Area prep cagers to play in all-star game

Ten senior basketball players and one coach from high schools in the Free Press coverage area have agreed to participate in the fifth annual all-star games between the Mid-Central Activities Association and the Heart of America League.

In all, 43 invitations were issued for the game, which will be Saturday, March 27, at Yost Center on the Hesston College campus. The girls? game is set for a 6 p.m. start with the boys to follow around 7:45 p.m.

In the girls? game, first-team all-MCAA picks Dakota Kauf?man from Hillsboro and Julia Zeiner and Lindsay Hett from Marion will be participating.

Aspen Frey will represent Goessel for the HOA team and Danielle Savage will represent Peabody-Burns.

The other girls invited from the MCAA are Marissa Vermillion, Halstead; Noell Nordstedt, Haven; Mallory Schroeder and Rachael Hageman, Hesston; Becca Maier, Hoisington; Jordan Sherwood, Smoky Valley; and Sadie Clark and Kamri Phox, Wichita Collegiate.

Other girls playing for the HOA are Janelle Rust, Berean Academy; Mishaun Pfhanistiel and Kendra Ely, Inman; Breahna Gillespie and Maggie Galyon, Little River; Spencer Suderman, Moundridge; Katie Regier, Remington; and Riley Busenitz, Sedgwick.

The MCAA girls? team will be coached by Randy Savage from Marion. A second coach is yet to be named. Hillsboro?s Nathan Hiebert was invited to coach, but had a schedule conflict.

Jeff Friesen from Inman and Shane Cordell from Little River will coach the HOA squad.

In the boys? game, Eric Vogel of Marion was picked for the MCAA team while Cody Johnson of Canton-Galva, Aaron Reimer and Weston Hiebert of Goessel and Jacob Simmonds and Aaron Topham were selected from Peabody-Burns to play for the HOA.

Other boys invited to play for the MCAA squad are: Alex Birney, Ellinwood; Jared Regehr and Chris Santoya, Halstead; Devin Callon, Haven; Cole Jost and Logan Schrag, Hesston; Braden Thompson and Troy Smith, Nickerson; Matt Foster, Sterling; and Blake Jablonski and Bryce Cornejo, Wichita Collegiate.

The MCAA coaches are Mitch Fiegel from Wichita Collegiate and Joe Gerber from Halstead.

The other boys invited to play for the HOA are Jon Garrett, Bennington; Lonnie Penner, Owen Beverlin and Josiah Busenitz , Berean Academy; Sam Martin, Inman; Greg Prescott, Little River; and Austin Neufeld, Moundridge.

Spencer Suderman from Moundridge was invited to play, but had a schedule conflict.

The HOA coaches are Brian Simmonds from Peabody-Burns and Lewis Wiebe from Berean Academy.

As in past years, Hesston College women?s coach Dan Harrison and men?s coach Dustin Galyon are coordinating the event,

?This year?s all-star game is especially exciting for a couple of reasons,? Harrison said. ?We have a bunch of players who have had great careers with a lot of success on the court, including wins at state tournaments. Many will continue their careers at the collegiate level.

?And with league realignment coming next year, some of the schools represented won?t play each other regularly in the coming years. This game is the last chance for bragging rights.?

Tickets will be available at the door and cost $6 for adults and $4 for students. For more information, call Harrison at 620-327-8159.

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