Staples Motley’s Jordan Riewer was named the Mid State Conference’s Most Valuable Player award winner for the past basketball season.

Riewer, who gave great performances in games all season, topped off his career March 16, in the Section 6AA finals with an unforgettable 34 point game against eventual state champ New London-Spicer.

Joining Jordan on the Mid State All Conference team from Staples Motley were Derek Wolhowe and Jon Bristow.

Jason Johnson and Jordan Peterson were named all conference honorable mention.

These and other awards were announced at the boys basketball team’s season ending banquet held Sunday, March 28.

The state’s Associated Press All State team was also announced this past week, with Riewer named to the All State Honorable Mention list.

Coach Lynn Peterson annually has to say goodbye each year at the team’s banquet to that year’s seniors. This year, even the graying old coach (with 29 seasons here and six previous at Deer Creek) had to admit that it was an emotional experience.

“It was an emotional time, we go back to when these seniors were eighth graders,” he said. But he also added it was no different when he said goodbye to the team that had four wins in their season. “That was emotional moment too, four years ago when we had four wins.”

Among other awards listed at that banquet were the following:

The all-Sub Section 6AA team entries were Derek Wolhowe and Jordan Riewer. Riewer was also named the Minnesota Basketball Coaches Association’s All Star Gold team that will play in all star games to be played April 9 at St. Cloud and April 10 at Macalaster. Wolhowe was named to the academic MBCA all state team.

Riewer was the winner of the team’s most assists award. He had 215 in the regular season, averaging over eight a game. He and Wolhowe shared the most rebounds award. Riewer had 188 in the regular season, and Wolhowe with 187, both with about 7.2 boards every game.

Riewer, made 77 of 92 free throw attempts, for a team leading 83.7 percent. Jon Bristow made 66 of 88 for a 75 percent free throw percentage.

The Cardinal team’s most improved award went to Bristow and Jason Johnson.

Coach Lynn Peterson named Riewer and Trevor Wentworth as the team’s most valuable defensive players, while he named Riewer as the offensive MVP. Overall MVP honors went to Riewer and Derek Wolhowe.

This year two juniors and nine seniors earned Staples Motley varsity letters. The juniors were Tanner Roberts and Zach Israelson, while the seniors included Riewer, Wolhowe, Wentworth, Gunner Johnson, Jason Johnson, Jordan Peterson, Isaac Fuhrman, Brandon Larson and Jon Bristow.

As a team this season, Staples Motley scored 2,068 points compared to opponents 1,647, averaging 68.9 to 55.2. The Cards, at the end of the regular season, had a record of 23 wins and five losses. Those losses included games to Columbia Heights, Minnesota Transitions in games played in the Twin Cities, plus a 58- 48 loss to Crosby-Ironton and late season losses to Breckenridge and Grand Rapids. With three wins and one loss in the playoffs, the boys finished 26-6 for the season.

Coach Lynn Peterson noted that the Cards had one of the toughest schedules played by anyone, as five of their opponents this year were in the championship games of the state tournament. Sebeka (30-3) lost to Transitions (30-3) in Class A, Crosby-Ironton (29-3) lost to New London Spicer (32-2) in AA and Grand Rapids (29-3) lost to St. Paul Johnson in AAA. A sixth opponent, Little Falls (20-10) was also a Class AAA state tournament entry, losing out in the first round.

Staples Motley had wins over Little Falls and C-I, and except for the last second, ‘Hail Mary’ for New London-Spicer in the Section 6AA finals, the Cards might have been able to play in the state tournament, perhaps even facing C-I again in the finals. But that’s all in the “what could have been” world.