Horsemen retool, to rely on veterans

The Plains Horsemen are in a rebuilding mode. Then again, maybe they’re not.

“We did lose a lot from last year’s team,” coach Tyrel Allen said. “But I wouldn’t say we are really in a rebuilding mode. We still have some guys that can play.”

These Horsemen will still have some large shoes to fill. The Horsemen proved that they pretty much owned District 14C boys basketball last winter, running to a 12-0 regular season conference record and then finishing strong by winning two more games and claiming the 14C tournament title.

The Horsemen completed the 2019-2020 campaign with a 17-5 record and a rare Western C divisional tourney appearance.

Gone from last year’s District 14C championship team are guys like Treydon Brouillette and Jake Weyers, first and second team all-conference picks lost to graduation, and seniors Kade Pardee and Tristan Subatch, who have both transferred to Thompson Falls.

Still, Allen says he is working with a solid nucleus, a core group of eight players – six seniors and two sophomores – and plans on making this something-new, something-old lineup work in Plains this winter.

Leading the Horsemen will be Nathan Feliksa, a returning second team 14C pick, and his senior classmates Duncan Chisholm, Tucker Foster, Gabe Gamboa and Gavin Regalado. Allen says sophomores Garth Parker and Jayden Weeks are also in the early-season mix for playing time with the Horsemen.

“It’s kind of like we are rebuilding but then again, it is kind of like we are not,” Allen said. “Six of our top eight players are seniors and plenty of them got playing time last year, so we are still pretty experienced. Our big thing early this season will be figuring out where everybody fits in and going from there.”

Although they have had a lot of time to practice since early December, Allen says attendance at practices so far has been sporadic due to the ongoing pandemic.

“It seems like we are always missing someone so far in practice,” he offered. “We had four players in quarantine the first week of practice and have been dealing with things as they arise.”

Looking at the upcoming 14C wars, Allen sees St. Regis, which fell to Plains in the 14C tourney title game last year, as the team to beat this season.

“St. Regis has almost everyone back, they are hungry and looking for payback,” Allen said. “We are excited to get out there and see how we match up, it should be an interesting season in District 14C.”

Allen said the Horsemen have 11 games scheduled this COVID-shortened season, including 10 14C conference games and one non-conference contest against Mission. The Horsemen begin the season hosting the Charlo Vikings January 8.