CLINTON — In the final year of the Big East Conference, champion Preston took three of the eight first team all-conference spots.

“All three were very deserving,” Preston coach Dan Beck said. “It’s very rare to get three guys on. I was a little worried about putting all three up because they might split votes.”

Senior Colton Bormann and juniors Chase Zaruba and Logan Wilhelm represented the 15-1 Trojans on the first team, while Preston’s other two starters, Craiton Andresen and Colin Larson, were awarded second-team and honorable mention accolades, respectively.

“Those three certainly led us in scoring and in a lot of areas,” said Beck, who was named Coach of the Year. “But if they didn’t have the other two on the floor, Craiton and Colin, to get them the ball, it would have made their jobs a lot harder.”

Zaruba was the second-leading scorer in the Big East at 18.8 points a game, behind only Midland’s Kasey Lasack, who was named Player of the Year.

“Chase is a great athlete,” Beck said. “He has great quickness and great speed. He really shot the ball a lot better this year than last year. He can shoot the 3 and get penetration.”

Bormann, who graduates as Preston’s all-time leading scorer, was third in the Big East in scoring at 16.9 points a game and hit 58.8 percent of 3-pointers he took during conference play.

“Colton brought pretty much everything to the team,” Beck said. “He’s a great shooter from the floor and a great free-throw shooter. He was a great leader for us and one of the hardest workers I have ever coached.”

Wilhelm, who at 6-feet, 7-inches tall gave the Trojans a big inside presence, averaged 14.2 points and 6.8 rebounds a game in conference play. He led the Big East with 51 blocked shots.

“Logan can do just about anything with the ball he wants to do,” Beck said. “You don’t see many kids his size with his quickness and shooting ability. He’s also a natural shot blocker. I’m looking forward to him reaching his potential next year because his potential is off the charts.”

Marquette Catholic senior Isaac Sturm and Northeast senior Bo Lingle both made the first team after finishing fourth and fifth in scoring, respectively. Sturm averaged 15.9 points a game and was third in the league with 63 assists. Lingle averaged 15.4 points and 7.0 rebounds a game and was second in the Big East with 46 blocked shots.

Jake Janssen, a 6-8 senior from Calamus-Wheatland, earned first-team honors after averaging a double-double with 14.8 points and 12.4 rebounds a game.



ALL-BIG EAST CONFERENC

 BOYS BASKETBALL

First team

Colton Bormann, sr. (Preston); Seth Groth, sr. (Midland); Jake Janssen, sr. (Calamus-Wheatland); Kasey Lasack, sr., (Midland); Bo Lingle, sr. (Northeast); Isaac Sturm, sr., (Marquette Catholic); Logan Wilhelm, jr. (Preston); Chase Zaruba, jr. (Preston).

Second team

Justin Alden, sr. (Calamus-Wheatland); Craiton Andresen, jr. (Preston); Dalton Harms, jr. (Midland); Ben Hildebrandt, sr. (Northeast); Lucas Laufenberg, jr. (Prince of Peace); Danny Schroeder, sr. (Marquette Catholic); Austin Springsteen, sr. (Lisbon); Peyton Wolter, sr. (Bellevue).

Honorable mention

Hagan Ackley, jr. (Midland); Tanner Atkinson, so. (Camanche); Austin Bumann, sr. (Calamus-Wheatland); Will Hasken, fr. (Northeast); Jamie Kremer, sr. (Bellevue); Colin Larson, sr. (Preston); Warren Lewis, sr. (Prince of Peace); Brody Moore, sr. (Marquette Catholic); Tyler Svatosch, jr. (Lisbon).

Golden Award — Chase Dougherty, sr. (Lisbon)

Player of the Year — Lasack.

Coach of the Year — Dan Beck (Preston).

Final standings

    W    L

Preston    15    1

Northeast    12    4

Marquette Cath.    12    4

Midland    10    6

Camanche    7    9

Cal-Wheatland    6    10

Bellevue    6    10

Prince of Peace    2    14

Lisbon    2    14