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Familiar faces, new style take the court for Mitchell boys basketball in 2022-23

Landon Dierks, The Daily Republic, Mitchell, S.D.
·4 min read

Dec. 6—MITCHELL — Comparing the Mitchell High School boys basketball team from last season to the squad that will take the court in 2022-23, head coach Ryker Kreutzfeldt had a hard time thinking of many similarities.

While the Kernels return many key contributors, enhanced depth has brought about a shift in the way they want to approach the game on both ends of the floor. As such, Kreutzfeldt expects a new-look on-court product fueled by familiar faces as his team chases a third-straight Class AA state tournament berth.

"We need to be a team that's playing in the state tournament," Kreutzfeldt said. "That's the expectation outside both within the team and outside of it, and we think we've got the guys to accomplish that goal."

To start the season, Mitchell has 11 players on its varsity roster — seven seniors, two juniors, one sophomore and one freshman — and Kreutzfeldt expects all 11 to be able to contribute if and when they are called upon, a luxury the Kernels did not have in 2021-22.

In a decision driven by that roster depth, Mitchell's aim is to play in transition as much as possible on offense and ramp up the ball pressure on defense.

"Our depth was probably our biggest weakness last year, and it showed in the state tournament," Kreutzfeldt said. "Playing faster, we're going to have to play more guys, and that wasn't an option last year. But this year we have a lot of guys who can play, and that's going to be big for us."

It'll be a new chapter for Mitchell basketball in more ways than just the shift in offensive and defensive philosophy, too, with the Kernels entering their first season in the post-Caden Hinker era. The two-time first-team all-state selection accounted for more than 22 points and nearly 10 rebounds per outing last season, and the Kernels will look to a quartet of senior starters to help offset that loss.

Guards Aiden Myers and Dylan Soulek and forwards Charlie McCardle and Steele Morgan were regulars in the Mitchell starting five to close 2021-22 and highlight the Kernels' returners. All four will be looked to both for the calming presence and output they bring as the most experienced members of the Mitchell roster.

Last season, Morgan averaged 11.2 points and eight rebounds per game and was an all-Eastern South Dakota Conference selection. Soulek was second on the team with 11.9 points and three assists per game to go with 3.7 rebounds and a team-best 1.3 steals. McCardle put up 7.8 points and 4.8 rebounds per game, while Myers assumed starting point guard responsibilities midway through the season.

As for the fifth starter and prominent bench roles, Kreutzfeldt maintains that there is a place for everyone, and an important component of the Kernels reaching their goals will be every player embracing their role as Mitchell looks to maximize its rotation. Rounding out the 11-player varsity mix are guards Markus Talley, Gavyn Erickson, Jackson Childs, Peyton Mandel and Gavin Soukup with forwards Colton Smith and A.J. Siemsen.

"We have so many different weapons," Kreutzfeldt said. "We can put a lot of shooters on the floor, we have posts who can score down low. There are guys to fit every key role we might need throughout the year."

That will be put to the test early, as Kreutzfeldt says the Kernels will "find out what we're made of" during a schedule front-loaded with away games.

Mitchell is set to play its first six games against South Dakota competition away from home, beginning with a rivalry game at Huron on Friday, Dec. 9. Also included during that stretch are trips to Watertown, Rapid City for a weekend doubleheader with Stevens and Central, preseason No. 2-ranked Harrisburg and Yankton. Two of the Kernels' final four road games are back-to-back fixtures at preseason No. 3 Sioux Falls Lincoln (Jan. 21) and No. 1 Sioux Falls Jefferson (Jan. 31).

The Kernels only home games prior to Jan. 10 are against Wyoming programs on Dec. 28 and 30 as part of the Hoop City Classic. On the flip side, Mitchell gets the benefit of being able to play eight of its final 12 games inside the Corn Palace, including dates with two-time defending class champion Sioux Falls Roosevelt (Jan. 17) and Sioux Falls Washington (Feb. 14) along with preseason No. 5 Pierre (Feb. 16) and No. 3 O'Gorman (Feb. 24).

Mitchell was not among the Class AA top five in the preseason South Dakota Prep Media poll, receiving a single vote toward the rankings behind the top five and other vote-getters Roosevelt and Washington. However, that's OK with Kreutzfeldt, who expected his team to start off under the radar.

"I think we'll be better than what everyone thinks and we'll surprise some teams," Kreutzfeldt said. "My guess is that the polls come out and we won't be rated very high or rated at all. That'd be great; I'd love that."