., 8.4 ppg, 2.9 apg), Reece Homan (6-4, Sr., 4.8 ppg, ), Quintin Winterfeldt (6-4, Sr., 11.8 ppg, 6.0 rpg), Connor Kamphuis (6-3, Sr., 3.6 ppg).
2018-19 Record: 11-1 (Through Jan. 23)
Notes: The Warriors won the WIAA Division 3 State championship in 2016 when Northern Kentucky recruit Marcus Domask was a freshman ... Domask is the son of head coach, Dan Domask, and the all-time leading scorer in Waupun history ... Quintin Winterfeldt is a transfer from Fond du Lac who has signed to play with NCAA Division II Minnesota-Crookston ... Domask, Trevor VandeZande and Reece Homan are returning starters from last year's club that went 24-2 and shared the East Central Confernece title with Kettle Moraine Lutheran.   
Coach's Comments: "Experience, knowledge, depth and determination are among our strengths. Chemistry and Fortnite are among our concerns."

Rochester Mayo Spartans 
Coach: Luke Madsen, 2nd year
Enrollment: 1,434
Top Players: Gabe Madsen (6-5, Jr., 26.1 ppg, 12.0 rpg), Mason Madsen (6-3, Jr., 21.2 ppg, 6.7 rpg), Andre Crockett Jr. (5-10, Soph., 10.2 ppg, 2.8 rpg), Calvin Dixon (5-9, Sr., 8.3 ppg, 6.8 rpg), Michael Sharp (5-11, Soph., 6.4 ppg), Mohamed Hammadelniel (5-10, Soph., 8.6 ppg).
2018-19 Record: 9-4 (Through games of Jan. 23)
Notes: The Spartans compete in the Big Nine Conference ... Head coach Luke Madsen previously served as a head coach at both Bloomer and Chippewa Falls ... Gabe Madsen owns a scholarship from Marquette while he and his twin brother, Mason, each own scholarship offers from Bradley, Green Bay and Northern Iowa ... All three Madsens were at Bloomer High School two years ago before moving to Rochester.

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Thomas Francken

4:15 P.M. Game

Brookfield East Spartans
Coach:
 Joe Rux, 3rd year
Enrollment: 1,298
Top Players: Thomas Francken (6-1, Sr., 12.8 rpg), Sam McGath (6-2, Jr., 8.6 ppg), Michael Poker (5-11, Jr., 12.3 ppg), Riley LeTourneau (6-3, Sr., 22.4 ppg), Hayden Doyle (5-10, Soph., 9.2 ppg).
2018-19 Record: 10-3 (Through Jan. 23)
Notes: The Spartans went 25-3 a year ago and finished as runner-up in the WIAA Division 1 State Tournament ... Three starters return from that squad in Francken, McGath and Poker ... Rux previously had tremendous success as the head coach at Manitowoc Roncalli ... LeTourneau is having a breakout season for Brookfield East, which competes in what many consider the state's toughest conference, the Greater Metro.   
Coach's Comments: "Shooting, getting to the rim and handling pressure will be our strengths on the offensive end of the floor. Team defense and the ability to apply pressure will be keys to our success on defense."

Apple Valley Eagles
Coach: Zach Goring
Enrollment: 1,392
Top Players: Mark Possis (6-4, Sr., 12.6 ppg), Michael Christiansen (6-5, Sr., 8.4 ppg), Noah Friedt (6-2, Soph., 7.8 ppg), Davy Hosea (5-11, Jr., 6.6 ppg), Cortez Brown (6-0, Sr., 6.6 ppg). 
2018-19 Record: 5-9 (Through games of Jan. 23)
Notes: Apple Valley is a tradition-rich program that competes in the South Suburban Conference ... The Eagles have advanced to the Minnesota State Tournament in five of the last six seasons and have won three state titles during that time frame.

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Sam Kick

6:00 P.M. Game

Onalaska Hilltoppers
Coach:
 Craig Kowal, 11th year
Enrollment: 929
Top Players: Carson Arenz (6-4, Jr., 17.3 ppg), Tyrell Stuttley (6-4, Jr., 16.3 ppg), Sam Kick (6-1, Soph., 11.6 ppg), Gavin McGrath (6-9, Soph., 7.1 ppg), Jonathan Flanagan (6-0, Sr., 8.4 ppg), Victor Desmond (6-4, Soph., 4.3 ppg), Dakota Mannel (5-10, Jr., 9.0 ppg).
2018-19 Record: 12-2 (Through Jan. 23)
Notes: Onalaska is a traditional power among WIAA Division 2 schools and finished 20-4 last winter ... Arenz, Stuttley and Kick were starters last winter ... Arenz and Stuttley rank among the top prospects in Wisconsin in the 2020 class while McGrath, Kick and Desmond are considered good prospects in the 2021 class.    
Coach's Comments: "Rebounding, experience and depth are strengths. Quickness and leadership are among our concerns."

Minnehaha Academy Red Hawks
Coach: Lance Johnson
Enrollment: 341
Top Players: Jalen Suggs (6-4, Jr., 24.1 ppg), Chet Holmgren (7-0, Soph., 17.8 ppg), Prince Aligbe (6-5, Frosh., 9.9 ppg), Donovan Smith (5-8, Frosh., 7.6 ppg), Kaden Johnson (6-4, Jr., 5.8 ppg). 
2018-19 Record: 11-2 (Through games of Jan. 20)
Notes: Suggs is ranked as the No. 11 prospect in the country in the 2020 class by 247Sports ... Holmgren is ranked as the No. 50 prospect in the nation in the 2021 class by 247Sports ... Minnehaha Academy is ranked No. 1 among 2A schools in Minnesota by the Minnesota Basketball Hub.

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Malik Abdul-Wahid

7:30 P.M. Game

Brookfield Central Lancers
Coach:
 Dan Wandrey, 5th year
Enrollment: 1,298
Top Players: Cole Nau (6-3, Sr., 13.3 ppg, 6.4 rpg, 3.9 apg), Gage Malensek (6-0, Sr., 19.7 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 6.9 apg), David Joplin (6-6, Soph., 15.1 ppg, 8.0 rpg), Ben Nau (6-1, Soph., 9.9 ppg, 3.4 rpg), Jack Cooney (6-1, Sr., 4.1 ppg), Malik Abdul-Wahid (6-4, Jr., 7.6 ppg, 5.4 rpg).
2018-19 Record: 11-2 (Through Jan. 23)
Notes: Brookfield Central boasts one of the strongest line-ups in Wisconsin with Cole Nau headed to NCAA Division II Hillsdale College in Michigan and Malensek off to Division II Truman State in Missouri in the fall ... Joplin and Cole Nau both are ranked among the top sophomores in Wisconsin.    
Coach's Comments: "Tradition and a winning attitude are strengths along with guard play. Defense and rebounding are among our concerns."

East Ridge Raptors
Coach: Bryce Tesdahl
Enrollment: 1,726
Top Players: Kendall Brown (6-7, Soph., 17.7 ppg), Courtney Brown (6-6, Sr., 15.4 ppg, 3.3 rpg), Ben Carlson (6-10, Jr., 15.1 ppg, 8.7 rpg), Zach Zebrowski (5-10, Sr., 10.2 ppg), Patrick Lynott (6-2, Sr., 7.7 ppg). 
2018-19 Record: 12-2 (Through games of Jan. 23)
Notes: Carlson owns NCAA Division I scholarship offers from Wisconsin, Minnesota, Ohio State, Stanford, Creighton, Iowa and Iowa State, among many others ... Kendall Brown is ranked as the No. 2 player in Minnesota in the 2021 class by Minnesota Prep Hoops ... Senior Courtney Brown has committed to Milwaukee and coach Pat Baldwin.

 

Tag(s): Border Battle  Wisconsin vs Minnesota