ELGIN — Finishing last season as one of the best teams in Class D2, this year’s EPPJ Wolfpack boys team wants more.
The team qualified for the D2 State Tournament last year, only to lose in the first round. This year the Wolfpack are poised to make another run at that elusive state championship.
Entering his senior campaign, Jarek Erickson can do it all. He can score inside and outside. He can take control of a game in the paint (scoring and rebounding.)
Another senior, Karson Kallhoff shoots the 3-ball as well as any player in the area. His playmaking ability gets other players on the team in the offensive flow. Max Henn, as a sophomore, gives the team another scoring threat for opposing teams to try and stop. With a year of experience under his belt, he should be better.
“We return three starters from last year’s team in Jarek Erickson, Karson Kallhoff, and Max Henn. Those three have a ton of varsity experience,” Coach Matt Euse said last week. “I have already seen a lot of leadership from them in our first few practices.”
Euse said Michael Selting is a guy who came off the bench and did some great things for us (last year). “We expect him to take a step forward this year,” the coach said.
“There are a few upperclassmen and lower classmen that have developed physically over the last year and we expect them to come in and fill some spots,” Euse continued.
“It is a hardworking and very competitive group of young men. The mentality going forward is being competitive every time we step on the court, whether that be practice or a game,” Euse said.
Strengths of the team this year are size, shooting, rebounding and competitiveness. Having made the state tournament last year, their goal is to play more than one game in Lincoln this season.
Areas the Wolfpack need to improve on as the season progresses are defense, ball handling and creating some depth off the bench.
Euse defined success for this year’s team as “being competitive in every game and practice. We have a tough schedule, we need to find ways to be competitive every night. As long as we are getting better every day and play our best basketball as consistently as possible, it will be a successful year!”
Members of the team, in addition to Jarek Erickson, Selting, Kallhoff and Henn, are Ticen Sparr, Brayden Burenheide, Justice Blecher, Joseph McNally, Evin Pelster, Christian Preister, Jayvin Erickson and Braedon Hinkle. They will open the season Thursday night at home against Riverside.
