As the Woodmen continue their hot streak, they face a hardy match-up against the Roncalli Royals tomorrow night.

“This is one of the best seasons we have had since the 2020-2021 season. We have seen lots of success on offense and defense this year, and if we can get a win against Roncalli, it would be huge. Roncalli is one of the best teams we will see this year, and they are in our Sectional along with Shelbyville and New Pal as well, so we should expect to see them again,” junior Owen King, guard, said.

Roncalli has become a rival.

“Over the recent years, us and Roncalli have started a pretty decent rivalry. Last year, we went 1-1 against them. We are hoping that if we get two games against them this year, we can go 2-0. We also have a former teammate on Roncalli this year, so beating them would mean a bit more. Unfortunately, he was injured earlier in the season so he will not be able to play against us, but that does not matter. It sort of gives us a bragging right against him” senior Jerome Davila, guard, said.
Former teammate Joey Ortman is not the only person they look forward to playing.

“They have a pretty good squad over at Roncalli. They have great players in Joe Taylor, Conner Kessler and Will Hegwood. We are looking forward to the challenge of playing these guys. This is one of those teams where you have to play tight and sound in order to get around them. I know this game will probably get a chippy as well so we need to be sure we are clear-headed and not let them get in our heads. It is going to be a good game and definitely not one people would want to miss,” King said.
King is seeking revenge.

“This game means a bit more to us than some others have so far this season. Roncalli is who beat us last year in the Sectional semi-finals, so we are definitely looking to get some get-back. We are also hoping to see them again in Sectionals to give them a taste of how we felt last year. There are some high tensions going into this game, and we are really excited for this game and look forward to a huge win,” King said.

The Woodmen look to play fast, smart, physical defense to keep the Royals’ lethal offense under control.

“Roncalli has a great offense. They have a good group of guys over there. They can score like no other team, and we have done everything we can do to prepare for a shootout. We need to be sure we are moving around the court and following the ball as fast as we can. If we can maintain a hard defensive front, we should be safe,” junior Braden Reynolds, center, said.

On the flip side, the Woodmen need to keep their offensive game plan open as they take on the Royals’ above average defense.

“We have seen some pretty good defenses this year, and I would say this is not the best. We know we can get around them to score. We need to capitalize on every defensive stop we have while matching their scores. Layups and mid-ranges will be huge during this game. Free throws are another thing we need to make sure we are making; missed free throws will hurt us,” Reynolds said.