Centerville expected to be area’s big dog

When the Centerville Bulldogs walked off the floor last March after a heartbreaking six-point loss to Parke Heritage in the Martinsville regional championship game, they did not spend any time honoring their seniors. They did not have any. Instead, they promised each other that they would work hard to return to the regional, and perhaps beyond, in 2026. Entering this season, they have the potential to be one of the best 2A teams in the state. 

Centerville 

Head coach Brian Keiser, in his fourth year at the helm, has built a powerhouse program. The Bulldogs are in the process of transitioning to a new conference beginning in the 2027-28 season. Before they leave the Tri-Eastern Conference, they would like to win the league title and make a deep tournament run.

Nine members of the tournament roster return from last year and will be joined by Quenten Lopeman, a transfer student who was a member of the Richmond basketball team last season. Defending the Bulldogs will be a nightmare for opposing defenses.

Everyone they put on the floor is a scoring threat. The lineup might change from night to night, depending on the opponent, to give the Bulldogs better matchup advantages.

Senior Shea Hollendonner (15.0 ppg) missed most of last season with an injury but he returned for the final 10 games of the season and helped his team win the sectional. He enters this season with more than 1,100 career points. Fellow seniors Landyn Keiser (12.6 ppg) and Ethan Vecera (7.0 ppg) are also four year starters.

Sophomores Jace Hollendonner (10.5 ppg) and Coltyn Keiser are also expected to be key contributors. Jace Hollendonner started every game as a freshman and Coltyn Keiser, the team’s best shooter, earned more playing time as the season progressed.

Senior Keith Plyley Jr. is a good shooter and defender, and 6-foot-5 senior Kaden McCord gives the team size. Junior Bryson Brown is a skywalker who can get to the rim. Junior Landen Schlotterbeck is also a capable scorer. In his first varsity start last season, he exploded for 11 points in the first quarter.

Coach Keiser calls this team the deepest he has ever coached. He plans to speed up opposing teams with full-court defensive pressure and to push the ball on offense. The Bulldogs have a challenging schedule. They open their season with a road game at Eastern Hancock on Wednesday, Nov. 26, before returning home to host Seton Catholic on Saturday, Nov. 29. They also have a rematch scheduled with Parke Heritage on a neutral floor at Southport on Saturday, Dec. 13, and they have four games scheduled with 4A schools. 

Lincoln

Rodney Klein returns for his 15th year as the head coach at Lincoln. After winning 12 games a season ago, the Eagle roster Klein will have to work with has changed dramatically. Leading scorer Aidan Munchel (21.9 ppg), versatile three-year starters Evan Stuckey and Oliver Webb, and key reserves Carson Hawk and Clayton Vickers all graduated. Three other players who saw significant minutes last season, and who Klein expected to be among this year’s team leaders, transferred to other schools. 

The Eagles do have some size with a pair of 6-foot-4-inch seniors in Ben Bates and Dustin Lunsford. Lunsford, a starter since his freshman season and the unquestioned team leader, averaged 12 points per game and 4 rebounds last year and can play any position. Bates’ role is expected to increase from a season ago and will help the Eagles establish a presence in the paint. Seniors Braxton Dick and Cayden Ripberger are the only other players with varsity experience returning, and both will be a big part of the Eagles` plans.

In addition to his four seniors, Klein will be looking for help from young talent, most of which played JV last season. Sophomore Trevor Zaphe is a long-range shooter who can stretch opposing defenses, and sophomore Caden Alvarez brings quickness and strength. Gage Collins, Johnny Fugate, Keaton Gray and Dustin Irwin round out the roster. The Eagles will open regular-season play on Monday, Nov. 24, when they host GEO Next Generation before traveling to Gaston on Wednesday, Nov. 26, for a game with Wes-Del. 

Hagerstown 

Tyler Stotler is the new coach at Hagerstown, replacing Mark Doerstler, who resigned at the end of last season, but he has lived in the Hagerstown community for several years. Stotler served as the varsity assistant at Hagerstown under then-head coach Bobby Jones before leaving to become the head coach at Daleville beginning in the 2017-18 season. After four seasons with the Broncos, Stotler became the head coach at Tri High, where he compiled a record of 56-34 in four seasons, including back-to-back 16-win seasons. Stotler also served as the athletic director at Tri last season.

Stotler will take over a team that is very young overall. The team only has three seniors: Jonny Howard, Braydon Sanders and Isaac Schmitz. Stotler will be looking to the trio for team leadership. Howard transferred to Hagerstown from Shenandoah last season and was limited to JV play by the Indiana High School Athletic Association rules then in place. Howard was a varsity player for the Raiders as a freshman and sophomore and is a vocal leader who can score in bunches. Schmitz, who is expected to increase his scoring (7.6 ppg), has been a starter since his freshman season and impacts the game on both ends of the floor. Sanders, who saw varsity minutes a season ago, will increase the Tigers’ depth.

Everyone else on the roster is an underclassman. Sophomore Jayke Troutwine, who started every game last year as a freshman and averaged nine points per game, is bigger and stronger and is expected to have a breakout year. Kaden Hall and Graham Vinson also logged considerable minutes last season as freshmen and both return. Vinson will likely be the point guard. Hall is a hardcore defender who can score.

Juniors Ronin Dickey and Ben Hokey will be in the mix. Juniors Elijah French, a 6-foot-5 transfer from Lincoln and muscular Cale Schmitz, a football lineman, also figure prominently in the Tigers’ plans. Freshman Lincoln Small will round out the 11-member squad.

It won’t take long for coach Stotler to test the mettle of his team, which he calls the most talented he has ever coached. The Tigers will play five of their first six games on the road. The Tigers open their season on Tuesday, Nov. 25, at Franklin County; they will travel to the Tiernan Center the next night for a game with the Richmond Red Devils before hosting Cowan on Saturday, Nov. 29. 

Northeastern 

Brent Ross, entering his 17th year as the head coach at Northeastern, has assembled an impressive record, winning 284 games and seven sectional titles. Only 12 schools in Indiana have accumulated more wins in the last 10 seasons; only 10 schools over the last five years and only four schools had more wins than Ross’s Knight program last season.

For that trend to continue, it might take the best coaching job of Ross’s career. After winning 24 games last season, including the county tournament and the Tri-Eastern Conference, Northeastern graduated their top four scorers, Noah Payne (15.5 ppg), Sam White (11.8 ppg), Landon Scarrette (11.3) and Tre Vanlandingham (11.3 ppg). 

The challenge to the Northeastern long-standing philosophy of “next man up” will be difficult, but the aggressive defensive and rebounding principals return. Kaleb Moore (4.2 ppg), Logan Seal (3.0 ppg) and Marshall Phillips (2.2 ppg) are the top returning scorers.

The Knights will have size with Cooper Cline and Nic Markward, two 6-foot-5 seniors, and transfer student Luke Durbin, who was on the Richmond roster last season. Trent Deloney will provide speed and Brody Ross is expected to provide scoring help. The balance of the squad were JV players last season.

The Knights play a difficult schedule. The Knights will open at home on Wednesday, Nov. 26, when they host Seton Catholic. Their next four games are on the road. They travel to face Monroe Central on Saturday, Nov. 29; Centerville on Thursday, Dec. 4; South Adams on Saturday, Dec. 6, and complete their road tour on Friday, Dec. 12, at Eastern Hancock.

Richmond 

The Red Devils have a new head coach, but he is not new to the demands of being a head coach or to Richmond. Josh Jurgens, who built an impressive resume as the coach of the Seton Catholic Cardinals, is the new coach of the Red Devils. Jurgens won seven sectionals in 14 seasons at Seton Catholic, but he admits that the job he has always wanted was as the coach of the Richmond Red Devils.

Jurgens describes the transition as a “wild ride” since he accepted the position in September. But the “wild ride” has been smooth because the players have been accepting of Jurgens and his staff and have worked hard for them. Jurgens and his staff are currently working with 13 players to build the varsity and JV rosters as roles are being defined. 

It is likely that the Red Devils will rely heavily on varsity returnees Treston Bennett, Eli Hubbard, Ty Phillips and Thomas Stargell. Tyrel Brown and Dom McKinley have also shown the ability to compete at the varsity level. There are four or five other players who can come off the bench and contribute.

Jurgens is also excited about the sophomores and freshmen who are talented and might also provide help. Jurgens is cautiously optimistic. “I am excited for this opportunity,” Jurgens said. “Our outlook is to show improvement all season as we prepare to build a team that can compete at the sectional level by year end. Hopefully, we will put a team on the floor that the community will be proud of.”

For the first time in several years the Red Devils have regular season games scheduled with Centerville, Hagerstown and Northeastern in the same season. The Red Devils will open their season by hosting Hagerstown on Wednesday, Nov. 26, at the Tiernan Center before traveling to Portland on Saturday, Nov. 29, for a game with Jay County.  

Seton Catholic

The Cardinals also have a new head coach. Josh Siedling will take over the program and will have the unenviable task of following a coach who won seven sectional titles during his 14-year tenure with the Cardinals.

Coach Siedling will have some experienced talent to work with, including two returning starters. Senior Jackson Feist, 6-foot-4 and 13.2 ppg, is an explosive scorer, and Tyson Tremain is the versatile floor general. Tremain averaged 8.7 points,  5.3 rebounds and 4.4 assists last season.  Sophomore Collin Murray (2.7 ppg) and junior Gavin Killion appeared in 22 varsity games last season, and junior Ethan Nisewonder appeared in 17 varsity games. Noah Allen and Nate Grujoski, who were JV players a season ago, also return. Jake Himes, Sam Himes, Zach Robinson and Taeon Tate are new to the program. 

The Cardinals will be quickly challenged. They open regular-season play on Wednesday, Nov. 26, with a trip to Northeastern. They travel to Centerville on Saturday, Nov. 29, to face the Bulldogs and have a game with Hagerstown to be played on Tuesday, Dec. 2, on the campus of Earlham College.