 SECTION LINKS |  |
|
| |
|
Janke to play at Dakota Wesleyan University
| | |
By ARIY-EL BOYNTON, Sports Editor
| 05/01/2009 |
| | |
Jarret Janke is used to working his way up from a sub-player to a varsity starter. With a signing of a piece of paper, he will get one more chance to do so.
The Madison Bulldogs senior star on the basketball, track & field and baseball teams will get a chance to work his way up through John Hemenway's Dakota Wesleyan University men's basketball program for the next four years.
Janke recently signed a Letter of Intent to play basketball for the DWU Tigers, located in Mitchell.
"I'm excited to play in the Corn Palace and get a chance to play competitive basketball for four more years," said Janke.
Janke, who recently earned a 4.0 in his last trimester, believes he will be on the junior varsity team his first year and have a chance to work his way up to the varsity team.
He has been in this situation before.
In Janke's sophomore year the guard played all year on the junior varsity team. His junior year, head Bulldogs coach Michael Ricke assigned him as a starter on the varsity team.
Janke and the Bulldogs earned second place in 2008 in Sioux Falls, losing to Platte-Geddes.
In 2009, he and six other seniors and the rest of the Bulldogs team "worked the tails off" according to Janke and won the state Class A championship in Rapid City on March 21.
"That was really special that we got to win it all. I think anything less than a state title would have been a disappointment," said Janke.
With Janke signing on at the NAIA D-I college he joins fellow Bulldog senior basketball starters Ryan Steffensen, Chad White and Tony Fiegen, who have signed a Letter of Intent to play college athletics. Fiegen and White will take their services to South Dakota State University in the fall and Steffensen has signed to play baseball for Dakota State University.
"All four seniors have signed on to play and I think that tells you a lot about Madison as a community. We worked too hard not to be successful and its starting to pay off," said Janke.
Derrick Wiebe, the fifth starter on the Bulldogs basketball squad, is only a junior and "is being looked at," according to Hemenway, who took the Tigers to the NAIA National Tournament this year.
Brady Wiebe, Derrick's brother, graduated from Madison in 2007 and will be a junior at DWU next year.
Janke looks forward to being on the same team as Brady Wiebe.
"He has always been a guy I have looked up to for a long time, and I know he has a lot of knowledge about the game," said Janke, who ran the fourth fastest 100-meter dash in school history (10.88) last week. "He's a real nice guy and I am excited for my future."
The Tigers coaching staff is also excited.
"Having Brady and Jarret will give us a few more fans in Madison, and that program produces quality players and young men," said Hemenway.
Janke will major in athletic training and does not plan to run track & field for the Tigers.
"I know academics are important to my success, but basketball was my first love and I would like to enjoy my time at college and I look forward to it," said Janke.
As does Hemenway.
"Jarret is a great competitor and I like his ball-handling skills. I think he can help us, maybe even right away," said Hemenway, who has coached for DWU for four years. "It's going to be nice to see what he can do."
Janke is ready for the challenge.
"College is a step-up. I know I need to get better, but I have a chance to compete on a great team. I feel that I'm ready," he said.
| |
©Madison Daily Leader 2010
| |
| |
|
  | Send us your community news, events, letters to the editor and other suggestions. Now, you can submit birth, wedding and engagement announcements online too!
Copyright © 1995 - 2010 All Rights Reserved. |
|
