KMS believes things are looking up

KMS' Alex Call (2) launches a 3-pointer over Ortonville's Zach Kuechenmeister seconds before the buzzer in the first half of a March 2, 2020 Section 6A-South play-in game in Kerkhoven. Call hit the shot and finished with a game-high 23 points. Joe Brown / West Central Tribune

Fighting Saints return four starters after having a disappointing end to last season

BY TOM ELLIOTT | West Central Tribune

KERKHOVEN — The Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg Fighting Saints are optimistic about this season because of four returning starters and a senior class of eight. They’re also anxious to erase a disappointing end to last season, when KMS was forced to forfeit its first-round playoff game because of being under quarantine due to the coronavirus pandemic.

“The team is ready to go especially on how last year ended with being quarantined at the start of the playoffs,” said Matt Fragodt, who begins his eighth year as head coach at KMS.

Fragodt believes the Fighting Saints have one of the top players in Camden Conference in Alex Call, a 6-foot-3 senior guard who earned all-conference honors last season. Unfortunately for KMS, he’s not expected back in the lineup until February because of a football injury. He averaged 14.8 points per game for the 6-13 Fighting Saints last season.

“He is someone (who) can put points up from the outside and inside,” Fragodt said. “He will be out with an injury until February, but we are looking forward to his return.”

Gage Thorson, Isaac Rundingen and Drew Johnson also are returning starters. Fragodt is high on all of them. Jared Cortez was a key contributor mostly off the bench.

Of Thorson, he said, “Gage has improved every year he has been at the varsity level. He will again be looked at to be more of a scorer. He is a very smart player and puts himself in spots to succeed.”

Thorson is 6-foot senior forward who averaged 8.2 ppg and 4.7 rpg.

Of Rundingen, Fragodt said, “He is really reliable at handling the ball. He has a knack to be able to get to the hoop and finish. He has become a lot stronger and can defend against anyone.”

Rundingen has been the Fighting Saints’ starting point guard the past two seasons. The 6-1 junior was an honorable-mention all-conference selection who averaged 9.7 ppg and 3.5 rpg.

Fragodt said Cortez “showed up late on the varsity level last season and finished on a high note. This year he will be a full-time varsity player and shoot the ball very well. He is also one of the smartest players I have coached and he’s a sophomore.”

Cortez averaged 7.0 ppg and 2.4 rpg.

On Johnson, Fragodt said, “He is a very strong defensive player. He is the player that gives our team a lot of energy when he makes hustle plays.”

Johnson, a 6-1 senior forward, averaged 4.2 ppg last season.