11/29/2012

Preview: Winfield Vikings



MEET THE TEAM
Winfield has been on the edge of becoming a good team the last three seasons under Lallemand, but one thing or another has kept the Vikings from earning a postseason berth. He's hoping this will be the breakthrough season as the Vikings return two of their best players in Landon Fox and Logan Mays to possibly the deepest team Lallemand has had in his time at Winfield.
Scoring has never been an issue in Lallemand's Dribble Drive offense, as the Vikings finished second in the league in scoring behind league champion Buhler last season. Winfield scored over 60 points eight times last season and should have a potent offense once again this season with Fox and Mays back to carry the load.
But Mays, the team's leading scorer, will likely be out until January with an injury. Until then, Winfield will have to find someone else to step up and fill that void. But the beauty of Lallemand's offense is that its an equal opportunity employer. Winfield was second in the league in scoring, yet had no one finish in the top 10 of individual scoring. That means Winfield is balanced and a overall unselfish team, which takes the burden off of any one player.
Once again this season will be determined by how the team's defense comes together. Winfield doesn't have much size or brute strength, but they do have some length that can cause problems. Locking down teams and winning games in the 50's will be crucial.
The balance of Winfield should keep it competitive this season, but overcoming the Mays injury in December will be difficult. In a league up for grabs at the top, the opportunity is there for Winfield to finally have a breakthrough season it desperately wants.

MEET THE CAST
#21 | LOGAN MAYS | WING | 6'1" | JUNIOR
Led the team in scoring as a sophomore, Mays has a knack for it on a team that will need someone to step up and score down the stretch in games. But he'll have to wait until at least January, as an injury will sideline him until then.
#05 | LANDON FOX | WING | 5'10" | SENIOR
The team's other returning starter is back for his senior season after being named second team all-league last year. Fox does a good job distributing the ball and getting everyone involved in the offense and has the ability to step up and score when needed.
#42 | TUCKER HOOVER | POST | 6'4" | SENIOR
A valuable piece down low for the Vikings, he'll see an increased role in his senior season as the anchor down low. He has good length and likes to play down in the blocks and should lead a defensive resurgence.
#12 | KENDYL GARD | WING | 6'1" | SENIOR
He doesn't have the size to go down and dominate in the blocks, but he has the attitude and scrappiness to get the job done by collecting enough loose balls and rebounds to keep possessions alive for the Vikings.
#15 | BRANDON ROLO | POINT | 5'7" | SENIOR
Will alternate with Fox at the point, but he has a nice handle of the offense and knows what Lallemand wants from his team. His size will probably force him into the ball handling role more than not.
#32 | SAM BERTHOLF | POST | 6'2" | JUNIOR
A post player that will see an increase in time this season down in the blocks for the Vikings. He's nursing a injury at the moment, but when healthy he'll be a valuable piece for Winfield.
#44 | JACOB DENNETT | POST | 6'4" | JUNIOR
Another lanky kid with a 6-4 frame that could be a disruptive force on the defensive end for the Vikings. He's still developing, but could play a big part in Winfield's rotation this season. 
#10 | WILL ADLER | WING | 6'1" | SOPHOMORE
An up-and-coming player on the wing, Adler will get the call on varsity this season for his shooting ability. As injuries have plagued Winfield early, he could see a large role in December.

FROM COACH LALLEMAND
"Our defense from the first 10 games last season was awful. A lot of that was because of our inexperience. So another year of experience should help. We have to get better defensively because I think we'll be okay on offense. We're going to be an unselfish group that is going to be a lot of fun watch play."

THE PREDICTION
Winfield will be looking to take the next step this season and has the opportunity to in a league in flux. But the schedule is tough before the break and injuries have begun to mount up for the Vikings. If they can survive that early stretch then they could very well be on their way to a winning season and a place around the top of the league standings.

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