BOLD hopes to be back

BOLD’s Cole Visser (22) locks in on the rim before launching a 3-pointer while the Sleepy Eye defense closes in during a Section 2A-North quarterfinal game on March 16, 2021 in Bird Island. Joe Brown / West Central Tribune

After a tough ‘20-21, the Warriors are expected to improve

BY TOM ELLIOTT | West Central Tribune

BIRD ISLAND — One of the best shows in the West Central Conference on high school basketball nights generally involves the BOLD Warriors.

BOLD has been one of the top teams not only in the conference, but also in Class A … until last season. The Warriors, because of quarantine issues involving the coronavirus pandemic, were only able to play 13 games last season, finishing 5-8 overall and 2-6 in the West Central Conference. Included was a 76-62 Section 2A playoff win over Sleepy Eye, then a 73-60 loss to Sleepy Eye St. Mary’s, which went on to the section title and a state semifinals appearance at Target Center in Minneapolis.

For BOLD, 5-8 was the first losing season since 2016-17 and it came after a three-year run that produced an overall record of 71-13, including a 27-2 record in ‘19-20. The good news for head coach Jake Brustuen and assistants Daren Sagedahl and Dane Gillespie is that 2021-22 is shaping up to be much better.

The Warriors have six seniors expected to contribute in hopes of making up for the losses of Drew Sagedahl, Braeden Tersteeg, Aiidan Elfering and Avery Herdina. Sagedahl, a West Central Tribune All-Area selection and the 2020-21 Hengstler-Ranweiler Award winner, now plays basketball for St. John’s University.

Top returners are seniors Cole Visser and Maxwell Marks. Other seniors expected to make key contributions are Hunter Borer, Ethan Sullivan, Andy Bahl and Colter Johnson. Junior Ryan King also will be a key contributor, with classmates Zane Boen and Mason Uhlenkamp on the varsity roster.

As in the football season, which ended with a 9-2 record and a loss to eventual state runner-up Minneota in the section final, freshmen are expected to contribute to the basketball program’s success.

Ninth-grader Jack Gross scored 12 points in BOLD”s season-opening 75-59 victory over Buffalo Lake-Hector-Stewart. Hudson Vosika and Mathew Jacobs also are freshmen on the basketball varsity.

They’ll compete in a West Central Conference that is expected to be rugged. Morris Area/ Chokio-Alberta is likely one of the top teams in the state in Class AA. Melrose also figures to be strong with Montevideo and Sauk Centre likely contenders.

BOLD’s Max Marks (23) gets by Sleepy Eye defender Marcus Martinez for a layup in the second half of a Section 2A-North quarterfinal game March 16, 2021 in Bird Island.

Joe Brown / West Central Tribune