Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

Last week West Branch locked up a second consecutive River Valley Conference South Division title with a road win at Mid-Prairie.

On Wednesday the Bears began to reap the rewards for its regular season success.

West Branch had five players earn all-conference honors and head coach Jason Kern was named South Division coach of the year when the River Valley Conference released its postseason honors.

Senior Jeff Bowie highlighted the all-conference selections for the Bears earning Elite Team honors for the first time.

The 6-foot-5 Bowie was selected to the 11-member Elite Team that honors the top players from the North and South Divisions after leading the Bears in scoring with 12.7 points per game and grabbing 6.2 rebounds per contest.

Senior forward Simon Palmer, senior guard Gavin Hierseman and junior guard Thomas Gould were all selected to the South Division squad for West Branch and freshman point guard Holden Arnaman was an honorable mention selection.

Palmer averages 12.3 points per game and leads the Bears with 7 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game.

Hierseman averages 9.2 points per game and is shooting a team-high 45 percent from 3-point range while Gould averages 10 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game.

Regina senior Ashton Cook led a trio of Regals to earn all-conference honors, earning Elite Team status for the second consecutive season.

Cook led all RVC players in scoring at 20.7 points per game and ranked fourth in the conference with 7.5 rebounds per game while helping the Regals to a 7-12 record.

Junior Coltrae Kerschen was named to the South Division team after averaging 11.6 points per game while shooting 40 percent from 3-point range.

Junior Charlie Crigger was an honorable mention selection for the Regals.

River Valley Conference Boys Basketball Teams

Elite Team – *Justin Recker, Sr., Monticello; *Jordan Lawrence, Sr., Camanche; *Carter Harmsen, Jr., Mid-Prairie; Luke Lambert, Sr., Monticello; Tate Petersen, Soph., Monticello; Jeff Bowie, Sr., West Branch; Ashton Cook, Sr., Regina; Zach Erwin, Jr., Camanche; Judd Swanton, Sr., Northeast; Caden Kirkman, Soph., Wilton; Sam Wilt, Jr,. Anamosa

North Team – Connor Lambert, Sr., Monticello; Ty Kehoe, Sr., Monticello; Preston Ries, Fr., Monticello; Andrew Morris, Sr., Anamosa; Zayne Feller, Sr., Camanche; Carter Pataska, Jr., Northeast; Cade Hughes, Jr., Northeast; Colby Sieverding, Jr., Bellevue; Eli Green, Sr., Cascade; Kael Unruh, Sr., North Cedar

North Division Coach of the Year – Tim Lambert, Monticello

South Team – Simon Palmer, Sr., West Branch; Nolan DeLong, Soph., Durant; Thomas Gould, Jr., West Branch; Gavin Hierseman, Sr., West Branch; Aidan Rath, Sr., Mid-Prairie; Jack Pennington, Jr., Mid-Prairie; Jackson Hull, Jr., Wilton; Coltrae Kerschen, Jr., Regina; Caleb Wulf, Jr., West Liberty; Kayden Rezac, Sr., Tipton.

South Division Coach of the Year – Jason Kern, West Branch

Honorable Mention – Gage Walshire, Sr., North Cedar; Trae Klatt, Sr., Anamosa; Hayden Lee, Jr., Northeast; Jackson McAleer, Sr., Cascade; Cole Heim, Jr., Bellevue; Mike Delzell, Jr., Camanche; Riley Manternach, Sr., Monticello; Charlie Crigger, Jr., Regina; Holden Arnaman, Fr., West Branch; Mason Nolte, Sr., Wilton; Koby Paulsen, Sr., Durant; Will Cavanagh, Jr., Mid-Prairie; Bob Ryan, Jr., Tipton

Did you enjoy this subscription free article? Help keep Your Prep Sports free by donating.