(Elk Horn, IA) — Exira EHK will open their basketball seasons tonight for both teams as they battle Woodbine, coverage on KSOM.
The girls will have to replace Jaeylynn Petersen who moved out of the district so it will fall on Taryn Petersen who led the Spartans in scoring at 19.4 ppg. Her Dad and Head Coach Tom Petersen believes she can carry the load
Kadence Sporrer (5.6 ppg), Riley Miller (3.6 ppg) and Harlee Fahn (6.6 ppg) will try to pick up the slack and Brylie Andersen is back after not playing last year. They face a Woodbine team that has one game under their belt — a 48-20 win over AHSTW. Charlie Pryor led the Tigers with 31 points which included 6 of 15 on her three point shots. Pryor led Woodbine to a 16-8 record last year averaging 17.4 ppg.
The Exira EHK boys team are coming off a 19-5 season but were decimated by graduation — 4 starters and 8 total seniors leave Head Coach Tony Santistaben will have to rely heavily on Senior Josh Nelson who averaged 11.6 points and 7.5 rebounds a game. He shot an incredible 48 percent from three point land on 22 of 47 shooting. More of that would be good says Santistaben but he is a match up problem for opponents being that he is 6-5
At the guard spot, the Spartans have some experience with Owen Juhl and Austin Rasmussen and Santistaben says both bring something to the table
Tonight they face a state tournament team from last year — Woodbine lost in the first round to North Linn and return all 5 starters but it is Carter Gruver that is the key, the senior averaged 20.2 points a game. For the Spartans, Santistaben says it will be a good measuring stick for his team but he knows it won’t be perfect to start
Exira EHK hosts Woodbine in a Girls/Boys Doubleheader tonight, first game at 6 pm on KSOM.
