Steve Dunford – franklincounty-news.com

This is the second in a series that I just let coaches talk about their seniors.  I got this idea after talking to Thompsonville coach Pete Gordon about his seniors.

Z-R cheerleaders with Coach Morgan’s daughter Briley

Some of these young men were my son Andrew’s teammates in football playing for C-Z-R.  He talked to me several times about their work ethic.

The Tornadoes play harder than any team in Southern Illinois.  As of late they are playing well, staying in the ball game with two of the top Class 1A teams in Southern Illinois, Christopher and Goreville.

Here is coach Matt Morgan’s comments about his seniors:

Jakob Baxter: Jakob is a kid that has not gotten a lot of playing time over the course of this season, but he has never complained one time and is the leader in the bench. He is always on his teammates about cheering and has such a positive attitude. He’s a work horse that plays extremely hard every minute he has. I’m gonna really miss having him around.

Steven Anderson: Steven has been our Point Guard for 3 years now and the growth and maturity that he has shown on and off the floor is amazing to see. I am so proud of his development and the type of person he is. He’s got a bright future.

“This is a young man that dedicates his life to sports and I have no doubt that he will continue playing athletics beyond this school year! When you have a competitive drive like Steve does, big things are possible!”

Nolan Domineck: Nolan is a team first kid that has been willing to do anything I’ve asked over the past 4 years. His dedication to our program and willingness to do what is best for the team cannot be put into words.

He leaves an impact on the program moving forward that will stay with our younger players for years to come. He improved his game each year and showed the underclassmen what it takes to “Establish a Culture”

Cam Newton: Cams game has progressed so much over the past four years. His knowledge of the game is probably the best of anyone I have ever coached. Having him is like having another coach on the floor and he is someone that you know you can trust.

I don’t expect Cam to be away from the game of basketball long.  I fully expect him to be involved in coaching in the near future.

Austin Bolinger: AB is one of the best leaders I have ever coached! He is always willing to step up and encourage teammates if needed but also will chew someone’s butt if they need it.

His progression as a post player has been fun to watch. He has the heart of a champion and a relentless work ethic. He’s going to be successful in life because of that.

Brendan Whiting: Looking back and seeing the 5’4 110 pound freshman walk into our summer workout and knowing how he developed into the player that he has is absolutely amazing. I don’t know if I know of a kid that has put more effort and time into their game than Brendan has.

The kid is a gym rat that loves the game more than anyone can understand. I am excited to see what the future holds for him.  I fully expect him to continue his playing career. Seeing him grow and mature as a person has been even more special. He understands

The Zeigler-Royalton senior basketball players with Coach Morgan’s son, Grayson

that the sky is the limit for him and I expect him to take advantage of that.

All the seniors mean so much to me. The biggest impact that this group has left on me is the relationships that they built with my son Grayson.

My son looks up to and idolize each and everyone of them as positive influences and role models. For that, I am FOREVER grateful!