Falcons looking forward to the challenges ahead
WALKERTON — The
John Glenn HS boys basketball team enjoyed its first 20-win season in 16 years last season and with most of its lineup back, is looking for another strong campaign against a rugged schedule.
“Obviously, it will be difficult to replace the numbers that (graduate) Carter
Yung put up last year (nearly 500 points), but we have some good young talent that will need to step into that fifth starting spot and produce. That is probably our biggest question mark right now,” said head coach Travis Hannah, now in his 15th year at Glenn and 23rd overall. Bob Porter is the varsity assistant, John Dupont the JV coach and Matt Malstaff will coach the freshmen.
The Falcons return four starters off that 20-5 team and add quite a few good young pieces to the puzzle. Two of those losses a year ago were to semistate participant South Bend Saint Joseph and the other three to teams that ended with a combined record of 54-18.
The key returnees include seniors Silas Kaser, Joe Delinski and Jack Porter, plus junior Brycen Hannah. Newcomers to watch for are juniors Noah Dreibelbeis and Braylon Smith, plus sophomores Joey Shoue, Joe Chrapliwy, Carson Krueger, Ty Larkin and Chase Miller.
The Northern Indiana Conference lost some major players to graduation, including two now on the Notre Dame roster, but the NIC will still be a very competitive conference and Glenn could be in the mix along with Mishawaka Marian, Penn and Elkhart for top honors.
The Falcons’ schedule includes the East Noble Tournament (Dec. 28) where they are the defending champs, and they will try to continue their three-year run as Bi-county champs (Jan. 18-22). Other schedule highlights include games at Elkhart (Dec. 3), at Tippecanoe Valley (Dec. 11), at Triton (Jan. 7), vs. Marian (Jan. 25), vs. Penn (Feb. 3), vs. Concord (Feb. 22), and at Goshen to end the regular season (Feb. 25). The Falcons open with a home game against Plymouth Nov. 24.
Glenn is part of a loaded sectional that will be hosted by Mishawaka Marian this year. The program’s last sectional title came in 2005.
John Glenn Falcons Coach: Travis Hannah, 164-149 in 15th year at school, 257-238 in 23rd year overall
Nov. 24 Plymouth 4A 7:30 pm
Nov. 30 at South Bend Clay 3A © 7:30 pm
Dec. 3 at Elkhart 4A © 7:30 pm
Dec. 9 South Bend Riley 4A © 7:30 pm
Dec. 11 at Tippecanoe Valley 3A 7:30 pm
Dec. 17 at South Bend Washington 3A © 7:30 pm Dec. 18 at Laville 2A 7:30 pm
Dec. 28 N East Noble Tournament TBA thru Dec. 28 Jan. 6 New Prairie 3A © 7:30 pm
Jan. 7 at Triton 1A 7:30 pm
Jan. 14 at South Bend St. Joseph 3A © 7:30 pm Jan. 18 N Bi-county Tournament TBA thru Jan. 22 Jan. 25 Mishawaka Marian 3A © 7:30 pm
Jan. 28 at South Bend Adams 4A © 7:30 pm
Feb. 3 Penn 4A © 7:30 pm
Feb. 11 at Jimtown 3A © 7:30 pm
Feb. 15 at Knox 3A 7:30 pm
Feb. 18 Bremen 2A © 7:30 pm
Feb. 22 Concord 4A 7:30 pm
Feb. 25 at Goshen 4A 7:30 pm
© NORTHERN INDIANA CONFERENCE GAME