Clinton boys basketball makes big strides in district title season

DANSVILLE — When you imagine of Clinton wintertime sports, you feel of wrestling.

Rightfully so, the Redwolves have not too long ago won two state titles, have experienced various state champions and have created by themselves from the youth amount all the way up to become the powerhouse plan they have right now.

Quietly, the boys basketball has been rising as well underneath head coach Jeremy Chavez. For the very first time in Chavez’s four seasons, Clinton posted double-digit wins as it went 13-10 and claimed its very first Division 3 district title due to the fact 2014.

“It truly is actually occur a extended way,” Chavez claimed. “I’m seriously happy with the team, mentor Greg Dutton does a good job with the JV acquiring them. We have some excellent youth teams heading and touring around, which is normally huge.

“It’s taken four yeas, but we’ve gotten there.”

When the 2021-22 time came to an stop Monday in a 59-47 decline to Michigan Middle in the Division 3 regional semifinal, it felt like a commencing of sorts.

Regardless of the reduction, the Redwolves concluded the year sturdy, successful 4 of its past 6 games.

The two losses included the regional semifinal Monday and an 8 point loss to a 13-win Monroe Jefferson team.

“Our defense struggled early,” Chavez reported. “We had been telling them wherever to go and what to do, it took awhile to figure that out. The previous 4 our five video games, it did, and it obtained us a district title. Now that is anything to construct off of for following yr.”

Clinton will return all 5 of its starters, which includes juniors Grant Stockford, Ryan Tschirhart, Landon Busz and Jacob Gilson. Freshman Jalen Stelzer came into his own late in the period as well as a starter.

Junior Keegan Huston and freshman Andrew Honest, who noticed quality minutes off the bench in the regional recreation, will also be in the fold future yr.

Although the loss is rough to get, it cane be made use of as discovering device and commitment for the quite a few student-athletes returning to the team up coming season.

Tale continues

“It truly is been awhile considering that any person has carried out that,” Chavez said. “I have received four freshman on varsity squad and 7 juniors. It can be all fellas who are finding the bulk of the minutes. To get to this point was in fact farther along than I believed it would be.”

There weren’t a ton of anticipations for this crew this year.

The crew had five seniors and by the end of the season none of them had been starting up.

Even with the deficiency of participating in time, Kyle Wenk, Bryson Van Sickle, Zach Kovach, Kaden Settles and Ethan Herington showed up, put in the do the job and aided Clinton accomplish its finest time in many years.

“Their strength was generally high in observe,” Stockford claimed. “They were always up laughing and possessing exciting. They have been acquiring enjoyment all season.”

Even though the Redwolves became a little bit of a shock this calendar year, they won’t be catching everyone by surprise next season.

“It is really just the begin,” Stockford reported. “Very last year we graduated everyone and this yr we were rebuilding. Upcoming yr is going to be our year.”

This write-up initially appeared on The Each day Telegram: Clinton boys basketball finishes finest year due to the fact 2014