Minnewaska has a new coach

Minnewaska forward Hunter Kostelecky looks for an open teammate from the high post during a West Central Conference game against BOLD on Jan. 19, 2021 from Bird Island. Patrick Bernadeau / West Central Tribune

Hunter Salathe takes over a Lakers’ team with eight seniors

BY TOM ELLIOTT | West Central Tribune

GLENWOOD — The Minnewaska boys basketball team will have a new look this season, starting at the top.

Hunter Salathe takes over as head coach after being an eighth-grade coach the past two seasons. He replaces longtime coach Phil Johnsrud, who retired after leading the Lakers to a 7-11 record last season, including 6-6 in the West Central Conference.

Salathe and his staff, which includes Ted Hill, Nick Danielson, Dan Dahl and Gabriel Eisenbacher, have a roster that includes eight seniors.

Leading the way is Hunter Kostelecky, a 6-foot-5 senior forward who scored 19 points in the Lakers’ season-opening 68-50 loss to Redwood Valley. Kostelecky, who also had 13 rebounds, figures to be one of the top post players in the West Central Conference this season.

Also back is Damon Uhde, a 5-11 senior guard who had 16 points in the Redwood Valley game. He’s a good 3-point shooter who will be asked to be one of the Lakers’ top scorers. Other seniors on the roster include Tate Riechmann, Ethan Quelle, Alec Larson, Noah Danielson, Andrew Mrnak and Cade Olson.

Olson is 6-4. Quelle is 6-2. Marnak is 6-1. Reichmann, Larson, Danielson are guards.

Salathe, who is from Perham, has a non-conference schedule that includes Litchfield, Paynesville, West Central Area, Osakis, Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa and St.. James before January 1. Also scheduled are Albany, Barnesville, Jackson County Central, Breckenridge, St. Cloud Cathedral and Pipestone.

It’ll help the Lakers see where they belong in the West Central Conference and in Section 3AA-North, which includes a lot of Minnewaska’s non-conference teams including Morris and Eden Valley-Watkins.