MONTICELLO — After three-straight trying seasons in which his team won just seven total games, Ponies coach Mark Olson was able to guide his players back into contention last season.

Monticello went 9-13 overall, including a 6-6 mark in the Six Rivers East — square in the middle of the standings. The nine wins also helped push Olson over the 100-career wins mark, which now stands at 101.

Career notes aside, Olson knows what he has returning this year — three seniors and two talented juniors. Jeffrey Ace averaged 6 points and 3 rebounds per game last year as a junior, and classmates Jarrett Long and Andy Eyler also return. As sophomores a season ago, Reece Rufer (15 ppg, 7 rpg) and Simon Blohowiak (5 ppg, 2 rpg) made their mark on the conference.

Four newcomers will also get their shot on varsity this year — senior forward Sam Allard, junior guard Devin Holz, junior forward Robert Bart and sophomore forward Peter Gustafson.

“Last year we finished in the middle of the conference after several years at the bottom. This year we hope to continue to work our way closer to the top of the conference,” Olson said.

Post play is a concern for the Ponies despite Rufer standing at 6-3 and Ace 6-0.

“We will need to develop guys that can defend at different positions to replace the defenders we lost last year,” Olson said.

Monticello will also need to improve in its ability to put the ball in the hoop if it wants to compete with Pecatonica, Barneveld and Black Hawk — the three teams Olson sees at once again sitting atop the conference standings at the end of the season.