Young Great Plains Lutheran teams looking for growth in 2022-23

Young is the key word to use when describing the 2022-23 Great Plains Lutheran girls and boys basketball teams.

A number of young players are expected to play key roles for each of the Panther squads, which have a combined three senior (two girls, one boys).

The Panther girls have already got a couple of games under their belt before they played Thursday and Friday in the Martin Lutheran College Tournament at New Ulm, Minn. The Panther boys open their season in the same tourney on Friday and Saturday.

"I think we might be repeating two years ago again, where we'll have a good year of gaining experience before hopefully taking the next step forward the following year," said Matt Bauer, who is beginning his fourth season as the head coach of the Panther girls.

"We're stupid young, but we're talented. I don't know how you put that in the paper," said GPL head boys coach Mike Haugly. "I've had young squads before, but this might be the youngest team we've had. Eighteen of our 22 players are underclassmen."

Here a closer look at each of the GPL teams:

Great Plains Lutheran Girls

• Head Coach — Matt Bauer, 17-41 in three seasons at GPL.

• Assistants — Aaron Schleusener and Mali York.

• 2021-22 Record — The Panthers tied a school record for victories by going 11-10 overall, including 3-1 in the Eastern Coteau Conference.

• Top Returnees — Halle Bauer, 5-foot-6, jr. guard (10 points and 3.9 rebounds per game, All-Eastern Coteau Conference second team); Olivia Holmen, 6-1 jr. forward (6.7 ppg, 10.7 rpg in nine games before being sidelined with a knee injury); and Madeline Prahl, 5-11 so. forward (6.4 ppg, 5.5 rpg).

• Others to Watch — Esta Cameron, 5-8, so. forward (1.9 ppg and 1.6 rpg in 19 games); Myra Lentz, 5-6, so. guard; Emma Dornbusch, 5-10, so. forward; Briana Cordle, 5-10, sr. forward; Kate Holmen, 5-11, fr. guard; and Katherine Prahl, 5-5 fr. guard.

• Conference-Region — Florence-Henry, which went 17-5 overall and won the ECC with a 4-0 record last year, returns a strong contingent off a team that advanced to the Class A SoDak 16 last year. The Falcons are the clear favorites in the ECC that also includes newcomer Britton-Hecla, Tri-State, Waubay-Summit, Waverly-South Shore and Wilmot.

The Panthers are in Region 2A, which includes two-time defending state Class A runner-up Hamlin (23-3) as well as SoDak 16 qualifies Florence-Henry and Flandreau (17-5). Sioux Valley went 15-7 last year and lost to Hamlin in the region semifinals.

• Schedule — GPL has already played two home games and is scheduled to host Groton Area (Jan. 21) and Wilmot (Jan. 24). The Panthers will also host Estelline-Hendricks (Jan. 10), Florence-Henry (Jan. 26), Northwestern (Feb. 9), Waverly-South Shore (Feb. 16) and Waubay-Summit (Feb. 17) as part of girls-boys doubleheaders.

Region 2A play is scheduled for Feb. 20-21-23 with SoDak 16 state-qualifying games on March 2. The State A tournament will be held March 9-11 in the Watertown Civic Arena.

• Season Outlook — The Panthers' graduation losses included York (9.6 ppg and 4.6 rpg) and Bryn Holmen (6.1 and 8.6). Senior Kim Goens (6.1 ppg) started last year but opted not to go out this season.

Coach Bauer like freshmen Kjenstad, Katherine Prahl and Kate Holmen but knows they will have to adjust to playing at the varsity level as the season goes along. They'll join the cast of returnees that includes Bauer, Lentz, Olivia Holmen, Madeline Prah, Cameron, Dornbusch and Cordle.

"I haven't really look at the schedule, but I'd think in general that getting to .500 or slightly above would be a good goal for this team," said Bauer.

"One thing that remains to be seen is Mali shouldered the load of bring the ball up the court last year and Halle was able to catch and shoot. This year, Halle has to move the ball up the court. She was our leading scorer last year so it'll be interesting to see how that plays out."

Great Plains Lutheran Boys

• Head Coach — Mike Haugly, 29-59 in five seasons at GPL.

• Assistants — Sam Kleinke and Jason Spurgin.

• 2021-22 Record — 8-13 overall, including 3-2 in the ECC.

• Top Returnees — Alex Heil, 6-3 jr. guard (5.7 points, 4.5 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game) and Myles York, 6-4, jr. forward (4.1 ppg and 3.8 rpg).

• Others to Watch — Brody Scharlemann, 5-8, so. guard; Micah Holien, 5-9 so. guard; Jacob Bartels, 6-3 jr. forward; and Austin Rubendall, 6-2 so. forward,

• Conference-Region — Waubay-Summit capped a 22-4 season by winning the consolation championship in the state B tournament and returns some talented players off a team that won the ECC with a 5-0 record. The Mustangs should again be considered the team to beat in a conference that also includes newcomer Britton-Hecla, Tri-State, Waubay-Summit, Waverly-South Shore and Wilmot.

Region 2A is just as solid or more for the boys with two-time defending state runner-up Sioux Valley (20-6) back along with Flandreau (20-5, fourth place in state), SoDak 16 qualifier Clark-Willow Lake (15-8) and Hamlin (15-7). Hamlin's season ended with a region semifinal loss to Sioux Valley last winter.

• Schedule — The Panthers host Tri-State (Jan. 16), Sioux Falls Lutheran (Jan. 20), Clark-Willow Lake (Jan. 23) and Wilmot (Feb. 3). GPL will also host Estelline-Hendricks (Jan. 10), Florence-Henry (Jan. 26), Northwestern (Feb. 9), Waverly-South Shore (Feb. 16) and Waubay-Summit (Feb. 17) as part of boys-girls doubleheaders.

Region 2A games are scheduled for Feb. 27-28 and March 3. SoDak 16 state-qualifying games are set for March 7. The state A tournament is slated for March 16-18 at Sioux Falls.

• Season Outlook — All-ECC performers Ethan Kjenstad (15.1 ppg) and Hansen (16.8 ppg and 6.2 rpg) have graduated along withy regulars Connor Kannas, Gavin Dornbusch and Trent Lien, taking plenty of scoring production and size along away.

Haugly feels the Panthers will be quicker and more balanced this winter and have a number of young players who should only get better with experience. Levi Holloway is the team's lone senior.

"We're small and young, so we have to try to play fast. We have to play good defense, create turnovers and turn steals into layups," said Haugly. "We could have four guys in double figures every night and it might not be the same four every night.

"Right now, my goals are more process oriented than outcome oriented. I'm not saying it's a rebuilding year, but rather a growth year. We have to grow and develop good habits. Once we get that taken care of, the results will start looking better."

This article originally appeared on Watertown Public Opinion: Panther basketball squads have three seniors combined.