Bulldogs hope to continue their winning ways

Paynesville sophomore Eli Nelson plays defense on Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa’s Will VanBeck during a Central Minnesota Conference game Feb. 26, 2021 from Paynesville High School. West Central Tribune file photo

Paynesville hopes to make it three straight winning seasons

BY TOM ELLIOTT | West Central Tribune

PAYNESVILLE — One of the top scorers in school history is gone. Corbin Froelich averaged 25.2 points per game last season, earning West Central Tribune All-Area honors.

he 6-foot-4 guard is now playing for Briar Cliff University, an NAIA school in Sioux City, Iowa. With Froelich leading the way, Paynesville had back-to-back winning seasons for the first time in more than 25 years.

While Froelich and fellow seniors Mitchell Bertram and Kadin Ludwig certainly left their mark, Bulldogs head coach Rick Hendrickson does not think the cupboard is bare.

Three starters return: Chase Bayer, Eli Nelson and Max Athmann. Bayer is a 6-foot-2, 175-pound senior guard who earned second-team All-Central Minnesota Conference honors for the 11-9 Bulldogs.

Bayer was second on the team in scoring, averaging 12.9 points per game. A good three-point shooter, he shot 37.7% from 3-point range (29 of 77). Those 29 treys were also second on the team. Along the way, he also averaged 4.7 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game. He’s also coming back from an injury from football season that left him sidelined for most of the season.

Nelson is a 5-11, 175pound junior guard who averaged 9.8 ppg, 3.8 rpg and 1.7 steals per game.

Athmann is a 6-0, 175pound junior guard. His numbers were 3.9 ppg and 2.7 rpg.

Hendrickson said there are three intriguing players to watch. They are Gus Johnson, Blayke Pung and Bennett Evans. Johnson is a 6-3 junior guard. Pung is a 6-5 junior forward and Evans is a 6-5 senior forward.

“All of them bring athleticism to the court and length that we hope to utilize,” said Hendrickson, whose staff includes TJ Schultz and Ben Moser. “All three have the ability to score the ball.”

Scoring is something Paynesville did very well last season. The Bulldogs led the conference by averaging 68.3 points per game while posting a 9-4 record in the CMC behind Eden Valley-Watkins (121), Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa (11-3) and Kimball (8-3). Paynesville also allowed 61.2 points per game which was second most in the conference ahead of only Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City (66.9 ppg).

If things break well, the Bulldogs should make it three consecutive winning seasons.

Paynesville's Chase Bayer gathers the ball for a layup attempt during a Central Minnesota Conference game against Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa on Feb. 26, 2021 from Paynesville High School.

West Central Tribune file photo