After storming to its first regional title since 2010 last year, the Shawano Community High School boys basketball team and second-year coach Chris Kellett are back and ready for another run this season.
The Hawks (16-9, 12-4 Bay), who finished third in the Bay Conference last year, return several experienced players and will get a chance to find out early where they stand against Bay Conference champion Seymour.
The teams play in Shawano’s home opener Friday.
Shawano was the only team to beat Seymour in the regular season last year, a 49-48 thriller that signaled the Hawks were an ascending team.
While Seymour is adjusting to life without graduated stars Sandy Cohen and Dakota Oskey, the Hawks return most of their starting lineup, including first team All-Bay Conference player Zack Sousek.
Sousek, a 5-foot-10 senior point guard, averaged 9.1 points per game a season ago. He was fourth in the Bay in assists with 46.
“Any time you have a player of his caliber, it sets the tone for the season,” Kellett said.
Also back is center Zeke Gueths. The 6-6 junior has two years of varsity experience and was named to the all-conference second team last year. Kellett expects Gueths to make a big jump this year.
“Zeke will be a bigger force down low as he improved during the offseason,” Kellett said.
Seniors Jack Lacy, an all-conference honorable mention player a season ago, Sajen Knuepple, Braden Mueller and Dylan Hintz are all back after getting healthy minutes on varsity a year ago.
Also returning is junior guard/forward Adam Bartz.
The team lost four seniors (Dillon Frechette, Garrett Schlise, Kyle Raddant and Travis Geenan), but Kellett expects the strong influx of younger players will be able make up for the losses.
“I expect new players to contribute throughout the year, and we may be younger than last year with a few underclassmen potentially on varsity,” Kellett said.
Three players the coach is excited to see perform are freshmen Eric Carl and Jacob Lacy and sophomore Jacob Kakkak.
Friday’s game will be the Hawks’ only home game until a matchup with West De Pere on Jan. 6. Shawano opens the season with six away games and a home game against Ashwaubenon at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay Kress Center in the Sun Drop Shootout, an annual showcase that Shawano hosts for regional and state teams.
The schedule could help Shawano down the stretch, though. The Hawks will play six of their final 10 games at home.
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