The Grundy Center boys basketball team recently finished one of its best seasons in recent history and qualified for the state tournament for the first time since 2003. At 20-4, it was the most wins in a season in the Bound era, which dates to the 2006-2007 season.
The team will lose only four seniors, but Head Coach Brent Thoren says the class was an impactful group in all sports at Grundy Center.
“They were incredible,” Thoren says. “Just how they embraced their role of leading the team, taking on new roles and responsibilities. The guys coming off the bench, their demeanor and everything about them, they’re such quality kids. They’re winners. They know how to compete. They’re going to move onto another sport in the spring, they’re going to be really good there. They’re high-quality people that understand how to handle these moments. They did a great job of leading us this year.”
Tate Jirovsky was the only senior starter, and Colin Gordon came off the bench. The class also included Sullivan Dirks and Tyler Venenga.
The team is expected to return four starters next year, including leading scorers Jalen Kirkpatrick and Tiernan Vokes.
The Spartans had their season end against Class 2A runner-up Hudson in the state quarterfinals.
