By Tom Nader

Publisher and Editor

THE TEAM

Head Coach: Conner Wess, 1st year, 0-0 career record.

Coaching Staff: LJ Campbell, Brian Cupped, Andrew Mosnot.

2024-25 Record: 9-13 overall, 2-6 Portage Trail Conference.

Returning Lettermen (6): Jordon Smith, sr.; Dylan Hartung, sr.; Gavin Gardner, jr.; Landon Shaffer, jr.; Noah Hopkins, jr.; Adrian Merk, jr.

Lettermen Lost (4): Jude Thiry, Karson Jaber, Demitri Blagojevic, Nick Stephenson.

League: Independent.

TEAM OUTLOOK

For the first time in 16 years, the Wildcats are led by a new head coach in Conner Wess, who takes over for longtime mentor Russ Swartz and most recently was an assistant coach at the University of Mount Union.

Swartz retired following the 2024-25 season and 501 career wins and is serving as an assistant coach at Lake High School this season.

Wess, who was Portage Trail Conference Metro Division Player of the Year and won the  2015-16 league championship during his senior season at Coventry, is the new Wildcats leader.

Wess’ offensive philosophy is to play fast, attack the paint, prioritize catch-and-shoot 3-pointers, advance the ball in transition and crash the offensive glass hard.

Defensively, the Wildcats will pressure the ball, with full intent to keep as much action out of the paint as possible.

“We want to have a continuous scramble mentality, ready to help the helper and finish possessions by rebounding the ball,” Wess said.

Mogadore is playing the 2025-26 season as an independent.

WE HAVE A SUCCESSFUL SEASON IF…

“We can continue to simulate intense competition in practice while staying healthy.”

GUARDS

Mogadore’s backcourt is young and relatively inexperienced.

“We want to push the pace and all of our guards are capable of putting pressure in the lane to make plays and score the ball.”

The group is led by returning lettermen and juniors Gavin Gardner (6 points per game last season) and Landon Shaffer (2 ppg).

Another junior, Noah Hopkins, is also a returning letterman and adds depth to the backcourt, alongside senior Tyler Pendergast and junior letterman Adrian Merk.

FORWARD

Senior Jordon Smith is the top returner for the Cats this season and is coming off a First Team All-Portage Trail Conference season a year ago when he averaged 15 points per game.

Smith is an athletic wing, who has the ability to score on the perimeter or by slashing to the basket.

He is joined in the frontcourt by senior Dylan Hartung and sophomores Landen Williams and Collin Hendrickson.

Like the guard position, Mogadore is also relatively inexperienced at forward and will need players to step up to fill roles throughout the course of the season.

UNDERCLASSMEN TO WATCH

Ayden Hartung, soph.; Caleb Moye, fresh.; Jacob Ardelian, fresh.

LEAGUE OUTLOOK

“We are independent this season, and we are expecting to be in a league by next year.”

DID YOU KNOW?

“We have a large group of multi-sport athletes, which greatly intrigued me to apply for this job. We only have three players on the basketball team who do not play another sport, and I believe we do a great job as a district to encourage multi-sport athletes and support those decisions.”