Hilltopper boys improvement on basketball court will rely on returning letter winners

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GLENWOOD CITY — If the Glenwood City boys’ basketball team is to improve upon its 3-19 finish from a year ago, it will need to rely on returning letter winners and bring some of the promising newcomers up to speed quickly.

Gone are the team’s top three scorers and three of its best four rebounders from last season. Graduation took the services of Elek Anderson, the Hilltoppers’ leading scorer a season ago with a 10.1 points per game (ppg) average as well as its third leading rebounder at 5.1 rebounds per game (rpg), Max Janson and his 8.4 ppg and three rpg, Anthony Nelson and his 8.3 ppg and team-high 5.5 boards per game, Jayden Quinn, who provided 4.1 ppg and 2.6 rpg, and Wyatt Thompson.

The cupboard, however, isn’t bare.

Glenwood City returns four letter winners from last year’s squad that have varsity experience. That quartet includes seniors Morgen Eggert who averaged seven points a game last year and topped Glenwood City’s rebounding charts with a team-leading six per contest and Zach Hill who split time between junior varsity and varsity games in 2022-23; junior Tyler Harrington, the team’s top reserve last season with a seven ppg and two rpg average; and sophomore Brody Olson who scored 22 points in the Toppers’ opening round playoff loss in Bruce and averaged ten points, four rebounds and two assists in just four games after returning from a torn labrum that sidelined him for 18 games a year ago.

Those four will also serve as this year’s varsity team captains.

Head coach Patrick Olson, now in the third year of his second go-round at the helm of the boys’ basketball program, sees potential in several others including seniors Brett Peterson (who has seen his fair share of injuries) and Logan Rands, juniors Esdyn Swenby, Caleb Klinger and Ilan Anderson and sophomores Brody Riba and Brady Thompson.

“We had a full summer of preparation and the boys put in a lot of time to better themselves. We are excited for the season to start,” stated Coach Olson.

According to Olson, the team’s goal this season is simply to improve each and every day!

As for this season’s Dunn-St. Croix Conference championship race, Olson sees defending titlist Elk Mound along with Spring Valley and Durand as the squads to beat. That trio filled the top three spots in last year’s final standings as Durand finished as the runner-up and Spring Valley placed third. All three return a variety of players which make them the favorites according to Olson.

Olson, who is 40-25 coaching the Hilltoppers including 10-36 mark the past two seasons, will be assisted by Nathan Hoffman (junior varsity coach), Craig Kittel (varsity assistant coach), Michael Garrison (C-Team coach) and Damian Shervington (student assistant coach). Managers are Dylan Riba, McKinley Olson and Macie Voeltz.

Glenwood City will open the season at home December 1 with a non-conference contest versus Pepin/Alma.  

2023-24 Roster

Seniors: Morgen Eggert, Brett Peterson, Zach Hill, and Logan Rands

Juniors: Esdyn Swenby, Caleb Klinger, Tyler Harrington, Ilan Anderson, Landyn Scherber, and Elliott Springborn

Sophomores: Clayton Hoffman, Jacob Hager, Mitchell Main, Brody Riba, Ben Klatt, Brady Thompson, Brody Olson, Vincent Yang, Jonny Best, and Michael Wheeler

Freshmen: Tristen Wink, Clayton Thayer, Jaxin Olson, Max Peterson, Jordan Standaert, Anthony Wollenzien-Ness, Silas Gill, Eli Oberle, and Levi McVeigh