Harmsen captains All-Union boys list

The 2021-22 high school basketball season was off the hook in Southeast Iowa, particularly among the small school ranks.

The season saw Union area coverage teams jumping in and out of the rankings. Mid-Prairie and New London both collected conference titles. WACO made it to the substate finals, and Mid-Prarie ended its season at the Class 2A tournament.

The 2021-22 small school boys basketball team is loaded with talent. The squad is upperclassman led, with just one sophomore making the squad.

The Golden Hawks and Tigers each had two names on the list. Mid-Prairie scooped up coaching honors and the captain, and New London had a pair of players honored.

COACH

Daren Lambert, Mid-Prairie

It was simply an incredible year for the Mid-Prairie Golden Hawks. A senior-led group tore through the River Valley Conference, going unbeaten to win their league and climb as high as No. 2 in the Class 2A rankings.

The Golden Hawks won their first 24 games of the year, often in blowout fashion. Mid-Prairie took on Northeast in the substate finals and blew the doors off of them, 74-43 to earn a state tournament berth.

In Des Moines, Coach Lambert’s squad went right down to the wire with Monticello before bowing out with a three-point loss in the Class 2A quarterfinals.

CAPTAIN

Carter Harmsen, senior, Mid-Prairie

The Golden Hawks’ senior high-flyer put on quite the show in 2021-22. Harmsen led the team to a River Valley Conference South Division title and made his debut at the state tournament.

Harmsen put up 19.6 points per game to lead the Golden Hawks. He also led the squad with 8.2 rebounds, paced the team with one block per game and coled the squad with 1.8 steals per game.

In the Golden Hawks’ state qualifier against Northeast, Harmsen went for a double-double, scoring 19 points and pulling down 10 rebounds. At state, he led the team with 11 points, seven boards and two blocked shots.

Cam Buffington, sophomore, Winfield-Mount Union

A member of a stacked young Wolves squad, Cam Buffington was already turning heads as a freshman, but the WMU forward took it to the next level in his second season.

Buffington put up fantastic numbers this season, averaging a double-double with 19 points per game and 10.2 rebounds per game. He was a menace defensively, leading the Wolves with 2.2 steals per game and 1.2 blocks per game.

Buffington, along with the rest of an up-and-coming WMU squad, promises to be a force to be reckoned with over the next two seasons in Southeast Iowa.

Blaise Porter, junior, New London

New London’s Porter has become a staple on the All-Union athletic teams, and he shows no signs of slowing down. The junior had another fantastic season for the SEISC champion Tigers.

Porter put up 17.5 points per game this season, a mark that led an experienced and talented Tiger team. He also dished out 5.8 assists per game, which led the squad, and pulled down 4.3 rebounds per game as a guard.

Porter and the Tigers will be a tough out in 2022-23 when the winter rolls back around.

Kade Benjamin, junior, New London

The Tigers’ big man was a force inside once again in 2021-22. Benjamin helped lead New London to a conference championship, scoring 14.5 points per game in the process.

Benjamin was tough on the boards, pulling down a team-leading 6.8 rebounds per contest. He was fantastic on defense, finishing with 2.5 steals per game and 2.1 blocks per game.

Dawson Lewis, senior, Cardinal

The Comets had a senior-stacked team, which competed in a tough SEISC South Division.

When the dust settled on the 2021-22 season, Lewis stood tall at the top of the Cardinal scoring list, putting up 15.2 points per game. He also yanked down 8.3 rebounds per game to lead the team.

Lewis and the rest of the Comets will be next to impossible to replace as Cardinal turns its attention toward the South Central Conference next season.

Grant Bender, junior, Hillcrest Academy

Hillcrest’s Bender was the go-to-guy for the Ravens all season. He lit it up all year, scoring 18 points per game, the only player on the team to average double digits.

Bender pulled down a team-high 6.3 rebounds on the year, and was strong on defense as well, leading the team with one block per game, and finishing second with 1.8 steals per game.

The Ravens lost just two seniors who saw regular playing time this season, meaning Bender and his squad will have high expectations when next season rolls around.

Jackson Manning, junior, Van Buren County

When you thinking scoring, Van Buren County’s Manning should be among the first names to come to mind. The Warrior junior can score inside and out.

Manning led the SEISC South Division with 19.7 points per game this season, and also pulled down 6.2 rebounds from the guard position. He was second on the team in assists, with 1.8.

Manning with enter his senior year as one of the most dangerous scorers in Southeast Iowa when the Warriors hit the hardwood again next season.