The Fennimore boys’ basketball season ended with a frustrating WIAA Division 4 regional semifinal loss to private school Onalaska Luther, but one loss can’t dampen an otherwise ultra successful season.
Coach Tom Needham’s Golden Eagles finished 19–4 overall and second in the loaded Southwest Wisconsin Activities League with an 11–3 mark in conference play.
Last week, four members of the team received postseason honors when the SWAL announced its 2017–18 all-conference team.
Senior Liam Kenney, junior Reid Larson and sophomore Kellen Kenney were among the 12 players named to the All-SWAL first-team.
Senior forward Dakota Govier received honorable mention for the Eagles.
Liam Kenney earned his second-straight first-team All-SWAL selection, averaging 14.7 points, 2.5 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 2.1 steals per game, while shooting 54.9 percent (140 of 255) from the field, 66.2 percent (47 of 71) from the free throw line and 34.3 percent (12 of 35) from beyond the 3-point arc.
Larson led the team in scoring at 18.8 points per game and also averaged 5.1 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 2.2 steals per game to earn his third-straight first-team All-SWAL selection. He shot 51.3 percent (155 of 302) from the field, 70.7 percent (53 of 75) from the free throw line and a team-best 43 percent (68 of 158) from beyond the 3-point line.
Kellen Kenney, the 6-foot point guard, averaged 11.5 points, 6 rebounds, a team-high 5.4 assists and 2.1 steals per game.
He shot 53 percent (89 for 168) from the field and a team-best 81.4 percent from the free throw line (83 of 102).
Govier finished his final season averaging 9.1 points, a team-high 7.5 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game in his final season, while shooting a team-high 57.5 percent (88 of 153) from the field.
“I thought Fennimore basketball took a big step this year,” said Needham. “It was a disappointing finish, but these kids did one heck of a job winning 19 games this year. Next year, we return kids with a lot of experience, who will continue to take Fennimore basketball in the right direction.”
Mineral Point’s Dan Burresson was named the SWAL Coach of the Year, while Mineral Point sophomore Isaac Lindsey was named the league’s Player of the Year.
Mineral Point senior Chance Wendhausen, sophomore Wes Berget and freshman Brayden Dailey joined Lindsey on the first-team.
The Pointers (20–5) won the outright SWAL title and advanced to the WIAA Division 4 sectional final before falling to Pardeeville 62–61 on Saturday.
Cuba City sophomores Jackson Noll and Brady Olson, Darlington’s Stryker Fitzsimons and Carter Lancaster, and Southwestern junior Dylan Rieken rounded out the All-SWAL first team.
2018 All-SWAL
Boys Basketball Team Coach of the Year: Dan Burresson, Mineral Point
Player of the Year: Isaac Lindsey, so., Mineral Point
First Team
Jackson Noll, Cuba City, so.
Brady Olson, Cuba City, so.
Stryker Fitzsimons, Darlington, jr.
Carter Lancaster, Darlington, fr.
Kellen Kenney, Fennimore, so.
Liam Kenney, Fennimore, sr.
Reid Larson, Fennimore, jr.
Wes Berget, Mineral Point, so.
Brayden Dailey, Mineral Point, fr.
Issac Lindsey, Mineral Point, so.
Chance Wendhausen, Mineral Point, sr.
Dylan Rieken, outhwestern, jr.
Honorable mention — Mitchell Davis, Boscobel, so.; Jack Miskey, Cuba City, fr.; Blake Robson, Cuba City, sr.; Tanner Evenstad, Darlington, sr.; Tony Ruesga, Darlington, sr.; Dakota Govier, Fennimore, sr.; Jackson Vigen, Iowa–Grant, sr.; Isaac Hill, Iowa–Grant, fr.; Dawson Mueller, Riverdale, sr.; Cayden Splinter, Southwestern, jr.
