WYATT AGUIRRE (22) is one of five seniors leading the way on La Center’s boys basketball team this season. Aguirre, who is averaging 14.6 points per game, is shown here taking a shot against Woodland in a game last week at La Center High School.
Jon Schroeder did a wise thing when he took over the La Center boys basketball program three years ago.
“When I took over our program three years ago, we hadn’t been that successful in basketball but our football program had been very successful,’’ said Schroeder. “I asked myself, ‘why can’t we get the basketball program on the same page with the football program and some of our other programs?’ ’’
So, Schroeder went right to the source, La Center football coach John Lambert.
“I went right to John and we had a great conversation,’’ Schroeder said. “I’ve long said that when you have high school coaches working together, all of a sudden those things help tremendously.’’
Schroeder credits other coaches at La Center High School as well as Athletic Director Matt Cooke with helping to build a winning culture throughout the Wildcats’ athletic programs.
“I think it really helps, more than anything, with a commonality of thinking when it comes to how we run our programs,’’ Schroeder said. “Now, there’s that level of consistency. We’re doing the same things.’’
Under the guidance of Schroeder, the Wildcats posted 17-9 and 15-7 records the past two seasons, advancing each time to the district playoffs. This season, La Center is 8-2 in Trico League play with two games remaining and the Wildcats have clinched the league’s No. 2 seed into the district tournament.
La Center’s overall record of 10-7 is a bit deceiving because the Wildcats have suffered three non-league losses by a total of seven points. The non-league schedule included battles with 3A opponent Fort Vancouver, two games with 2A Woodland and another with 2A Washougal as well as ranked opponents Morton-White Pass (defending 2B state champions) and La Salle (Oregon).
“It’s a deceptive 10-7 from the standpoint that our non-league schedule included games against teams that were either rated (in the polls) or had received votes to be rated,’’ Schroeder said.
La Center is reaping the rewards of the senior leadership on the Wildcats’ roster this season. The senior group is led by Will Rice, a 6-foot-3 standout who is averaging 19.1 points this season.
“Will has been a great leader for us,’’ Schroeder said. “He’s a hard-working kid. There’s a reason why he’s scoring like that for us. It’s because he works so hard at it.’’
Senior Wyatt Aguirre is averaging 14.6 points a game. The 6-footer, who was the Wildcats’ quarterback in football, personifies that athletic continuity at La Center that Schroeder talked about.
“He’s a good athlete,’’ Schroeder said. “He has brought some real leadership to our team.’’
Senior point guard Chase Davison is averaging just under 11 points a game this season. Schroeder describes him as a “high IQ kid on the floor.’’
Senior Max Hiller, a 6-2 forward who was also a football standout, plays a lot bigger than he is according to Schroeder and also does a lot for the team from a leadership standpoint.
Sean Nolan, a 6-1 forward, rounds out the senior class for the Wildcats.
“Sean doesn’t score very much but he does a lot of things for us from a leadership standpoint,’’ Schroeder said.
“It all starts out with that senior group but our entire team, everyone on the roster are just wonderful young men,’’ Schroeder said. “They are a joy to be around. They get after it and work hard with no complaining. They are very coachable. It’s an awful lot of fun to work with these guys.’’
La Center’s roster also includes juniors Dalton Morgan, Sawyer Bierschied, Brody Setter and Jake Morris and sophomore Jake Wise.
La Center is closing out its regular season with league games against Seton Catholic and Kalama. The Wildcats will host either Tenino or Elma in the first round of the district tournament. That game is scheduled for Thu., Feb. 12 at La Center High School.
