Staff writer
At least 21 athletes are out for basketball this season at Centre High School. Their first games are Friday at home against Southeast of Saline.
Wyatt said the varsity will not have much height and the players are somewhat inexperienced, and they will have to play solid defense and fundamentally sound offense to win games.
“Most teams we play will be a great deal bigger than us,” he said, “so we will have to block out well in order to limit the number of shots opponents get.”
Returning letterwinners include three seniors: Trevor Hageberg, a 6-foot-3-inch forward; Kordell Harding, a 6-foot-1-inch forward; and Shane Methvin, a 5–foot-9-inch guard. Junior Justin Deines, a 5-foot-9-inch guard, also is a letterwinner. None of them were starters the previous year.
Kodey Johnson, a 5-foot-10-inch junior, will be playing guard.
Three sophomores are newcomers to the varsity. They are Grant Srajer, a 5-foot-3-inch guard; Ty Simons, a 5-foot-5-inch guard; and Kyle Methvin, a 6-foot forward.
Other players are Connor Montgomery, Dakota Stimpson, Dallen Thompson, Jared Barney, Kevin Lewis, Tanner Peterson, Justin Bina, Chad Mueller, Cory Brunzell, Jerami Slayden, Mickey Brubaker, and Michael Baumgartner.
Wyatt, an alumnus of Centre, is in his third year as head coach and 28th year of coaching overall. He has a record of 445-217. He is assisted by another alumnus, Bryant Gutsch.
This is the team’s second year in the Wheat State League. The Cougars finished their first season in the new league with an overall record of 14-9. They finished with a record of 5-3 in league play and second place in the tournament.
Wyatt expects Hope to top the league this year, followed by Solomon, Goessel, Little River, and White City.