To conclude their regular Boys Basketball season, the Morrison High School Varsity team beat Rock Falls High School 73-66, to advance to the Regional Finals. Morrison was poised to play the winner of the Princeton and Bureau Valley game. Morrison High School Coach Mark Ernst stated, “Our best game of the year was the Regional Semifinal. We upset Rock Falls (rated #1 in the Subsectional) to advance to the Regional Championship against Princeton.”
A toughly-contested Regional match ensued on Friday, February 23, 2024! Only two points separated the final scores: Princeton 57, Morrison 55. DaeShaun McQueen scored 24 of them. Brenden Martin and Carson Strating each scored ten points. Chase Newman added 5; Colton Bielema scored 4; Asher Ernst added 2.
Ernst commented, “We had an injury-plagued season; three players missed a total of 32 games. My son missed 16; Cooper missed 13; Brenden missed 5. We only had one game with a full roster[ of 15. However,] we won nine of the last 13 games and peaked at the right time.”
When the Editor noted the team was more aggressive on the court in the last few games and kept focused when they got behind in points, he agreed. “Overall we won 13 and lost 17 games. We beat all of the Conference teams at least once, except Rock Ridge.”
At the High School, Ernst operates an Open Gym twice a week in the fall. “We go into the room to do strength training and conditioning. In the summer of 2023, I held a week-long, Mustang Basketball Camp with youths in grades 5-through-8.” He will expand the program in 2024 for kids in grades 3-through-8.
Ernst has been a History teacher for 32 years. This is his second year as Varsity Boys Basketball Coach. In 1996 he started coaching 8th grade, then Freshmen, Sophomores, and Varsity girls. His son “Evan is a volunteer Assistant Coach for Frosh-Sophmore and Varsity teams. I have two more years” [before retirement.]
Athletic Director Gregg Dolan supplied this team photograph. Left-to-right, standing, are Assistant Coach/Junior Varsity Coach Shawn Swaim; Chase Newman 5; Asher Ernst 15; Brenden Martin 24; Josh McDearmon 13; Cooper Bush 14; Manager Brayden Houzenga; Coach Mark Ernst. Kneeling are Jayden Wiebenga 12; Jason Hall 11; Dawson Hepner 1; Colton Bielema 10; DaeShaun McQueen 3; Carson Strating 23. Current team members not photographed are Jeremiah Callan 32; Hunter Ouderkerk 44; Brayden Rubright 42; Koltin Swaim 20.
