Farm kids who play basketball in local high schools
Ashleigh Wackerlin
Nickname: Ash
School/Team Name: Hinckley Big-Rock Royals
Year in School: Senior
Age: 17
Basketball Position: Guard
Jersey Number: 15
Height: 5′ 1O”
Years Playing Basketball: 4
Personal Best: 33 points in a game
Best Moments in Basketball: My sophomore year I hit the game winning shot against Indian Creek, but I’d have to say my whole senior year was the best. We started off by winning the Elgin Tournament in November, the Earlville Christmas tournament in December, Regionals in February, and overall had an amazing season.
Favorite Basketball Player: Caitlin Clark, Iowa Hawkeyes
How has basketball shaped you as a young adult? Basketball has not only formed me into a basketball player but has taught me responsibility, time management, how to be coachable, friendships, struggles, and determination. Basketball has taught me that I’m not always going to get the best outcome and sometimes you have to struggle before you can succeed. It has shaped me into a mature young adult that is willing to give it my all until the job is done.
Other Sports/Hobbies: Volleyball, soccer, snow ski & snowboard
Future Plans: I plan on attending a community college for two years to play soccer and/or basketball then transferring to JJC to become a Veterinary Technician.
Farm Role: I raise and show pigs every year for my 4-H project. I also take care of our horses.
Parents: Eric & Tina Wackerlin, Hinckley
Chase Engel
School/Team Name: Genoa-Kingston Cogs
Year in School: Senior
Age: 18
Basketball Position: Forward
Jersey Number: 10
Height: 6’1”
Years Playing Basketball: 4
Personal Best: Playing defense
Best Moments in Basketball: Finishing my senior year with the same teammates I’ve played with for years.
Favorite Basketball Player: Luka Doncic, Dallas Mavericks
How has basketball shaped you as a young adult? Patience and perseverance are key in achieving goals that may not come easily. I also have learned to not give up.
Other Sports/Hobbies: Football, trapshooting and showing beef cattle
Future plans: Attending OSU or ISU in the fall and obtaining an animal science degree
Farm Role: I have been involved mostly with beef cattle on our farm – breeding them and showing them at 4-H and other fairs.
Parents: Jeffrey & Tammy Engel, Marengo
Colin Nesler
School/Team Name: Genoa-Kingston Cogs
Year in School: Senior
Age: 18
Basketball Position: Center
Jersey Number: 20
Height: 6’4
Years Playing Basketball: I played on the varsity team all 4 years in high school. I started playing when I was 4 years old.
Personal Best: 22 points, 15 rebounds, 9 blocked shots (not all in the same game)
Best Moments in Basketball: Breaking GKHS block shots record for a game and a career
Favorite Basketball Player: Lebron James, Los Angeles Lakers
How has basketball shaped you as a young adult? Basketball has taught me countless lessons. Discipline, effort and respect are some of the few things I have learned from the sport that I will carry with me for the rest of my life.
Other Sports/Hobbies: Football, weightlifting, fishing
Future plans: Attending the University of Missouri where I will be studying Agribusiness Management
Farm Role: I am the son of a 3rd generation grain farmer. I help out seasonally around our farm. My brother and I co-managed 40 acres this year as well as helped with the remaining 4,000 acres. I owned a road-side pumpkin stand for 10+ years.
Parents: Jeff & Laurie Nesler, Genoa
Jolee Larson
Nickname: Jo
School/Team Name: Indian Creek Timberwolves
Year in School: Junior
Age: 17
Basketball Position: Point Guard/Shooting Guard
Jersey Number: 4
Height: 5’ 2”
Years Playing Basketball: Since 5th Grade
Personal Best: 13 points, & 10 rebounds
Best Moments in Basketball: My favorite high school basketball moment was playing Serena in the championship of the Amboy Christmas Tournament. Serena was a really good team this year, and made it all the way to state. It was really fun to play against them and our team played really well, keeping the score tight the whole time.
Favorite Basketball Player: Jake Taylor. He’s one of my best friends, and is a player on the boy’s basketball team at Indian Creek
How has basketball shaped you as a young adult? Basketball, and sports in general, have been a huge part of my growing up into a young adult. Basketball has helped me grow in self-confidence, and sports have taught me a good work ethic. I’ve also learned a lot about leadership, and I’ve made amazing friends playing sports in high school.
Other Sports/Hobbies: Soccer, track, golf, listening to music, watching movies and crafting
Future plans: I plan to go to college and continue my education.
Farm Role: I am the Secretary for Indian Creek FFA, and I help run the plow during harvest. I also do some paperwork and help with odds and ends on the farm with my parents.
Parents: Roger and Beverly Larson, Hinckley
Alexa Anderson
School/Team Name: Indian Creek Timberwolves
Year in School: Junior
Age: 16
Basketball Position: Forward/Guard
Jersey Number: 12
Height: 5’7”
Years Playing Basketball: 8
Personal Best: This year I shot in the Three Point Competition at regionals and tied for first with 8 shots and advanced to sectionals.
Best Moments in Basketball: The game in Lisle this year was a great game. We ended up losing, but we worked together as a team better than we had the rest of the year and we hung in there with a school that was much larger than ours.
Favorite Basketball Player: Michael Jordan, Chicago Bulls
How has basketball shaped you as a young adult? Basketball has been a big part of my life for the 8 years that I have been playing it and I have learned many different things over that time. Teamwork is something that is necessary for a good team. Learning how to work with others in order to accomplish a goal is a major part of basketball and life too. It has also taught me to become more respectful, as you need to be able to communicate with referees and the other team in a polite manner at all times.
Other Sports/Hobbies: Volleyball, soccer, calligraphy
Future plans: I plan on going to a 4-year school, possibly Iowa State, for Civil Engineering.
Farm Role: I live on a grain and swine farm with my family and I have helped out over the summers since I was ten years old. I also raise poultry as my SAE for FFA and to show at the DeKalb County 4-H Fair.
Parents: Kip and Laura Anderson, Shabbona
Avery Boehne
School/Team Name: Indian Creek Timberwolves
Year in School: Freshman
Age: 15
Basketball Position: Guard/Forward
Jersey Number: 25
Height: 5’5”
Years Playing Basketball: 5
Personal Best: I scored 32 points in my 7th grade basketball game. We were undefeated that season.
Best Moments in Basketball: I made the winning 3-point shot this year on my sophomore basketball team.
Favorite Basketball Player: Michael Jordan, Chicago Bulls
How has basketball shaped you as a young adult? Basketball has taught me to play as a team, work hard, and practice as much as you can to achieve what you want.
Other Sports/Hobbies: Softball, volleyball, baking, swimming, art
Future plans: I hope to play sports in college and become a lawyer.
Farm Role: I have helped in the field by learning how to drive the combine and unload corn from the semis. I also work in our hog barns and help with chores.
Parents: Berk and Lindsay Boehne, Shabbona