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Eight Seniors To Lead Wildcat Hoops Team
With eight returning players, the Rockbridge County High School boys basketball team looks for experience and depth to be the main strengths this season.
The Wildcats, under the direction of fourth-year head coach Rob Winfield, hope to improve significantly this season and give themselves a chance to make the Region 3C playoffs, a feat they haven’t accomplished since the 2019-20 season, two years before Winfield’s first season as their coach. “We always want to vie for that opportunity to play in the regional tournament,” said Winfield. “That’s our goal, year in and year out. We’ve been real close. We want to get back there.”
Following an 11-11 season two years ago, the Wildcats had a rebuilding year last winter, going 3-20 overall and 3-9 in the Valley District.
From that team, the Wildcats graduated five players, led by their leading scorer, two-time all-district guard Henry Lambert, who now plays for Southern Virginia University. Another big loss to graduation was all-district center Milo Mulitalo.
Despite these losses, Winfield is confident about the direction the team is going. Of the Wildcats’ depth, Winfield said, “We’ve got a lot of guys that are returning that have played minutes for us. We’ve got some young guys, sophomores and juniors, that have had some good [junior varsity] minutes. We expect them to all be contributors. I think we’re gonna be balanced overall. We were kind of topheavy in scoring last year. We’re gonna be a little bit more balanced this year.”
Likely to start for the Wildcats are four returning seniors: 6-foot guard Luke Eversole, guard Noah Hamm (5-10) and forwards Sam Ballstaedt (6-2) and Zane Ramsey (6-0). The Wildcats don’t have a true center. Ramsey and Eversole split starting time last year, and Ballstaedt and Hamm started about every other game.
Eversole and Ballstaedt are solid outside shooters, Hamm is a skilled ball handler and shooter, while Ramsey played valuable minutes and contributed to the offense and defense.
The Wildcats have eight seniors to lead two juniors and three sophomores. Other returning seniors are guard Ethan Camden (5-10) and forwards Gardner Clement (6-3) and Brady Edwards (6-3).
New to the team is senior forward Clay Irvine (6-2), an all-district shortstop for the Wildcats’ baseball team who’s playing organized basketball for the first time since middle school. “We’re excited to have him,” said Winfield. “He’s a good athlete. We’re gonna use his athleticism.”
Winfield said he has high expectations for his seniors. “If you ask me what we need out of the seniors that are returning, just be consistent,” he said. “That’s what you’re supposed to be when you go from your junior to your senior year, just a little more consistent on a night-to-night basis, and they’ve worked hard this summer to get there.”
Representing the junior class are two players who moved up from the JV squad, forwards Jaxon Johnson (6-2) and Avery McDaniel (6-0). “Avery and Jaxon are young,” said Winfield. “They’re gonna have opportunities to get better.”
Leading the sophomore class is guard Bradi Ziegler (5-10), who moved up from the JV team midway in the middle of last winter and proved himself a strong outside shooter. “I expect big things out of him this year,” said Winfield. “Whatever his role is – starting, coming off the bench – it’s gonna be scoring the basketball. That’s what he does well.”
Two sophomores moving up from the JV squad are guards Brayden Camden (5-10) and Christian Moore (6-0). “I expect some big things from the sophomores,” said Winfield.
Defensively, the Wildcats look to add variety. “I’m gonna play into my depth and try to be a little bit more aggressive,” said Winfield.
Winfield is joined by three assistant coaches. Gary Randall, the JV head coach last year, will be Winfield’s main assistant varsity coach. “Coach Randall’s got years of experience, and I think he’s gonna be great to have on the bench when I can pull a guy out of the game. He’s gonna be the calming force and the explanation.”
Ben Kabzinski, a varsity assistant last year, will be the JV head coach. “Coach K’s similar to me,” said Winfield. “He’s high energetic. He’s gonna get the guys to play hard, which is key. I think we’re gonna do some good things on JV this year.”
New to the coaching staff is Mason Schlensker, who will serve as the main JV assistant coach. Schlensker is a senior who played golf for SVU, but he played basketball for Midlothian High School, just west of Richmond. “He’s a young guy that’s eager to learn and was a good high school player,” said Winfield. “He wants to be involved with basketball, and any time we get a former player that wants to be involved with basketball, we’d love to get some help.”
The Wildcats will play in the Valley District for one more season before switching to the Shenandoah District, which will require shorter travel time. Winfield said the Valley District is “as tough as it’s ever been,” with Spotswood and Broadway likely as the two toughest rivals. The Trailblazers made it to the Class 3 state quarterfinals the last two years.
The Wildcats will begin the season when they play at Stuarts Draft next Wednesday, Dec. 4, starting with JV action at 6 p.m. They’ll play their district opener at East Rockingham on Monday, Dec. 9, before facing nondistrict rival Waynesboro in their home opener on Wednesday, Dec. 11, starting with JV action at 5:30 p.m. on both nights. For the first month or so, due to work on the bleachers at the high school, the Wildcats will play their home games at Maury River Middle School, the former Lexington High School. RC will take on local rival Parry McCluer twice, at home on Friday, Dec. 27 and at PM on Saturday, Jan. 4, with the varsity games scheduled for 5:30 p.m. on both nights.
