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Brisk Buccaneers

By Staff | Nov 29, 2015

The 2015-2016 Blue Earth Area boys basketball team includes, back row, left to right: Jacob Vaske, Joe Ritter, Chandler Kienitz, Bailey Olson, Brandon Olson, Tyler Hannaman, Alan Davids, Zack Adams, Chris Jenkins; front row, left to right: Collin Bell, Mason Mauris, Chris Sanders, Lucas Kramer, Logan Jahnke, Blake Barnett and Seth Becker.

It’s Colby Swanson’s first year as head coach for the Blue Earth Area boy’s varsity basketball team and the basketball season has already begun for the Bucs.

“I was an assistant/JV coach at BEA my first years (2007-2010) and the past two years (2013-2015.) I was also the boys varsity coach for three years in Arcadia, Wisconsin,” says Swanson. So, with plenty of experience, the new coach was ready for Nov. 20th’s first game of the season.

He says the boys are ready even though the team is a little small this year.

“We don’t have all that much in size,” says Swanson. “So, we will have to rely on speed, athleticism, and outworking our opponents offensively and defensively.”

It sounds like a lot, but Swanson is confident in his team.

“We have two returning starters from last year, Tyler Hannaman and Bailey Olson, who we are expecting big things out of,” says the coach.

He also says that Alan Davids and Chandler Kienitz are excellent players who will more than likely see a lot of court time.

However, there has been a little hiccup in the coach’s strategy.

Already the team has experienced an injury with one of the senior players, Brandon Olson.

“We would’ve seen significant minutes from him in our first game against New Ulm if it weren’t for an injury,” says Swanson, even though Olson earned 18 points for BEA.

These five seniors are also the captains for the team. Swanson says Hannaman, Bailey Olson, Brandon Olson, Davids and Kienitz know how to play well and play well together.

“It’s going to be a team effort, as it always is, but I think we have our work cut out for us,” says Swanson.

Swanson says Waseca will be the top team to beat in the Big South Conference this year.

“Other than Waseca, I wouldn’t be surprised if any team could beat another on any given night. The Bucs are training hard and I’m sure that goes for every other team,” says Swanson.

Along with the five seniors, Swanson says he will also rely on contributions from a number of the juniors and sophomores on the team.

Swanson is confident in the Buccaneers this year and hopes to see them go far.