Eight seniors end successful round ball careers for Elk Mound

Plenty of ups and a few downs were all a part of the Elk Mound boys’ basketball program over the past four years. With eight seniors on this year’s team which won a conference, regional and sectional title playing in Division 3 for the first time, the season ended on the Kohl Center floor in an overtime loss to Lodi.

 

This group of seniors went from a 15-9 overall record and 10-6 conference record for fourth place as freshman to 21-3 and 14-2 in conference for the runner up spot as sophomores. They took the conference by storm the past two seasons with perfect 16-0 records and were 23-1 overall as juniors and 25-2 this year. A season ending loss in the regional championship to Colfax after beating them twice in the regular season last year left a bitter taste in their mouths and they worked extra hard in the off season to make themselves even better. The result was a state tourny berth for the first time in 20 years for Elk Mound basketball.

Zac Doll was a two time First team All Conference player as a junior and senior and was named the first Player of the Year for the conference this year. He was recently named to the Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association team and was a third team All Northwest as a junior, and more awards will probably come his way in the next few weeks. Zac was a three year varsity player for coach Chris Hahn and played in 64 games, scoring 669 points which included 109 free throws in 170 attempts for 64%. He also drained 63 triples in 172 chances for 36% and had a high game of 25 points as a senior against Plum City. He collected 200 career rebounds, 179 assists and 134 steals. The point guard led the Mounders in assists as a junior with 67 and again as a senior with 106 and was first in steals this season with 88. Using his long arms and kangaroo like jumping ability, Zac led the team in blocked shots as a junior with 27 and was second this year with 16 as he played the top of the now famous 1-3-1- zone the Mounders used all season. His senior scoring totals were 393 points in 27 games with 59 of 101 free throws for 58%, 40 of 104 treys for 38% and a 14.6 point average per game. Zac plans on continuing his basketball career, most likely with one of several  D3 teams interested in him.

Dexter Curry was a two year varsity player and certainly made a name for himself with his performance at the state tournament this year where he led the team with 21 points and  a career high 19 rebounds in the loss to Lodi. In 44 games, Dexter accumulated 542 points, which included 42 of 81 free throws for 51%, and totaled 345 rebounds, leading the team as a junior with 103 and again this year with 242. He added 24 assists and 39 steals in his two years and coming as no surprise, led the Mounders in blocked shots with 42 this year and was second as a junior with 14. His high point game was 27 in a regular season game against Prescott and he had a career high eight steals against St. Croix Central. Dexter was First team All Conference this year and honorable mention as a junior, and has been named honorable mention by the WBCA this year.

Travis Nelson had to deal with an injury from the football field after playing quarterback for the Mounders but hit the court running after missing a few games. Travis played in a few games as a sophomore and with 23 his junior year and 24 this year he totaled 50 games for the team. He accumulated 316 points with 171 coming from behind the arc on 57 of 159 for 35%. He also tallied points from the foul line, knocking down 34 0f 53 for 64%. His senior totals include a high game of 19 points against Fall Creek  where he canned 5 of 7 triples, and he was fourth on the team in scoring with 183 points with 19 of 34 free throws for 55% and 31 of 86 from three point range for 36%. He was second in assists with 72 including seven in a game against Spring Valley, second in steals with 58 and third in blocks with 10. He was a Second team All Conference pick for his efforts.

Hunter Kohls finished his senior year as the third highest scorer for the team with 192, 11 coming on his almost namesake Kohl Center floor. He collected 75 points from long range on 25 of 58 shooting for 43%, knocked down 13 of 24 free tosses for 54% and had a career high 15 points in the game against Fall Creek as he connected on 4 of 5 treys. He was third on the team in assists with 58, gathered in 64 rebounds and had 41 steals including seven against Plum City. Playing in 12 games as a junior and 26 this year, Hunter totaled 213 points, 65 assists, 73 rebounds and 44 steals. He was also a Second Team AC selection for the Mounders as a senior.

Austin Hanson is the only team member to have seen varsity action in all four years of his high school days, playing in six games as a freshman, two as a sophomore, 23 as a junior and 18 this year for a total of 49 games. He collected 204 points including 99 as a junior, knocked down 33 of 45 free throws, (22 of 30 this year for 73%) and shot 18% from long range on 4 of 22 attempts. He pulled down 102 rebounds with 30 assists and 44 steals. Austin had a high game of 12 points against Glenwood City  this year and also snagged six rebounds in a game against Elmwood.

Logan Strom saw varsity action in three games as a sophomore and 12 his junior year but made his mark as a senior. He tallied 139 points on 27 of 39 free throws for 69% and buried 10 of 30 treys for 33%. He tied for second on the team in rebounds with 85, added 52 assists and 32 steals. Career totals include 209 points with 20 triples, with 35 of 51 free throws for 68%. He finished with 99 rebounds, 61 assists and 37 steals.He had a career high 14 points as a junior in a game against Plum City.

Adam Gottschalk was another player who had a slow start to his senior year due to a football injury. And to make matters worse, he had to deal with another injury part way through the season. He was still a big spoke in the wheel however, usually the first to come off the bench for the Mounders and had four points in the state tournament game with one of his two baskets coming at the buzzer to give Elk Mound a 26-21 halftime lead. Adam scored all of his career points this year with 36 while hitting 9 of 14 free throws and 20 of 29 overall for 68%. He snared 51 rebounds (27 this year), 66 assists (38, again this year) and 40 steals (23 this year) and three blocks as a senior. His high game of five points was against West Salem in the regionals and his highest rebounding game also occurred in a regional game with five against Arcadia.

Ben Holzwarth saw action in eight games as a junior and 18 this year. He collected 11 points, all this season which included 1 of 5 free throws and a pair of triples. He added 11 rebounds with 10 as a senior, nine assists with six this year and five steals. He had a high game of seven points against Eleva-Strum earlier this season.

Coach Hahn had nothing but high praise for his group of seniors after each and every game this year. After the final loss, he addressed the media along with Dexter in the media room.

“It has been a great journey the past couple of years with these seniors and we are certainly going to miss all that they have contributed to the school district and community,” he said.” We don’t win all of the games we did without these young men putting in all the hard work and time in the off season. That really was the key to our success, the commitment they made in the months from March to November building their individual skills. That allowed us to focus more on team oriented things in practice. These guys have been great role models for all of our middle school and elementary students. We are going to miss them but I know they have left a long and lasting impression on our community,” he added.