City High

Coach: Bill McTaggart (1^st season)

Assistant coaches: Nate Hutchinson, Tony Giannotti, Kurt Vitense, Mitch Moore

Last season: 6-16

Returning starters: Parker Sutherland, 6-6, Sr.

Other returning letterwinners: Davion Luckett, 5-7, Jr.

Newcomers to watch: Jaxton Schroeder, 6-5, Sr.

Top returning scorers: Parker Sutherland 4.3; Davion Luckett 2.6

Top returning rebounders: Parker Sutherland 5.9; Davion Luckett 1.1

Headliner: Senior forward Parker Sutherland is the top returning scorer and rebounder for the Little Hawks and should see his numbers soar this season as he takes on an even larger role in the City High lineup. The 6-foot-6 Sutherland averaged 4.3 points and 5.9 rebounds per game a year ago.

Keep an eye on: Junior guard Davion Luckett got a taste of varsity action last season as a sophomore averaging 2.6 points 1.4 assists and 1.1 rebounds per game but like Sutherland will be expected to play a much larger role this season.

Circle the date: December 12 vs. Liberty High. The Little Hawks host cross-town rival Liberty High in the first of two regular season matchups between the two teams. Liberty has won five in a row over the Little Hawks including a one-point victory in the most recent meeting last year at Liberty High.

Breakdown: Long-time City High girls coach Bill McTaggart takes the reigns of the boys program as City High looks to improve on a six-win season from a year ago.

City High returns just two players with significant playing experience from a year ago in senior Parker Sutherland and junior Davion Luckett so there will be plenty of new faces for the Little Hawks this season.

The City High roster is filled with multi-sport athletes so the Little Hawks will have athleticism and McTaggart pointed to standout baseball player Jaxton Schroeder as a newcomer to keep an eye on this season.

City High will look to get off to a strong start as it travels to Ottumwa for its opener before hosting Ames (17-7 last season).

The Little Hawks also have road trips to 3A teams Cedar Rapids Xavier and Marion and Muscatine in the opening two weeks of the season.

West High

Coach: Steve Bergman (35^th season)

Assistant coaches: Ryan Lee

Last season: 19-4

Returning starters: Jack McCaffery, 6-8, Sr.; Julian Manson, 6-4, Jr.

Other returning letterwinners: Mason Goering, 6-6, Jr.; Jack Wallace, 6-3, Sr.

Newcomers to watch: Kingston Swayzer, 6-1, Soph.; Henry Elser, 6-1, Jr.; Ethan Headings, 6-2, Jr.

Top returning scorers: Jack McCaffery 16.2; Julian Manson 8.8; Mason Goering 4.7

Top returning rebounders: Jack McCaffery 6.7; Julian Manson 4.2; Mason Goering 3.8

Headliner: Senior forward Jack McCaffery is among the best players in the state and the Butler signee will look to put an exclamation point on a stellar career with a big senior season. McCaffery averaged a team-high 16.2 points, 6.7 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.9 blocked shots per game last season on his way to earning all-state honors.

Keep an eye on: Junior forward Julian Manson is already a two-year starter and is coming off the best season of his career last winter when he averaged 8.8 points, 4.2 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game while shooting 53 percent from the floor.

Circle the date: February 11 at Cedar Rapids Kennedy. Two of the best in the Mississippi Valley Conference meet late in the season in Cedar Rapids. The Cougars have won the last four meetings in the series including a 71-57 victory last season at West High.

Breakdown: West High is coming off its best season since 2020, winning 19 games and advancing to the 4A substate title game a year ago.

The Trojans return a pair of starters from that squad in senior Jack McCaffery and junior Julian Manson and will to build on the momentum of last season’s success.

McCaffery and Manson lead the way but West High has talent around the two returning front court starters.

Junior Mason Goering returns after averaging 4.7 points and 3.8 rebounds per game last season while shooting 64 percent from the floor.

Senior Jack Wallace averaged 1.8 points and 16 rebounds per game last season and shot 60 percent from the floor.

Look for junior guards Henry Elser and Ethan Headings to step into key roles this season along with sophomore City High transfer Kingston Swayzer.

Liberty High

Coach: Ryan Kelly (4^th season)

Assistant coaches: Luke Posivio, Seth Schroeder

Last season: 11-12

Returning starters: Maddoc Coapstick, 5-9, Sr.; Jerimiah Washpun, 5-11, Soph.

Other returning letterwinners: Collin Decker, 6-3, Sr.

Newcomers to watch: Jake Stapleton, 6-2, Jr.; Logan Laubenthal, 5-10, Jr.; Jordan Schroeder, 5-11, Jr.; Keyshawn Wyldon, 5-11, Jr.; Cale Baldwin, 6-4, Jr.; Rylen Schweitzer, 6-0, Jr.; Quay’Shon Harrington, 6-3, Jr.; Brady Randall, 6-3, Soph.

Top returning scorers: Jerimiah Washpun 7.6; Maddoc Coapstick 7; Collin Decker 1.9

Top returning rebounders: Jerimiah Washpun 2.5; Maddoc Coapstick 2.3; Collin Decker 1.1

Headliner: Senior guard Maddoc Coapstick is a three-year varsity player and two-year starter that is coming off the best season of his career. Coapstick averaged 7 points, 2.3 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game last season while shooting 38 percent from 3-point range.

Keep an eye on: Sophomore Jerimiah Washpun is a rising star and should be in for a breakthrough season after an impressive freshman campaign a year ago. The 5-foot-11 Washpun averaged 7.6 points, 2.5 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game last season while shooting 42 percent from the field including 34 percent from 3-point range.

Circle the date: December 5 against Davenport Central. After graduating 13 seniors from last season the Lightning will look different this season. The new-look Lightning will try to get off to a strong start against a Davenport Central squad that won 10 games last season.

Breakdown: Liberty High will look to build on the momentum of last season when the Lightning set a program record for single season wins with 11.

The Lightning lost 13 seniors from last years team including its top scorer and rebound but bring back a talented back court in senior Maddoc Coapstick and sophomore Jerimiah Washpun that will look to lead the way.

Senior Collin Decker returns after averaging 1.9 points and 1.1 rebounds per game last season in limited minutes and will look to take on a much larger role in the paint this season.

Fourth-year head coach Ryan Kelly will look for a number of newcomers to step into the lineup this season including Burlington transfer Keyshawn Wyldon who averaged 5 points and 3 rebounds per game for the Grayhounds last season.

Liberty High faces a challenging schedule with pre-holiday road trips to City High, Dubuque Hempstead and Linn-Mar around home games with Davenport Central, Clear Creek Amana and Ankeny Centennial.

Clear Creek Amana

Coach: Brandon Clubb (8^th season)

Assistant coaches: Mark Stern, Carol Russell, Chuck Wolfe, Trey McAleer

Last season: 16-7

Returning starters: Andrew Rotzoll, 6-2, Sr.; Brock Hilsman, 6-0, Sr.; Cale Berry, 6-2, Sr.; Robert Meade, 6-5, Sr.; Brody Clubb, 6-4, Sr.

Other returning letterwinners: Ethan Vice, 6-0, Jr.; Owen Rosenberg, 6-2, Sr.

Newcomers to watch: Hayden Umoren, 6-6, Sr.

Top returning scorers: Andrew Rotzoll 16.5; Robert Meade 8.9; Cale Berry 8.5

Top returning rebounders: Robert Meade 5.2; Brody Clubb 5.2; Cale Berry 3.9

Headliner: Senior guard Andrew Rotzoll is coming off a breakthrough junior season in which he earned first-team all-WAMAC West Division honors after leading the Clippers in scoring at 16.5 points per game. Rotzoll shot 43 percent from 3-point range and had a team-high 59 3-pointers last season to go with 2.1 assists and 1.6 steals per game.

Keep an eye on: Senior Robert Meade stepped up last season in his first year in the starting lineup averaging 8.9 points and 5.2 rebounds per game while earning second-team all-WAMAC West Division honors. Look for the 6-foot-5 Meade to be even better this season with a year of experience under his belt.

Circle the date: December 10 at Cedar Rapids Kennedy. Three of the first four games for the Clippers are against Class 4A opponents and none will be more challenging than a trip to face the defending 4A runner-up Cougars. What better way for an experienced CCA team to see where it stands early in the season than by facing one of the state’s best teams?

Breakdown: Clear Creek Amana bounced back from a five-win season in 2022-2023 with a 16-7 mark a year ago and has its sights set on even bigger things this season.

The Clippers return five seniors all with multiple years of starting experience to lead a roster filled with talent and experience.

Senior guards Andrew Rotzoll, Brock Hilsman and Cale Berry are all three-year starters and give the Clippers one of the best backcourts in Class 3A.

Rotzoll averaged a team-high 16.5 points per game last season while Hilsman averaged 6.6 points and 2.7 assists and Berry averaged 8.5 points and 3.9 rebounds per game.

Senior post Brody Clubb is a four-year starter and averaged 7.7 points and 5.2 rebounds in 10 games last season after returning from injury.

Clubb joins senior Robert Meade in the paint after Meade averaged 8.9 points and 5.2 boards a game last season.

The Clippers also return junior Ethan Vice (5.6 points, 2.1 rebounds) and senior Owen Rosenberg who was injured most of last season.

Clear Creek Amana also expects to get a boost from the addition of 6-foot-6 West High transfer Hayden Umoren.

Solon

Coach: Jared Galpin (5^th season)

Assistant coaches: John Harris, Lee Cusick, Sam Zoske

Last season: 21-2

Returning starters: None

Other returning letterwinners: Caleb Bock, 6-0, Sr.; Nolan Seagren, 5-8, Sr.; Isaiah Zoske, 6-1, Sr.; Jackson Link, 6-2, Sr.

Top returning scorers: Caleb Bock 6.1; Jackson Link 2.9; Isaiah Zoske 2.2

Top returning rebounders: Caleb Bock 2.5; Jackson Link 1.4; Nolan Seagren 1.0

Headliner: Senior Caleb Bock showed flashes of impressive potential in his time in the lineup last season averaging 6.1 points and 2.5 rebounds per game while shooting 63 percent from the floor. Look for Bock to take a big step forward this season in an increased role.

Keep an eye on: Senior Jackson Link is another Solon player that got a glimpse of varsity action last season and will look to take their game to another level in extended minutes this season. Link averaged 2.9 points and 1.4 rebounds per game as a junior and shot 38 percent from 3-point range.

Circle the date: December 6 against Clear Creek Amana. Solon will get an early test when it hosts a Clipper team that returns all five starters from a 16-win team a year ago. Solon defeated Clear Creek Amana 58-46 last season in Tiffin.

Breakdown: It will be a new look Solon squad this winter as the Spartans graduated five senior starters including four that averaged double figure points last season.

Seniors Jackson Link, Caleb Bock, Isaiah Zoske and Nolan Seagren all saw limited action last season and are poised to step into larger roles this year.

Zoske averaged 2.2 points per game and shot 35 percent from 3-point range last season and Seagren averaged .7 points and 1 rebound per game a year ago.

The Spartans open the season with consecutive home games against Maquoketa (14-9 last season) and Clear Creek Amana before a road trip to Grinnell (16-8).

A strong start would be key for the Spartans who travel to WAMAC East Division foes Mount Vernon and Center Point-Urbana before the holiday break.

West Branch

Coach: Jason Kern (7^th season)

Assistant coaches: Kaleb Duwa, Cooper Kabela, Grant Meth

Last season: 17-7

Returning starters: Brennen Dale, 6-0, Jr.; Jayden Harris, 5-10, Jr.

Other returning letterwinners: Nate Hills, 6-2, Sr.

Newcomers to watch: Brandon Pickett, 6-2, Sr.; Brandon Pedersen, 6-2, Jr.; Lincoln Naber, 6-2, Jr.; Ethan Miller, 5-10, Sr.; Grayson Johnson, 6-2, Jr.

Top returning scorers: Brennen Dale 6.3; Nathan Hills 4.7; Jayden Harris 4.6

Top returning rebounders: Brennen Dale 3.6; Lincoln Naber 1.5; Jayden Harris 1.4

Headliner: Junior guard Brennen Dale made an immediate impact last season in his first year in the West Branch lineup averaging 6.3 points, 3.6 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 2.2 steals per game. Look for Dale to take on a larger scoring role this season as the Bears must replace their top two scorers from a season ago.

Keep an eye on: Junior guard Jayden Harris averaged 4.6 points and 1.4 rebounds per game in the first extended action of his career last winter. This year Harris will look to take a big step forward as he becomes a key part of the West Branch lineup.

Circle the date: December 31 vs. Regina. It’s always a battle when these two River Valley Conference South Division rivals hook up and there could be conferment title implications when the two meet for the second time this season in West Branch.

Breakdown: West Branch must replace a pair of standout seniors from last season in Holden Arnaman and Reese Trepanier who accounted for nearly 62 percent of the Bears’ scoring last season.

Junior guards Brennen Dale and Jayden Harris both return with starting experience and form an excellent back court combo capable of leading the way.

Senior Nate Hills returns after averaging 4.6 points per game last season when he shot 32 percent from 3-point range and made 24 3-pointers.

Seventh-year head coach Jason Kern will look for seniors Brandon Pickett and Ethan Miller and juniors Brandon Pedersen, Grayson Johnson and Lincoln Naber to all take on larger roles this season.

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