CEDAR RAPIDS — For the second straight season, Riverside boys basketball is heading to Lincoln.
Last year’s third-place team returns three starters in Noah Valasek, Jake Kennedy and Tanner Hudson. Assistant Coach Scott Schmieding looks for that experience to give the Chargers a lift.
“I think you get down to state your eyes get a little big, once in a while,” he explains. “But our team is really focused and it’s strictly a business trip for them,”
It hasn’t been too long since last November when Riverside captured its second straight six-man football state championship. “You got Noah, Jake, Tanner all All-State football players, winning back-to-back six-man state championships,” Schmieding says. “Everyone on the basketball team was on the football team,”
“Everybody has been in that pressure situation of working through the playoffs and into the championship and coming out champions,” Schmieding adds.
As for the road, it’s not an easy one. Riverside earned the three-seed in D-2 and opens with #6 Wynot. Not to mention, if seeding holds, #2 Humphrey St. Francis and #1 Mead lie ahead. They are the only teams to beat the Chargers this season.
“We definitely have a tough draw, first round with Wynot,” Schmieding offers. “They’re are a very good team, very good shooters, very disciplined team, we don’t really have too many common opponents to compare to them, maybe one with CWC.”
“Our focus is on Wynot and Wynot only.”
Coverage of Thursday’s match with Wynot begins at 7:00 PM on V-103.9 FM and KNLVRadio.com.
