Gueths, Bartz lead young Hawks basketball team

Former coach Chris Kellett created a solid foundation for the Shawano Community High School boys basketball program before resigning in June.

New coach Dave Ambrosius, who was an assistant under Kellett, has taken over the reins and will get the chance to prove himself with a young team.

“He’s always been in Kellett’s shadow,” senior Zeke Gueths said immediately after the hiring, “so I’m excited to see how he is as a true coach now.”

Kellett went 8-15 in his first season as a head coach and brought his team’s record all the way up to 19-6 two years later, including an 11-5 finish in the Bay Conference, good for fourth place. The Hawks advanced to a WIAA sectional semifinal before Merrill ended their season.

However, Shawano lost Zack Sousek and Sajen Knueppel to graduation, and Eric Carl transferred to Kaukauna. The trio played in every game and combined for nearly 17 points per game.

The departures create opportunities for the younger players in the program to step up.

“The first thing you learn stepping up to varsity is that everything is faster, everybody is stronger, everybody is more talented,” Ambrosius said. “We have to learn how to play hard every single day.”

Outside of Gueths, a first-team All-Bay Conference selection a year ago, and fellow senior Adam Bartz, none of the players returning this season played in more than 15 games a season ago.

Gueths, a Division 1 football recruit, will be counted on to lead the team after averaging a team-leading 12 points and five rebounds per game last year. He also shot over 50 percent from the field, made 81 percent of his free throws and added 15 3-point field goals on the season.

“He’s a first-team all-conference returning player. He’s our senior leader, our captain,” Ambrosius said. “I expect Zeke to take charge and to keep these kids in line and show them how to play Shawano Hawk basketball.”

Bartz made 14 shots a season ago, including eight 3-pointers.

There are also high expectations for players such as sophomores Kaden Richards and Jacob Lacy, who played sparingly last year.

Ambrosius said he expects some of the younger players who had lesser roles on varsity and some of those who played on the junior varsity to contribute more this season.

“I expect those kids to come in here and to give effort every single day and to play hard and accept their role, whatever that may be, on this team,” he said.