BY JACK BULLOCK
These Yellow Jackets have experience going for them as they head into their season, especially in the backcourt.

Head coach Conrad Widdersheim has his point guard returning, who was also the team's top scorer.

Joey Range, a 6-foot-2 senior, recovered from a torn ACL his sophomore season to score 16.7 points a game last season.

Five-foot-eleven senior Dylan Boone added nine points a night last season for New Athens and Coach Widdersheim thinks he will be even better in 2019-20.

Forward Noah Lintker, a 6-foot-2 senior, made it to the finals of the 3-point showdown at Peoria last season as he finished second.

Owen Whitworth is a 5-foot-10 senior who returns.

Lintker and Whitworth averaged right at four points a game each last season.

To round out the rest of our upperclassmen NA has 5-foot-9 senior guard Richie Mazariego-Mejia, 6-foot-2 junior forward Alex Patton, 5-foot-9 junior guard Mason Page, 6-foot-1 junior center Ryan Juenger and 5-foot-10 junior guard Alex Casey.

We have a fair amount of talent down in our sophomore and freshmen groups.

“I can’t wait until practice starts to see which of those underclassmen have the heart and determination to make the varsity team,” said Coach Widdersheim. “I wouldn’t even be surprised if a couple of them earn playing time at that level.”

“This team should shape up to be the best team I have coached and the best team New Athens has had in quite a few years. This is my fourth year here so these seniors have been with my program since Day-1. They are a great group of kids that have been very coach-able and work really hard. I think people may still look at us as underdogs and I’m totally alright with that. In fact, if we could take that underdog mentality which is to play without pressure and believe that our success will stem from out-working the other team then I’m all for it,” added Coach Widdersheim. “We should be able to do a little bit of everything this year. I think we have the ability to shoot the “3” and get to the basket. I also see us being able to play a number of defenses. Range should be one of the better players in the area. He’s obviously going to be needed to score a bunch but he’s also a great rebounder and will be up there in assists. Lintker, Boone and Patton are all big threats from deep. I’ve said this every year, but it’s the most important for this year’s team; if we can commit as a whole team to playing the hardest, fastest and strongest form of defense we can possibly play then this team will reach a new level. I think this is going to be a very fun season and I think the whole team is looking forward to it.”

OUTLOOK – Coach Widdersheim is very much looking forward to this year's club hitting the floor. They have won back-to-back consolation titles at the Christopher Thanksgiving Tournament and he would like to see how things are on the other side of the bracket this season. Range has been a special player for this program and he has enough help to perhaps challenge the top teams in the Kaskaskia Division before the season concludes.

N25-30 Christopher Turkey Tournament
Enrollment: 164 (1A)
D3 Father McGivney
Conference: Cahokia Kaskaskia
D6 @ Dupo
Colors: Purple/Gold
D7 Patoka Shootout
Head Coach: Conrad Widdersheim
D10 @ Waterloo Gibault
2018-19 Won/Loss Record: 10-17
D13 Valmeyer
State Tournament Result:
D17 @ Trico
Lost to Lovejoy, 62-45
D20 @ Lebanon
@ 1A Marissa Regional.
D26-30 Sesser-Valier Holiday Tournament
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J4 Elverado Shootout
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J7 Freeburg
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J10 Marissa/Coulterville
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J13-18 Chester Invitational Tournament
a
J24 Dupo
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J28 @ Red Bud
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J31 @ Steeleville 1
F4 @ Valmeyer
a
F7 Lebanon
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F11 @ Okawville
a
F14 @ Marissa/Coulterville a
F18 Red Bud a
F21 Steeleville a
F24-28 IHSA Regional TBD a