West Central runs table for first title in quarter century
RAPID CITY, S. D. (KELO) — West Central capped off an undefeated championship season with a 66-56 win over reigning state champ Sioux Falls Christian Saturday night.
A coaching change helped lead the Trojans to the mountain top. West Central reached the state tournament for the first time since 2001 last year but suffered a quarterfinal loss to Lennox. Dave Hollenbeck came to Hartford in the offseason and met with this year’s senior class upon his arrival.
“It’s a special, special group,” Hollenbeck said. “I’m so proud of them because they bought in. They bought in from day one.
I maybe scared them a little bit early on. I put a little fear in them, but a credit to them. They really bought in, and they carried it out.
” “This was hard, and Hollenbeck definitely made it hard on us,” West Central senior forward Will Kuhl said. “He told us it wasn’t going to be easy. He said it’s easier than you think because you just got to do it.