Girls Basketball
Honorable Mention
Chloe Kock- Carroll
Kock followed up a strong freshman campaign with another strong sophomore campaign, using her quickness and aggressiveness to help Carroll to their best conference finish in over a decade. Oftentimes she helped the Tigers get out to good starts, dominating the glass and scoring at the rim. She can score on the block or attack off the dribble along with having a nice midrange jumper.
Sarah Bontrager- East Sac
The Junior was a key for the Raiders this season. She was one of their best three-point shooters and a strong defender. She finished the season averaging 8.5 points per game, putting up nice all-around numbers. He pulled down 4 rebounds per game, averaged nearly 3 steals per game and had 2 assists per game.
Kendall Quirk- East Sac
The senior closed out her career as the best rebounder in East Sac history, averaging over 10 rebounds a game again this season. She finished with around 700 rebounds in her career. Quirk is a strong player inside and does a nice job getting position and boxing out. She was as adept at grabbing offensive rebounds as she was on the defensive boards, helping her average nearly 7 points per game. Quirk was a good defender inside, doing a nice job of anticipating passing lanes to make steals.
Kaliyah Minnihan- Paton Churdan
Minnihan continues to grow as a player for the Rockets, putting together a lot of double-doubles this season. She was the focal point of the offense for the team early in the season because of injuries and was tough for defenses to stop. Opposing coaches talked about how important she was to the Rockets and how tough she could be to defend. She finished the season averaging over 9 points and 7 rebounds a game.
Kassidy Wenck- Glidden Ralston
Wenck had a strong season for the Wildcats, using her quickness and athleticism to get open looks on the perimeter and to attack the rim. She isn’t a typical post-player but needs to play down low at times as one of the taller players on the team. She grabbed over 7 rebounds per game, a lot of them on the defensive end that helped the Wildcats get out and run. She led the break, averaging 3 assists per game or scoring at over 9 points per game. Wenck is a solid defender as well, with nearly 3 steals per game.
Gabby Hundling- Ar-We-Va
Her competitiveness and motor are two of her biggest strengths as she plays hard every second she’s on the court. That makes her a tough player for opposing teams because she can affect the game in so many ways. She paced the Rockets at nearly 10 points per game and averaged nearly 7 rebounds per game. Hundling isn’t just a strong offensive player, she can defend as well. She reads passing lanes well and can lock down good scorers. She averaged over 4 steals per game.
3rd Team
Olivia Squibb- Glidden Ralston
Squibb broke onto the scene in her freshman season, showing the ability to lead the team as a point guard. She can score in multiple ways, not afraid to attack the rim against taller players but also can step outside and hit threes. She sees the floor well, distributing the ball to teammates and putting them in position to score. She dished out nearly 3 assists per game while averaging nearly 11 points per game. She is also a strong defender, averaging nearly 3 steals per game.
Allison Snyder- Glidden Ralston
Snyder had a strong sophomore season, playing with an aggressive style that showed no fear. She can score inside and out and is at her best on the fastbreak. She is a strong rebounder from the perimeter, pulling down over 6 rebounds per game with nearly 3 of them on the offensive glass. Snyder is a good shooter, helping her score 11 points per game. Her defensive prowess will be a strength in the future as she averaged over 3 steals per game.
Karsyn Overmohle- Kuemper
Overmohle closed out her career, helping the Knights continue to move the program in the right direction. She is a strong outside shooter, knocking down seven-threes in a win over Nodaway Valley in early January. She finished the season hitting 33% from three point range, averaging over 9 points per game. She was one of the Knights better defenders, working hard on the blocks and on the perimeter, averaging nearly 2 steals per game. She added 4 rebounds per game.
Olivia Rowedder- Carroll
Rowedder gave the Tigers a fighter in the post, who could score and defend against taller players. She isn’t afraid to battle on the block for rebounds or to make a defensive stop. Her leadership on the court and in the locker room may be as important as her stats for the season. She pulled down nearly 7 rebounds per game, splitting them between the offensive and defensive glass. She sees the floor well from the post and does a nice job finding teammates for open looks. She finished her career shooting over 44% from the field, helping her average 8 points per game.
Addisen Ehler- East Sac
Ehler will go down in Raiders history as one of the best rebounders and post defenders. She was a big key to their success this season, giving them a scorer on the inside. While also being able to get out on the break and use her athleticism to score in transition. She paced the Raiders on the boards, averaging nearly 4 per game on the offensive end and nearly 7 per game on the defensive glass. Ehler was second on the team in scoring with nearly 8 points per game.
Keagan Eischeid- IKM-Manning
The freshman followed up a strong volleyball season with a very good basketball season, flashing a potential to be a star in the future. She is a tough player inside but can also handle the ball if needed and is an underrated defensive player. Eischeid knows how to use the fact that she’s left handed to keep defenders off-balance. She can score at the rim along with having a nice midrange game. She finished the season at over 9 points per game while pulling down over 6 rebounds per game. Nearly half her rebounds came on the offensive end as she has a nice knack of being in the right position.
2nd Team
Anna Stangl- IKM-Manning
The junior continues to be one of the best players in the area and a great scorer. She can beat defenders off the dribble and score with a floater or get to the rim. She does a nice job drawing fouls once she’s in the paint, then hits her free throws as a 79% clip. She attempted over 120 free throws this season Stangl is an aggressive outside shooter with good range, helping her average 15 points per game. She handles the ball as the point guard for IKM-Manning but that doesn’t hinder her ability to rebound, pulling down over 5 per game. Stangl is a good passer and defender, averaging just under 3 assists and steals per game.
Blair Schleisman- South Central Calhoun
Schleisman was a big part of the reason the Titans pushed to be a 500 team with only six players on the roster. She has good range from the outside, shooting over 32% from beyond the arc. Her ability to handle the ball allows her to get into the lane and score and make trips to the free throw line, where she shot 70% this season. She finished the season scoring over 12 points per game. She did a nice job finding teammates for baskets this season, averaging 3 assists per game. Schleisman isn’t just an offensive player, she is a strong defender, making over 3 steals per game. She averaged nearly 4.5 rebounds per game as well as a sophomore.
Bre Patterson- South Central Calhoun
Patterson has grown so much during her career, closing it out with a strong senior campaign. She is one of the most aggressive players on the court, playing hard all the time. She attacks the rim on offense like a player on a mission, helping her score over 14 points per game. It also helped her get to the free throw line a ton, taking 146 attempts on the season, shooting 75%. The guard was also a strong rebounder, pulling down over 6 rebounds per game with nearly 3 of them on the offensive end. Patterson is a tough defender, helping lead a Titans team that wasn’t afraid to press and trap, even with six girls in uniform. She made over 2 steals per game.
Makenna Steiger- East Sac
Steiger plays with great knowledge of the game, making her a tough player to defend. She can knock down shots from deep and is the top three point shooter in East Sac history, breaking the school record with her 191st three of her career in late January against Manson NW Webster. The Raiders won on the road with Steiger scoring 24 points. She finished the season making over 30% from beyond the arc, averaging nearly 14 points per game. Steiger handles the ball as the point guard most of the time, doing a nice job not turning it over while finding teammates for good shots. She is a strong defender on the perimeter, making over 2 steals per game.
Kaylie Simons- Kuemper
Simons is one of the toughest and most fearless competitors in the area. She always plays with high energy and doesn’t back away from any challenge. She started the season slowly on the offensive end but ended the season as one of the best scorers in the Hawkeye 10 and the area. She can shoot from deep, hitting over 32% from deep, but can also attack the rim and score against taller and bigger players. Her midrange game makes it difficult for teams to take her away on the offensive end. She ended the year averaging over 11 points per game but scored nearly 16 per game over the final two months of the season. Simons has a knack of getting rebounds against taller players, averaging over 3 per game. She is a terror defensively, diving all over the floor to make plays in the press or the halfcourt. She made nearly 3 steals per game. She is also one of the top free throw shooters in the area.
Jaelynn Petersen- Exira-EHK
One of the biggest reasons the Spartans made a run to the Regional Final and nearly made a trip to the State Tournament. Her return to the team in January helped vault them into a contender in the Rolling Valley Conference and a threat to make a run to State. She gave them a second bona fide scorer, finishing the season with more than 11 points per game. She is active inside, able to score at the rim, or hit midrange jumpers. She is a strong rebounder, pulling down nearly 6 rebounds per game. Her athleticism and strength make her an elite defender in the post and in the Spartans pressure defense. She made nearly 4 steals per game, helping them turn them into quick points. She added another player that could shoot from the outside, finishing 3rd on the team in three point percentage.
1st Team
Elsa Tiefenthaler- Kuemper
Tiefenthaler continues to be a great player for Kuemper, leading them in almost every statistical category. Her stats don’t tell the whole story as she is a fierce competitor who always pushes herself to get better in every aspect of the game. She continues to shoot the ball, whether it be attacking the rim or shooting the three. Her midrange game makes it difficult to hold her down, allowing her to score in many ways. Defenses have begun to focus on her, trying to take her away, but she still averaged nearly 14 points per game while shooting over 37% from the field. She sees the floor well, also looking for open teammates, helping keep everyone in the game. Tiefenthaler is a strong passer, averaging 4 assists per game. She isn’t just a strong player when the ball is in her hands. She moves well and is a strong rebounder as a guard, pulling down a team leading 5 rebounds per game. Tienthaler is one of the top defenders on the perimeter in the area, finishing with nearly 4 steals per game. She received consideration for Player of the Year.
Ali Kock- Carroll
Kock exemplifies the term, she makes game winning plays. She was a huge part of the Tigers success this season, finishing 3rd in one of the toughest conferences in the state. She has a knack for being in the right place at the right time and just goes about doing her job every moment she’s on the court. This was the healthiest season of her career and she made the most of it, showing her knowledge of the game and playing with a motor that doesn’t stop. Her stats are strong this season but doesn’t tell the whole story of her importance to her team. She ended the year scoring 10 points per game along with pulling down nearly 6 rebounds per game. She is a strong free throw shooter, hitting 67% from the line. Kock is a strong defender in the post or on the perimeter. Teams found it more difficult to pressure Carroll this season as Kock gives them another strong ballhandler.
Katelyn Aden- Carroll
The senior is heading to Wartburg to continue her basketball career, doing so as the top three-point shooter in school history. She became the all-time leader in made threes in the Tigers postseason game against Storm Lake. Finishing her career with 124 threes. She wraps up a tremendous career, seeing the floor with the varsity in all four years. She is one of the best perimeter defenders, using her length to put a lot of pressure in the full-court or when Carroll used a half-court trap. She led Carroll with over 3 steals per game. Aden always played with high energy, allowing her to succeed on both ends of the floor. She led the Tigers in scoring and assists this season with over 11 points per game and nearly 4 assists per game. Defenses didn’t want to foul her late, as she was a strong free throw shooter, hitting nearly 75%. Her stats are strong but it may be her leadership and work ethic that will be the biggest part of what the Tigers will need to replace next season. Aden was a finalist for the Player of the Year.
Anna Hart- Coon Rapids Bayard
Hart isn’t done yet, being a junior, but she will go down as one of best players in Coon Rapids Bayard history. She holds several school records, including steals in a season at 149, breaking her own record from her freshman year and is the all-time leader in steals with 415 through three seasons. She tied the school record for free throw attempts in a game (18) and holds the school record with 15 made free throws in a game. She is a strong free throw shooter, making 69% this season. She averaged nearly 7 steals per game this season while scoring over 12 points per game, showing she can do it on both ends of the floor. She was instrumental in the Crusaders home win against Woodbine this season, helping them clinch the Conference title. She took over the game in the final couple minutes. Coach McAlister says Hart is a great captain on the court, as the main ballhandler, she does a tremendous job getting the team into the right sets on the offensive end. She averaged 4 assists per game and is currently 2nd in Crusaders history in career assists.
Malia Clayburg- Coon Rapids Bayard
Clayburg continues to be one of the best players in the area, finding a way to control games in the paint as an undersized post player. She plays with great heart and hustle, almost willing herself to outplay everyone on the floor. She is extremely quick and very athletic and understands how to use both of those to her advantage. She can score in the post in the offensive set or by grabbing an offensive rebound. She finished the season averaging nearly 4 offensive rebounds per game and nearly 8 rebounds per game overall. Her athleticism and quickness also allowed her to be a great defender, making 3 steals per game, which normally turned into a fast break she would finish. Her great timing allows her to contend shots against taller players, finishing with nearly 3 blocked shots per game. She broke the school record for block shots in a season with 52 and holds the single game record in blocked shots with 7. Clayburg led the Crusaders in scoring at nearly 14 points per game, shooting 43% from the field. She is also a strong free throw shooter, hitting 68% from the line. She was a finalist for the Player of the Year.
Player of the Year
Taryn Petersen-Exira-EHK
Petersen backed-up a great freshman campaign with a better sophomore season, earning the KCIM Sports Rewind Player of the Year. She plays with a high energy on both ends of the floor leading the area in scoring and was second in the area in steals. Her fiery competitiveness helped drive her and her team, helping them battle for a Rolling Valley Conference title this season, advancing to the Regional Final, where they lost by one point in a matter of inches on a last second shot. Petersen has great range on the offensive end, hitting shots from 25-27 feet at times but can also attack the rim. She handles the ball well in traffic, allowing her to attack the defense when they extend out on her. She is strong at finishing at the rim along with having a good midrange game and runner in the lane. She finished the season averaging nearly 23 points per game while also dishing out nearly 3.5 assists per game. Her fearless play makes her clutch late in games, hitting a big bucket to beat MVAOCOU in the Regional Semifinals and scoring the final four points for the Spartans in their Regional Final game. She nearly hit a shot from halfcourt at the buzzer of that game as well. She became the first player in Exira-EHK history to score 500 points. Petersen is a tremendous defensive player, reading passing lanes and attacking ballhandlers in the double team. She averaged 6 steals per game. She is an underrated rebounder with nearly 4.5 per game. The Spartans graduate a pair of seniors but should be loaded next season, led by Petersen.
Coach of the Year
Katie Kock- Carroll
Carroll had their most wins in a season since 2010 winning 16 games. They had their second straight winning season for the first time since the 2018-2019 and 2019-2020 seasons. Coach Kock continues to move the program forward in one of the toughest, if not the toughest conferences in the state. Her team finished 16-7 overall, going 10-6 and finishing in 3rd place in the Raccoon River Conference, spending most of 2025 in the top 10 in Class 4A, finishing 11th in the final poll. Five of their seven losses came to ranked teams. They also earned four wins against ranked teams including top ranked St Albert, giving them their only loss during the regular season. They nearly knocked off top 5 ranked Carlisle in the road early in the season, falling in overtime, while holding an Iowa State signee well below her season average. The Tigers battled some injuries during the season, missing some key pieces throughout the season. Carroll was a tough defensive team, able to use many different defensive schemes. Offensively, they wanted to work the ball inside with several great options inside, but could also shoot the ball from deep.
