The 2014 Heartland Junior High Boys Basketball Team concluded their season on Saturday, March 1. Both the “A†and the “B†teams competed in their respective divisions at the Harvard Tournament and both teams brought home the first place prize. This capped off a great year of basketball by both teams.
The “B†team, comprised of the 7th grade, finished the year 8-1. Coach Dan Gilson was extremely pleased with both the effort and the improvement of this team throughout the year. With guards Ben Mestl, Reid Huebert, and Jesse Mason taking good care of the ball, shooting well from the outside, and finding the big men: Carson Amack, Brice Allen, Ric Bulin, Peyton Ott, and Zach Dente. Each of these young men played hard and represented their school and community well throughout the year. Congratulations to these 7th graders on their impressive year.
The “A†team, consisting of the 8th grade boys, completed the year 10-0. This team arrived at the gym ready to practice hard each and every day. They came into each game prepared to play hard and to give their best. Point guard Lane Huebert provided excellent passing, scoring, and defense each and every game. Sharp-shooter Jaden Regier was ready to hit the open three if ever the defense relaxed on him. Kyle Ott brought intensity and toughness to the court day after day. Connor Boehr used his athleticism around the rim to help the scoring attack from the inside. Aaron Buller used his strength inside to provide constant rebounding and scoring for the Huskies. Hayes Oswald used his speed and quickness to attack the rim consistently, and Noah Boyd used his athleticism to shut down the opposing team’s better players and start the Huskie fast break with his steals. As a group, this team was well-rounded, winning against teams that played zone or man, teams that played fast or slow, and in games where their shots were falling and also when they weren’t. As their coach, I will remember this group for their great work ethic, great attitude, and mental toughness and look forward to seeing the things they accomplish on the court and in life.
-Coach Lee Smith
