2025-26 KQRadio All-Area Boys Basketball Teams and Awards

March 18, 2026 Quinn Douglas Local Sports 0

The 2025-26 High School boys basketball season has come and gone, as the time has come to recognize the athletes in the KQRadio area who stood out most this winter.

Awards

Player of the Year: Luke Thoreson, Jr. (Roland-Story)

  • Statline – 17.7 PPG, 6.7 RPG, 1.8 APG, 1.7 SPG, 50% FG, 35% 3PT, 52% FT

This was a very close call between Thoreson and reigning KQRadio POTY Chaz Lane of Clarion-Goldfield-Dows, but Thoreson’s postseason performance and efficiency at all three levels was enough to give him the nod. Highlights of Thoreson’s season included 30-point, 12-for-12 performance against Perry and 25 points against Saydel to clinch a runner-up finish in the HOIAC.

Defensive Player of the Year: Grant Arends, Jr. (Webster City)

  • Statline – 3.9 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 1.7 SPG, 2.3 BPG, 45.7% FG, 30% 3PT, 30.6% FT

Despite a tough season for the Lynx, the play of junior Grant Arends on the defensive is one of a number of bright spots for a team that brings back a lot of production in 2026-27. Arends proved to be a valuable post defender, leading the team in blocks (2.3) and was 2nd in steals (1.7). Arends 2.3 blocks per game was also good for 2nd in the NCC.

6th Man of the Year: Paxton Lingenfelter, Fr. (Clarion-Goldfield-Dows)

  • Statline – 4.5 PPG, 2.9 RPG, 1.4 APG, 0.5 SPG, 0.5 BPG, 38.7% FG, 23.1% 3PT, 77.8% FT

Following a stellar freshman football season, Paxton Lingenfelter made his impact felt on the hardwood as a big energy boost as the first one off the bench for a CGD team that made the district final. Lingenfelter’s top game was a 15-5-3-2-1 performance against Pocahontas Area back in January.

Coach of the Year: Darrin Berggren, Roland-Story

  • Accomplishments – 18-6 record, Runner-Up in Heart of Iowa Conference, 2A-D3 Champion, Substate 2 Finalist

A 7-15 record a year ago still showed the future was bright for Roland-Story, as the Norsemen cashed in on that future with a big 2025-26. Darrin Berggren’s squad was able to finish 2nd in a highly-competitive Heart of Iowa Conference, and was 90 seconds from upsetting the #1 team in the state in the substate final.

First Team

Guard – Adrian Whipple, Jr. (Eagle Grove)

  • 20 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 2.6 APG, 2 SPG, 41.1% FG, 31.4% 3PT, 71.9% FT

Guard – Jackson Olmstead, Jr. (South Hamilton)

  • 12.7 PPG, 5.7 RPG, 4.1 APG, 3.3 SPG, 32.2% FG, 17.6% 3PT, 77.3% FT

Guard – Luke Thoreson, Jr. (Roland-Story)

  • See Player of the Year

Forward – Chaz Lane, Jr. (Clarion-Goldfield-Dows)

  • 19 PPG, 8.9 RPG, 1.5 APG, 1 SPG, 1.5 BPG, 48% FG, 12.5% 3PT, 56.7% FT

Forward – Eli Van Hove, Jr. (Roland-Story)

  • 12 PPG, 8 RPG, 1.3 SPG, 1.3 BPG, 61.1% FG, 57.9% FT

Adrian Whipple finished the season as the KQRadio area’s leading scorer, averaging 20 points a night in leading a younger Eagle Grove team than in previous years, as Jackson Olmstead was limited to 9 games this year, but led the Hawks to a 3-3 finish to the season after SH had lost 39 games in a row. Chaz Lane was a shoe-in for his 2nd straight first-team selection, as Eli Van Hove locks up the 5 spot as one of the best true posts in the Heart of Iowa.

Second Team

Guard – Coyce Bertan, Jr. (Webster City)

  • 11.4 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 1.6 APG, 1.6 SPG, 35.5% FG, 33.3% 3PT, 64.7% FT

Guard – Sam Koehnk, Sr. (South Hamilton)

  • 9 PPG, 2.6 RPG, 0.8 APG, 28.9% FG, 27.4% 3PT, 66.7% FT

Guard – JD Morrical, Jr. (Clarion-Goldfield-Dows)

  • 7.1 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 3.1 APG, 1.8 SPG, 42.1% FG, 36.7% 3PT, 64.6% FT

Forward – Huxley Lingenfelter, Jr. (Clarion-Goldfield-Dows)

  • 11.9 PPG, 7.1 RPG, 1.7 APG, 1.4 SPG, 46.6% FG, 29% 3PT, 61% FT

Forward – Gavin Pedersen, Jr. (Eagle Grove)

  • 10.6 PPG, 8.7 RPG, 2.1 APG, 1.6 SPG, 43.3% FG, 25.2% 3PT, 45.5% FT

Webster City’s Coyce Bertran leads the 2nd-team as a lethal shooter and excellent passer for the Lynx this season, as he joined by another highly-capable shooter in South Hamilton’s Sam Koehnk. JD Morrical provided a calm, stabilizing force at guard for CGD, as Huxley Lingenfelter was an effective scorer in the paint for the Cowboys. Gavin Pedersen could play inside-out as effective as any five in the listening area.

Honorable Mention

Grant Arends, Jr. (Webster City)

Jaxon Griffith, Sr. (Webster City)

Ben Swenson, So. (South Hamilton)

Luke Martensen, Sr. (South Hamilton)

Blake Larsen, Sr. (Roland-Story)

Colin Willis, So. (Roland-Story)

Braylon Kling, Sr. (Eagle Grove)

Eli Friedl, Sr. (Eagle Grove)

Paxton Lingenfelter, Fr. (Clarion-Goldfield-Dows)

Tristan Kakacek, Sr. (Clarion-Goldfield-Dows)