Moesch and Southwest ready to contend in FRCC

GREEN BAY - Talking about the prospects of this year’s team and if it can win a conference title, Aaron Moesch looks back and points to a banner that lists the last time Green Bay Southwest won a boys basketball conference title – 2001.

The senior is well aware of the drought but feels this season Southwest might have a chance to add another season to the banner.

Moesch is a 6-foot-8 forward who has drawn walk-on offers from the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay and Wisconsin, in addition to a scholarship offer from Eastern Illinois, and he’s the biggest reason the Trojans feel good about their chances in the always-challenging Fox River Classic Conference.

"You have to be confident, there's no doubt about that,” Moesch said. “You have to be confident. You can't say. 'Well, maybe.' No, you have to go out every game saying we're able to win this game. We should win this game. There's definitely a level of confidence this year there hasn't been in previous years."

"When we go out on the floor, we're not tossing a coin, we're expecting to do well and we're expecting to come out on top,” coach Chris Karcz said. “Our kids know what needs to be done. Some nights it doesn't always go that way, but they know what it takes to be successful."

So far this season Southwest is 3-0 with an impressive 11-point win over Seymour. However, the Trojans haven’t recorded that marquee conference win, but that could happen Friday when they travel to Pulaski in a game of conference contenders.

That game will feature a pair of Division I recruits as Moesch and Cody Wichmann, who has signed with the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, will battle. Moesch, who has walk-on offers from UW-Green Bay and Wisconsin hasn’t had to do it all this season.

He has had help from Justin Schweiner, who leads Southwest in scoring at 16 points per game, while Moesch adds 14. Also, Jason Baranowski adds 10.6 ppg.

Nonetheless, Karcz said sometimes Moesch needs to look at the rim more because most times he has such as advantage.

"He's a kid that will do whatever we need him to do to be successful,” Karcz said. “He's so unselfish. He's a great team player, he's a great leader for our team."

Southwest might be good enough to win the FRCC but this will be a grind to see who ends up on top. The Trojans, Pulaski, De Pere, Bay Port, Ashwaubenon and Sheboygan North all look like they have a shot.

Moesch believes his team can win the FRCC.

"You have to think every year that you have the team, but I think we feel that there's a possibility,” Moesch said. “We have to take it one game at a time. You can't look ahead of yourself."

With the season underway and Moesch still unsigned, he’s not worried about where he will play basketball next season. He’s only worried about the present.

"I'm not leaning one way or another,” he said. “I'm just going to wait to make sure it's the right decision for me. I'll know when it's the right fit."

Until then, Moesch will try to lead the Trojans to the top of the FRCC.

Follow Doug Ritchay on Twitter @dougritchay

doug.ritchay@wluk.com