JUDSONIA -- Ryan Koerdt was mistaken about his team's outlook for the current season, and he could not be happier.
"This was supposed to be a rebuilding year," said Koerdt, whose team improved to 25-3 after Friday's 59-42 victory over Maumelle Charter. "We're real young. It's been totally unexpected."
Koerdt's preseason notion was that White County Central would suffer from some growing pains, with only two seniors on the roster.
Instead, the Bears are within reach of the program's best single-season record, accomplished two years ago when White County Central went 29-7.
The Bears have won at least 23 games in all four years that Koerdt has been at the school, but the program still has never qualified for a state tournament, losing in the first round of the regional tournament the past three years.
This team, currently riding a 15-game winning streak, is giving Koerdt cause to believe it will be playing in March.
"They know what to do and they have definitely taken on my personality," Koerdt said. "They're blue-collar kids. They're hard workers."
Austin Williams, one of the Bears' two seniors, has been through some tough times at the school, including a one-victory season during his time on the freshman team.
"We weren't very good defensively or offensively," said Williams, a 6-6 forward who has signed to play baseball at Williams Baptist College. "I definitely had my dauber down, but we put in the work and Coach Koerdt helped me to become the player I am to help the team."
Williams was triple-teamed during Thursday's 67-33 victory over Midland, but he still had 15 points, 13 rebounds and 6 assists.
"Austin is a stud," Koerdt said. "And he's a heckuva leader."
The Bears start one junior -- 6-1 guard Jonathan Rolett -- and three sophomores -- 5-9 guard Marlin Carder, 6-3 forward Hunter Jackson and 6-2 center Jagger Myers alongside Williams.
"We've hit the weight room and we've gotten more physical," said Williams when asked what's changed since his freshman season. "We've left all the outside stuff in the locker room and just played ball. ... Baseball has always been my No. 1 sport but after this year it might change. I'm really having a lot of fun with this team."
Koerdt, who has previously been a head coach at Emerson and Sheridan, is no stranger to the small-school scene. He attended Scranton High School from 1994 to 1996 and graduated from Subiaco Academy in 1997. He played two years of college basketball at Westark (now Arkansas-Fort Smith) and two more years at the University of Ozarks. He has found his niche at White County Central, where his record is 102-31 in his three-plus years.
"We don't have football, so these kids eat, sleep and breathe basketball," Koerdt said. "You tell these kids that the gym is going to be open and more than likely, they'll beat me here."
Sports on 01/29/2017