ARLEE - A big key to Arlee's success this season will be senior

point guard Jesse Pfau. Coaches praise the three-sport athlete's

work ethic. He was already a part of the fourth place boys'

basketball team at state last season. He's among the state's best

long distance runners.

ARLEE - A big key to Arlee's success this season will be senior point guard Jesse Pfau. Coaches praise the three-sport athlete's work ethic. He was already a part of the fourth place boys' basketball team at state last season. He's among the state's best long distance runners.

And he's ready for another crack at the state tournament.

"I think we're going to do pretty good," Pfau said. "We've got the talent."

New Arlee head basketball coach Dustin Keltner has already been impressed with how hard Pfau works and thinks it should pay big dividends this season.

"He's going to get some payout on the weekends during the game," Keltner said.

Keltner said Pfau is an excellent passer and dribbler and is an all-around complete player.

"I like to compete, I like the thrill of competing against others," Pfau said.

Earlier this year, Pfau was the best boy's runner on the Arlee cross country team and placed 24th in the state.

"Jesse had a great senior year," Arlee cross country coach Katea Dreiling said. "He stepped up to be a leader, which our larger than average team really needed."

Pfau has used his running in cross country and track to prepare for the basketball season, and when Dreiling became the head coach his sophomore year, the two instantly developed that kind of coach-player respect that you'd expect from a JordanJackson or Brady-Bellichick tandem.

"She's an awesome coach. I have a lot of respect for Katea," Pfau said. "She's a real fun coach."

Arlee cross country has seen growing numbers, and Dreiling has attributed the leadership of Pfau for that.

"Cross-country can be a mundane sport, but not with the group of runners we have in Arlee," Dreiling said. "Jesse had a large part to do with this. He always has a smile on his face and is consistently looking for a way to make running fun. Also, he's welcoming to new runners. Both of these things contributed to the increased numbers on our team this year. He has helped build a team that is excited about the season."

After a tough freshman year, Pfau said the sport of cross country grew on him. He's been known to have some fun.

"I will never forget how hard Jesse pushed me to compete in the all-comers meet in Polson," Dreiling said. "This is a very good example of how Jesse was able to make running fun for everyone; I know even the parents got a kick out of Jesse stepping into my shoes as coach. ‘You've got to move now!'"

That leadership will now move onto the basketball court as Pfau handles the quarterbacking duties for the Warriors a point guard. In that position, the team needs a leader.

"You kind of have to since you're the one calling the sets," Pfau said. "I remember being nervous as a freshman and now it seems like second nature."

The all-conference basketball player and four-year varsity player spent the fall going to open gym along with cross country. On Sundays, Jesse and his dad would also do individual training.

"I had runner's leg," Pfau said. "I couldn't jump."

But he's since gotten his basketball legs under him.

Pfau is excited about the talent on the team and has really enjoyed the new system that Keltner is employing in Arlee.

"I like him a lot," Pfau said. "He knows his stuff."

The Warriors will fastbreak when they can, working on the dribble drive and look for receiving options.

Pfau should be in the middle of all that.

"We can all score at will and pass," he said. "We need to play great defense."

Pfau feels that the Charlo games will be the biggest this season after playing the Vikings four times last year.

"It was like the NBA best of seven," Pfau said. "You play each other so much, you get to a point where you just know what everyone is going to do."

Pfau hopes his team can improve on their fourthplace finish last season.

"For that senior year, all seniors want the best possible season," Pfau said. "But there's so many dimensions to life."

Pfau is planning on going to college after high school and hopes to get into medical school. He's leaning towards the University of Montana because of it's proximity to home.

"There's other things than basketball," Pfau said. "It is important, but there are other things in my life."

It's that kind of maturity that should take Pfau far.

Combine that with his work ethic and there's no stopping him. Especially on the dribble drive.