Photos Courtesy of Hillcrest Academy and WACO District Websites
A pair of head boys basketball coaches from the KCII listening area were recognized this season by the Southeast Iowa Superconference. Hillcrest Academy’s Dwight Gingerich and WACO’s Chayse Roth were named Co-Coaches of the Year in the North Division of the Superconference.
Gingerich led his team to a share of the North Division title, the program’s first since 2011 with a 21-4 overall record. Under Gingerich’s direction, six Ravens were named All-Superconference including first-teamers Seth Ours and Bryce Bailey, Ours a unanimous choice, second-teamers Mason Bender and Rowan Miller and honorable mention picks Kale Bailey and Lincoln Miller. This season, the Ravens finished in the top 10 of Class 1A in seven different stats including team field goal percentage, team assists, overall assist to turnover ratio, and fewest team turnovers. Individually, Rowan Miller was top five in the state in overall assists and assists per game while Kale Bailey was 10th in 1A in field goal percentage. Hillcrest led the Superconference in points per game, assists per game, fewest turnovers per game, team field goal percentage and individually, Ours led the league in free throw percentage and Rowan Miller assists per game.
After taking over for long time head coach Paul Kissell, the first year at the helm for new WACO head coach Chayse Roth continued the Warrior’s strong tradition, as he led the program to a share of their third division title in the last six seasons with an 18-6 mark overall. The Warriors had five All-Conference selections including unanimous first-teamer Christian Stacy, second-teamers Isaac Rich and Isaac Egli and honorable mention picks, Holden Hughes and Clayton Miller. WACO led the Superconference in team free throw percentage.
The Ravens and Warriors split the division title with matching 14-2 records in conference play and split their season series, each winning on the other’s home floor.