Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

A turnaround season for the ages is now producing postseason prizes for the Solon.

Solon tripled its win total from a year ago, going from 7-15 to 21-3 and went from two WAMAC East Division wins last season to a 9-1 mark and East Division title this season.

The payout came on Tuesday as Solon doubled its number of WAMAC All-Division selections from last season with six players being honored earn all-division honors when the league announced its postseason awards.

Senior David Bluder was a unanimous first-team All-East Division pick highlighting six Spartans named to the East Division teams.

A three-time all-division honoree, Bluder earned first-team honors for the first time after leading the Spartans in scoring at 14.8 points per game.

Senior Ben Cusick and junior Kinnick Pusteoska were both second-team East Division selections.

An honorable mention pick last season, Cusick averaged 10.4 points and a team-high 6.3 rebounds for the Spartans while Pusteoska averaged 9 points and 4.5 rebounds per game while shooting 65 percent from the field.

Senior guards Will Noonan and Carson Shive were both honorable mention honorees.

Shive earned honorable mention status for the second consecutive season after averaging 9.7 points, 3 assists and 2.5 rebounds while game while shooting 48 percent from 3-point range.

Noonan was a first-time all-division honoree after averaging 6 points and leading the Spartans with 4 assists and 2 steals per game.

Mount Vernon senior guard Keaton Kutcher was named East Division player of the year after leading all WAMAC players with 22.6 points per game.

WAMAC All-Division Basketball Teams

East Division

First Team – *Brayson Laube, Soph., Marion; *Keaton Kutcher, Sr., Mount Vernon; *Jayden Meeker, Sr., Mount Vernon; *David Bluder, Sr., Solon; *Kyle Kelley, Sr., West Delaware; Mason White, Sr., Dyersville Beckman; Caiden Atienza, Sr., Maquoketa

Second Team – Jack Gehling, Sr., Dyersville Beckman; Padraig Gallagher, Soph., Dyersville Beckman; Gage Franck, Sr., Marion; Collin Swantz, Sr., Mount Vernon; Ben Cusick, Sr., Solon; Kinnick Pusteoska, Jr., Solon; Blake DeMoss, Jr., West Delaware

Honorable Mention – Jacob Hermsen, Sr., Dyersville Beckman; Logan Goedken, Jr., Dyersville Beckman; Brady Digmann, Sr., Maquoketa; Connor Becker, Sr., Maquoketa; Cael Hodges, Jr., Marion; Garrett Wagner, Sr., Marion; Carson Shive, Sr., Solon; Will Noonan, Sr., Solon; Logan Woellert, Sr., West Delaware; Eric Salow, Sr., West Delaware

Player of the year – Keaton Kutcher, Sr., Mount Vernon

West Division

First Team – *Christian Withrow, Sr., Clear Creek Amana; *Mike Potter, Sr., Clear Creek Amana; *Michael Kascel, Jr., Independence; Ryan Navara, Sr., Clear Creek Amana; CJ Rickels, Sr., Vinton-Shellsburg; Levi Weldon, Sr., Williamsburg; Trey Johannes, Sr., Center Point-Urbana

Second Team – Kyle Schrepfer, Jr., Clear Creek Amana; Brock Reade, Sr., Clear Creek Amana; Ethan Rollinger, Sr., Vinton-Shellsburg; Jake Weber, Jr., Williamsburg; Keegan Koppedreyer, Sr., Center Point-Urbana; Aiden Harris, Jr., Benton Community; Eli Keahna, Sr., South Tama

Honorable Mention – Colin Buch, Jr., Benton Community; Blake Daugherty, Soph., Benton Community; Gabe Hansen, Jr., Center Point-Urbana; Joey Metzen, Sr., Center Point-Urbana; Ben Swails, Jr., Clear Creek Amana; Daniel Brock, Jr., Independence; Sawyer Wendling, Jr., Independence; Lance Davenport, Jr., South Tama; Kenny Balderas, Jr., South Tama; David Lapan-Islas, Sr., Vinton-Shellsburg; Ryan Moore, Sr., Vinton-Shellsburg; Will DeSmet, Jr., Williamsburg; John Steinmetz, Sr., Williamsburg

Player of the Year – Christian Withrow, Sr., Clear Creek Amana

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