Mason Schweizer
mschweizer@daily-journal.com 815-937-3300{&pipe}@MSchweizerTDJS
Mason Schweizer
mschweizer@daily-journal.com 815-937-3300{&pipe}@MSchweizerTDJS
BOYS
Head coach: Kevin Ecker (eighth season)
2020-21 Record: 4-4
Conference: River Valley
Roster
# Name Pos Height
Seniors
5 Jaden Walls G 5’6”
11 Haven Roberts G 6’0”
15 Andrew Reams F 6’4”
21 Travis Gardner F 6’3”
24 Sam Petersen F 6’6”
25 Luis Barrera G 6’0”
Junior
4 Kudde Bertram G 5’10”
10 Carson Statler G 5’8”
12 Kam Franc G 5’6”
23 James Stevenson Jr G 6’7”
31 Damarion Smith F 6’0”
34 Connor Stone F 6’3”
35 Jaxson Fanning F 6’3”
Sophomores
3 Terence Autman G 5’11”
30 Ty Autman F 5’11”
Momence excitedly returns to RVC
Momence spent the past decade-and-a-half competing in the Sangamon Valley Conference, but as the program returns to the River Valley Conference it called home before that move, the new conference slate certainly features plenty of familiar foes.
What had become nonconference rivalries with the likes of St. Anne, Grant Park and Beecher will now once again become clashes in the RVC, and in fitting fashion, this year’s Momence team figures to pack a punch that could take out some of the conference’s giants.
And at the time of print, Momence had already upended the Dragons at the Route 17 Classic and overcame a mighty defensive effort at St. Anne with a second-half surge, showing there’s good reason for the high hopes on the eastern edge of Kankakee County.
A combined five years of starting experience have graduated in Johnnie Williams and Jasper Jones, but a trio of big-time guards give the team as good a shot as anyone on most nights around town.
All-SVC junior guard James Stevenson Jr. is a lanky 6-foot-6 with great handles and the awareness to use his height to see over opposing defenses. Fellow guards Jaden Walls, the team’s leading returning scorer at 10 points per game, and senior Haven Roberts have all shown flashes of taking that next step early in the season.
Kud’de Bertram had a breakout season on the football field, helping lead the Momence football team to the playoffs, and will now look to build upon a promising junior campaign. A pair of players who missed last season due to the condensed COVID-19 schedule — Sam Petersen, Andrew Reams and Luis Barrera — have quickly found themselves in the rotation.
“All three are going to play significant minutes and need to contribute on the defensive end and in rebounding,” Momence coach Kevin Ecker said.
Momence had yet to lose a game at the time of print, sitting at 6-0 with a pair of early RVC victories. And after years of nonconference matchups with some of its biggest rivals, the intensity on the newly-installed court in the Momence gym will be ratcheted up a notch this winter.
“We’re looking forward to joining a new conference and renewing some old rivalries,” Ecker said. “We feel that we can be very competitive in the RVC and look forward to the challenges that it brings.”
GIRLS
Head coach: Rebekah Wigmore (third season)
2020-21 Record: 1-6
Conference: River Valley
Roster
Juniors
3 Alexis Carrington G 5’3”
5 Kaylee VanSwol F/G 5’7”
11 Makenna Marcotte G/F 5’7”
4 Veneza Ortiz G 5’5”
15 Haylie Smart F/C 5’8”
20 Britta Lindgren F/C 5’8”
24 Melanie Alvarado F/C 5’7”
Sophomores
13 Savanna Huddleson F/G 5’5”
25 Jesselle Joseph C/F 5’4”
Freshmen
10 Sydnee VanSwol G 5’6”
23 Mya Roberson C/G 5’11”
Young bunch in Momence eager to develop in first year back in RVC
Since Rebeka Wigmore inherited the top spot on the Momence girls basketball bench from Momence stalwart Kris Holloway three seasons ago, the program has also had to replace some long-term varsity players, but this winter could mark the start of some sustained consistency on the court.
That’s because Wigmore has an entire lineup’s worth of juniors that all got major varsity run during their sophomore seasons. And while they took some tough losses during their 1-6 stretch last season, those bumps along the road could start to smoothen out as juniors Alexis Carrington, Britta Lindgren, Haylie Smart, Kaylee VanSwol and Makenna Marcotte all are back.
“[The five] are returning players who were sophomores last year that saw great playing time on the varsity [team],” Wigmore said. “I’m looking forward to seeing what they can bring to the team this year as juniors.”
Momence will also be relying on not just a varsity newcomer, but a high school newcomer, in freshman Sydnee VanSwol, who will see plenty of clock as she pulls double-duty on both the JV and varsity teams.
“I can see her getting notable minutes on the varsity team and helping this team push the ball up the court,” Wigmore said. “The extra work she puts in really shows on the court.”
Without any seniors this winter, but five players with a lot of experience under their belts, Momence is in a unique position where it has a ton of room to grow and also moves over to its first season of River Valley Conference play with the understanding of what they’ll be facing every night.
There may still be some bumpy rides along the way, as the team started the year 1-6 at the time of print, but with so much more time to see this group grow, Wigmore knows that she can expect progression, and possibly some recognition for that progression, down the road.
“We’re a young team this year with no seniors,” Wigmore said. “We have a great group of juniors leading the way for our varsity team.
“I have high expectations for this group of young ladies, both this year and next.”