Solon Senior Benzing Named WAMAC East Division Player of the Year
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Following an impressive regular season that included a 20-1 record, an 18-game winning streak and WAMAC East Division title Solon has begun to rake in the postseason awards.
Senior Jake Benzing was named WAMAC East Division player of the year to highlight six Spartans that earned all-division recognition when the conference released its postseason awards on Tuesday.
Benzing joined senior Vince Steinbrech as unanimous first-team picks in the East Division while senior Gehrig Turner also earned first-team all-East Division honors.
Senior guard Rylen Stiegelmeyer was a second-team pick in the East Division and seniors Brett White and Austin Knight each earned honorable mention honors.
Benzing led Solon with 17.3 points per game while shooting 47 percent from the field, including 37 percent from the 3-point line, and 81 percent from the free throw line.
The 6-foot-3 Benzing also averaged 4.8 rebounds, 2 assists and 1.2 steals per game on his way to being a unanimous first-team East Division pick.
Steinbrech also earned unanimous first-team honors after averaging 14.4 points while leading the Spartans in rebounds (5.7), assists (3) and steals (2.5).
Turner was a first team pick in the East Division after averaging 10.5 points, 3.7 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.5 steals per game.
Stiegelmeyer earned second-team honors after averaging 11.2 points, 2.7 assists and 2.3 rebounds per game while shooting 36 percent from 3-point range.
Clear Creek Amana had five players earn all-West Division honors after winning the West Division title with a 9-1 record in West Division play.
Senior Haiden Hardy and junior Andrew Rotzoll were each unanimous first-team all-West Division selections.
Hardy ranked second on team with 14.3 points and 1.7 steals per game and led the Clippers with 5.8 rebounds and 4.7 assists per game from his point guard spot.
Rotzoll averaged a team-leading 16.5 points per game while shooting 43 percent from 3-point range and 80 percent from the free throw line.
Rotzoll also averaged 2.7 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.6 steals per game.
Junior Robert Meade was named to the West Division second team after averaging 8.9 points and 5.2 rebounds per game.
Juniors Cale Berry and Brock Hilsman each earned honorable mention honors in the West Division.
WAMAC Boys Basketball All-Division Teams
East Division
First team – *Jake Benzing, Sr., Solon; *Vince Steinbrech, Sr., Solon; Gehrig Turner, Sr., Solon; *Kylar Whitman, Sr., Marion; *Austin Goodrich, Jr., Marion; *Jackson Kutcher, Sr., Mount Vernon; Josh Beatty, Sr., Independence
Second team – Rylen Stiegelmeyer, Sr., Solon; Jordan Fischer, Sr., Marion; Cooper Grimm, Soph., Center Point-Urbana; Joey Rhomberg, Sr., Mount Vernon; Josef Briesemeister, Jr., Mount Vernon; Jake Beatty, Sr., Independence; Griffin Lott, Jr., West Delaware
Honorable mention – Hunter Holmes, Sr., Center Point-Urbana; Jackson Brincks, Jr., Center Point-Urbana; Cameron Dunbar, Sr., Independence; Crayton Iversen, Jr., Independence; Grayson Kirsch, Jr., Marion; Josh Noll, Sr., Marion; Kellen Haverback, Soph., Mount Vernon; Cooper Parks, Sr., Mount Vernon; Austin Knight, Sr., Solon; Brett White, Sr., Solon; Conrad Smith, Sr., West Delaware; Seth Jackson, Jr., West Delaware
Player of the year – Jake Benzing, Sr., Solon
West Division
First team – *Derek Weisskopf, Sr., Williamsburg; Kellen Cockrell, Sr., Williamsburg; *Ryan McIlrath, Jr., Grinnell; *Cole Blackford, Sr., Grinnell; *Haiden Hardy, Sr., Clear Creek Amana; *Andrew Rotzoll, Jr., Clear Creek Amana; Quincy Gilbert, Sr., Benton Community
Second team – Jacoby Johnson, Soph., Vinton-Shellsburg; Cade Rosenberger, Sr., South Tama; Tommy Tyynismaa, Sr., South Tama; Grant Hocker, Jr., Williamsburg; Carson Penyich, Sr., Grinnell; Derek Doty, Jr., Grinnell; Robert Meade, Jr., Clear Creek Amana
Honorable mention – Gavin Brooks, Jr., Benton Community; Kolby Wenger, Sr., Benton Community; Cale Berry, Jr., Clear Creek Amana; Brock Hilsman, Jr., Clear Creek Amana; Jack Hoopes, Jr., Grinnell; Braden Johnson, Sr., Grinnell; Danie Wiese, Sr., South Tama; Emerson Bridgewater, Fr., South Tama; Cade Sutton, Fr., Vinton-Shellsburg; Keyten Grimm, Jr., Vinton-Shellsburg; Braden Plotz, Sr., Williamsburg; Simeon Armbrecht, Sr., Williamsburg
Player of the year – Derek Weisskopf, Sr., Williamsburg
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