THE WARM-UP: Axtell looking for improvement across the board
Eight starters return from last year, of which five posted winning records. At the top of the list is 165-pound senior Taaron Lavicky, a three-time state qualifier who went 48-3 last year, winning conference and district championships.
Other lettermen returning on the boys’ team are senior Ashton Kring (126), junior Luc Lopez (138), junior Caleb Kindschuh (175), junior Preston LeClair (190), junior Jon Lammers (215) and sophomore Blake Sonnenfeld (285).
Sophomore Sadie Lorenzo is the lone returning veteran for the Axtell girls.
“The majority of our team spent the offseason and summer working on improving their strength and getting mat time through various different cams and wrestling opportunities,” Swedburg said.
“If we can spread people out into separate weight classes, stay healthy and improve continuously throughout the year, we should field a competitive Class D wrestling team.”
BOYS BASKETBALL
With three returning starters and four other lettermen, the Axtell boys are looking at a bounce-back season after slipping below the .500 mark last season, finishing at 10-11.
Senior Carson Lindau, a 5-foot, 11-inch guard, heads the list of returning starters. This will be his fourth year in the starting five at Axtell.
Other returning starters 6-5 senior forward Ethan Morgan and 5-11 junior forward Jake Halvorsen.
Other returning lettermen are 6-foot senior Keyton Cole, 5-7 junior Elijah Bergstrom, 5-11 junior Cade Axtell, and 6-foot sophomore Cayson Havranek.
“We must continue to work hard and play better defense,” veteran Axtell coach Brent Hinrichs said. “Also, we need to be sharper in our execution.”
This will be Hinrichs’ 13th year at Axtell. In 18 years of coaching, he has 256 victories.
GIRLS BASKETBALL
Youthful exuberance may be the strength of the Axtell girls’ basketball team. After graduating five seniors from last year’s 9-22 team, the Wildcats will build on a roster dominated by freshmen and sophomores.
Sophomore Emily Danburg is the lone returning starter. She averaged 5.5 points per game last season. Other returning letter winners are 5-4 senior guard Kassidy Wehrner and 5-8 junior forward Jerzee Smidt.
Coach Brian Hubbert said the Wildcats “will look to reload as we graduated five starting players from last year. We will rely on our speed and depth at the guard position as we build on our varsity experience.”
He said the team’s goal is to compete for a top-three finish in the challenging Fort Kearny Conference by the time tournaments roll around.
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