Local hoop stars are all-state
Many players are also the best in conference
By Casey Krautkramer
Seniors Kyle Brewster and Drew Guden were instrumental in leading the Edgar boys basketball team to its first state championship tournament appearance in 24 years this season. The duo helped the Wildcats post a 14-1 conference record to win the Marawood South title and conclude this season with a 23-3 overall record.
Brewster and Guden became the first teammates to score 1,000 career points in the same season in Edgar High School history. Brewster finished his illustrious basketball career with 1,170 career points, while Guden has 1,089. For their tremendous efforts this season, both Brewster and Guden were awarded Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) Division 4 honorable mention all-state.
Edgar’s Dave Huss, who was Coach of the Year in the Marawood South Conference this season, is grateful to Brewster and Guden.
“Drew and Kyle have both worked extremely hard during their basketball careers at Edgar to put themselves in a position to be successful on the court,” Huss said. “Any accolades they have forthcoming are certainly warranted and deserved. In addition to being excellent basketball players, they both have been model students in the classroom, great ambassadors for the Edgar boys basketball program in the community and have grown into great young men who will accomplish much in the next chapter of their lives.”
Brewster and Guden were also both unanimous first team all-Marawood Conference South selections this season. Guden made first team all-conference as a junior last season and he was second team all-conference as a sophomore. Brewster, meanwhile, made second team all-conference as a junior and honorable mention all-conference as a sophomore.
A pair of junior guards, Cooper Diedrich of Athens and Jaden Koeller of Marathon, are closing in on achieving 1,000 career points next season. Diedrich only needs to score 63 more points and Koeller 73 for them to obtain the 1,000-career points milestone in their 2021-22 senior seasons. Diedrich was awarded WBCA Division 5 honorable mention all-state team this season, while Koeller was WBCA Division 4 honorable mention all-state.
Marathon coach Adam Jacobson said his team’s floor leader, Koeller, deserves the postseason accolades he’s receiving.
“We are very proud of the season we had as a team and of Jaden and his accomplishments this season,” Jacobson said. “With team success come opportunities for individual recognition and Jaden is very deserving of the recognition he earned this season. Jaden has worked very hard to improve all aspects of his game and that showed in his growth as a player throughout this season. Only a junior, we are excited for Jaden and his teammates to continue to work hard this offseason and are hungry and humble for a successful season ahead next year.”
Senior Hunter Wright of Auburndale was a unanimous first team all-Marawood South Conference selection and he was named the conference’s Player of the Year. Sophomore Mason Prey of Wausau Newman also made first team all-conference.
Diedrich of Athens was a unanimous first team all-Marawood North Conference selection this season, after earning first team all-conference honors last season. Diedrich shared Marawood North Conference Player of the Year honors with senior Taber Fawley of Phillips, who was also a unanimous all-conference selection along with seniors Cade Faber of Abbotsford and Ryan Patrick of Rib Lake. Both Faber and Patrick were Division 4 honorable mention all-state.
Athens sophomore Aiden Janke also made first team all-conference. Athens co-head coaches Aaron Ellenbecker and Jeramie Penney were awarded Marawood North Conference Coach after leading the Bluejays to their first Marawood Conference North championship in 71 years.
Bluejay seniors Cobie Ellenbecker and Dayne Diethelm earned second team all-Marawood North Conference accolades. Athens senior Mike Komarek and junior Kody Lepak were honorable mention all-conference.
Athens co-head coach Aaron Ellenbecker said the future is definitely bright for the boys basketball program.
“With three all-conference players returning next year, with Cooper and Aiden as first team selections and Kody as honorable mention, next season will hopefully be a continuation of this year’s success,” Aaron Ellenbecker said. Seniors Konnor Wolf of Edgar and Brock Warren of Marathon, and junior Cam Daul of Stratford were all awarded second team all-Marawood South Conference this season. Seniors Austin Dahlke and Brayden Baumgartner of Edgar, Matt Vande Boom and Mike Hahn of Marathon and Cody Miller and Jake Skroch of Stratford all earned honorable mention all-conference honors.
