Boys Basketball Small School Capsules: West M, New Lex to lean on experience

West Muskingum reached the district tournament with some memorable wins last season.

The Tornadoes hope a senior-laden roster can help them return to get beyond that point and compete in a rugged Muskingum Valley League Small School Division.

Jeff Rinkes, who has 35 years of coaching experience, led the group to a 14-11 mark and must replace one of their top players in Luke Pattison.

Five seniors return to anchor the Tornadoes on both ends of the floor. Jack Porter, Jacob Allen and Gage Newsome are back as guards, while Noah Ray and Conner Paima will be in the post. Porter averaged 10 points and 3 rebounds, Ray chipped in 10 points and 5 rebounds and Allen contributed 8 points and 3 rebounds, as all three received Muskingum Valley League honors.

The newcomers include four sophomore guards, Jake Anton, Reid Lemity, Connor Hill and Lane Kennedy.

New Lexington

Expectations are high for the Panthers, who only graduated Hunter Kellogg from last year's 13-10 squad.

Seventh-year coach Jeremy Duerr has plenty of experience to lean on, as seniors Lukas Ratliff, Ryan Hobbs and Isaac Dick, junior Jerek Braglin and sophomores Isaiah Stephens and Bentley Hanson return to the varsity program.

Ratliff, a first-team MVL and District 12 selection, averaged 14 points and 4.5 rebounds, Hobbs contributed 8 points and 6 rebounds, Dick scored 8.5 points and Stephens chipped in 9 points and 2.5 assists last season.

Junior guard/forward Chase Dumolt and sophomore forward Malakye Thresher are the newcomers.

Duerr hopes a veteran team can lead to better results for the Panthers.

"A lot of experience returns so our expectations are high in terms of improving on last season," he noted. "We have a good group of seniors who are expected to provide stability and leadership. Our young guards will be expected to make a big jump this year after logging a lot of valuable minutes last season."

Morgan

Rob Justice enters his fifth year with the Raiders, who went 14-10 and won a sectional title last season.

Morgan graduated its main post presence in Colin Janes, who averaged a double-double, while upperclassmen headline an experience group.

Junior guards Carson Mummey, a MVL and East District first team, and Cutter Myers, a second team MVL and District selection, and senior guard Rowdy Williams, another all-district player, return to the lineup.

Senior guards Joe Mayle, Coleman Welsh and Nate Silvus and senior forwards Quinten Davis, Hunter and Hayden Shriver and Cooper Cain are also back.

Sophomore guard Tavian Myers and freshmen Gavin Shriver (guard) and Luke Coleman (forward) are the newcomers, as Justice is "looking forward to a fun, healthy and exciting season."

Rosecrans

Todd Rock remains the dean of area coaches, entering his 30th season of leading the Bishops, who were 10-11 overall and 7-6 in the Mid-State League Cardinal last season.

Tommy Bernath, who averaged 7.5 points and 5.5 rebounds, is a key loss, especially his leadership, while senior guard Weston Hartman and junior guard Grady Labishak headline the returning letter winners. Both scored more than 16 points per game and made better than 80% of their foul shots. Hartman also averaged a team-high 6.8 rebounds and Labishak dished out 2.5 assists.

Juniors, guard Brendan Bernath and forward Xander Daniels, are also back, as Bernath contributed 4.5 points and 2.6 assists and Daniels 3 points and 6.4 rebounds.

Several newcomers will provide depth. Juniors Drew Dollings (F), Mikey Burkhart (G) and Maddix Burkhart (G), sophomores James Goggin (G/F), Stephen Sagan (F) and Evan Bauer (G) and freshmen Nick Bernath (G), Brody Zemba (F) and Ty Bernett (F) join the varsity squad.

The Bishops will lean on other skills to offset their lack of size.

"We will rely on our quickness on offense and pressure on defense. We want to return to the toughness for which Rosecrans basketball is known," Rock said. "Practices have been spirited with 10 to 12 guys competing for playing time. We will be able to field a freshmen team for the first time in seven years."

Crooksville

Shawn Chamberlin, who has 20 years of coaching, including 17 with the Ceramics baseball program, takes over the boys team, which went 0-23 and brings back all key contributors.

Seniors Ryan Moore, a District and MVL honorable mention pick, Raygen Wolfe, Vaughn Childress, Cooper Watts, Gunnar Chevalier and Trinton Cottrell and sophomore Konlan McIntyre all return.

The varsity newcomers include seniors Brody Thomas and Landon Addington and juniors Ryan Taylor and Clay Burns, while the staff features Scott Rambo (varsity assistant), Ken Grannon (JV coach) and Colton Bolyard.

Chamberlin said the focus has been "on the little things, fundamentals and playing together as a team."

"The guys have been working extremely hard both physically and mentally. We have been focusing also on the things we can control like bringing energy, effort, execution, enthusiasm and fun to practice every day," he said. "We're working hard to bring back pride and enthusiasm to our basketball program. The guys are eager, excited and ready to get the season underway. This group has been very fun to coach and watch them grow and get better each day.

"We have a very good coaching staff who are committed everyday to helping our players and team get better," he added. "We're extremely excited and enthused to get the season underway and see how much we have improved and where or what areas we need to continue to get better."

Coshocton

First-year coach James Herman, who has posted a 232-212 record entering his 24th season of coaching, is not the only new face on the Redskins' bench, as five players graduated and four starters were lost from last year's 8-15 squad.

Senior Zane Bryant, who missed most of last season due to injury, and sophomore guard Colton Conkle, who averaged seven points per game, are the only two back with varsity experience, while the varsity newcomers include seniors Cam Swigert and O'Rhyin Hoist, juniors Bentley Cunningham, Antwone Johns and Coby Moore, sophomore Logan Lonsberry and freshman JJ Herman.

Coach Herman will learn about his team throughout the season, but even with some inexperience, Coshocton expects to compete in the MVL Small School Division. Herman expects New Lexington and West Muskingum as the teams his squad is chasing.

"The Redskins have a lot of questions to answer in the upcoming season. While the program has great tradition, they lack experience and depth," Herman noted. "The young men are working extremely hard and enjoying an exciting brand of basketball.

"The MVL will again be full of knockdown, drag out battles every night. Therefore, the race to win the MVL-Small School Division should be an exciting one," he continued, "But the Redskins hope to turn a few heads as they gain experience and continue to develop their skills."

Meadowbrook

It will be nearly a whole new look for the Colts under second-year coach Teryn Jarrett.

Meadowbrook graduated five key players from last year's 23-4 squad that captured the MVL Small School and district titles. The biggest is All-Ohioan and East District Player of the Year Jake Singleton, who is at Marietta College after becoming the program's all-time leading scorer. Romeo Dorsey, Josh Hupp, Drew Webster and Trevon Mayle also graduated.

Seniors Dayne Singleton and Easton Eibel are the lone returning letter winners for the Colts. The two combined for 6 points, 3 rebounds and 2 assists per game.

A pair of freshman, guards Masyn Campbell and Jake Burris, highlight the newcomers, as Jarrett expects growing pains for this year's squad.

"We lost all five starters from last season, but this team will be a gritty group that will grind out games and find a way to compete," Jarrett said.

This article originally appeared on Zanesville Times Recorder: Boys Basketball Small School Capsules: West M, New Lex to lean on experience