Springville duo highlight area all-state selections

DES MOINES — When Mikayla Nachazel underwent surgery last May, it had nothing to do with enhancement of her athletic skills.

That happened, somewhat, by accident.

Ten pounds lighter and a ton more confident than a year ago, Nachazel was the all-tournament captain as Springville captured the Class 1A championship Friday at Wells Fargo Arena. She joins teammate Rylee Menster as a first-team all-state selection by the Iowa Newspaper Assocation.

'She has grown in a lot of different ways,' Orioles Coach Nate Sanderson said. 'She is so much better in the open court. She is quicker. Her rebounding and defense are better. She's lighter on her feet.'

Nachazel suffered through a rough state final as a freshman, and the Orioles lost to Newell-Fonda in the last seconds. Two months later, she underwent jaw extension surgery in which both her upper and lower jaw were broken. She was restricted to a liquid diet for four weeks, then a soft diet for four more.

'A lot of Jell-O, a lot of soup,' Nachazel recalled. 'I couldn't do any activities for 12 weeks, and that really sucked.'

A 5-foot-10 sophomore, Nachazel lost 10 pounds during the summer, then kept it off.

'I just feel quicker now,' she said. 'More athletic.'

Nachazel was 10-for-14 from the field in Friday's 49-48 win over Turkey Valley in the 1A state final, scoring 20 points and grabbing seven rebounds. She averaged 15.0 points per game; Menster added 13.8 points and 5.1 steals per contest.

'Mikayla is much more confident on the floor than she was last year,' Sanderson said. 'Last year, I think nerves got the best of her. Rylee ... she's such a dynamic player. She sets the tone for us with steals and opportunities in transition.'

The sophomore duo from Springville (26-1) are two of 10 area first-team selections, including three from the Metro and two from Iowa City.

Linn-Mar senior Amanda Ollinger, Cedar Rapids Kennedy senior Lela Sellers and Iowa City High sophomore Ashley Joens were named to the 5A first team.

A 6-foot-1 forward, Ollinger led the Lions (20-5) to the 5A state semifinals. The University of Iowa recruit averaged 17.5 points and 10.2 rebounds per game, posting 42 points and 39 boards in two games in Des Moines last week.

'We wanted to win the whole thing, but only one team gets to do that,' Ollinger said. 'There were a lot of highs and lows ... adjusting to a new school was a big transition.'

Ollinger moved from the Cedar Rapids Jefferson district to Linn-Mar midway through her junior season. Sellers moved to Cedar Rapids from the Twin Cities prior to her junior year.

'It was a lot different than I was used to,' said Sellers, a 6-foot swing player who signed with Liberty University. 'It was competitive there, and it's competitive here. There's just so much more attention on high-school girls' sports here.'

Sellers averaged 18.7 points, 9.1 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game, shooting 53 percent from the floor. Kennedy finished 18-5.

Chloe Rice is the ringleader for a herd of talented youngsters at Marion (20-5), which reached the 4A semifinals. The Indians started three sophomores and two freshmen.

Rice, a sophomore, averaged 14.1 points per game and shot 84 percent from the field.

Joens (5-foot-11, 19.3 ppg) and Iowa City Regina's Mary Crompton (5-8, sophomore, 16.3 ppg, 76 3-pointers) were first-teamers in 5A and 2A, respectively. Crompton led the Regals (25-1) to the 2A semifinals.

Other area first-teamers are Western Dubuque's Megan Maahs (6-0, sr., 16.7 ppg, 11.1 rpg), Center Point-Urbana's Arika Wooldridge (5-11, sr., 16.1 ppg) and Turkey Valley's Shelby Reicks (5-10, jr., 15.8 ppg, 6.8 apg, 5.0 spg).

Maahs, a UNI signee, led Western Dubuque (24-1) to its third consecutive 4A state appearance. Wooldridge helped push CPU (24-2) to the 3A semifinals and will play at Winona State. Reicks guided Turkey Valley (26-1) to the 1A finals in its maiden state voyage.

Makenzie Meyer of Mason City was selected as Miss Iowa Basketball 2016. A future Iowa Hawkeye, Meyer led the Mohawks to the Class 4A state championship, averaging 18.3 points and 6.5 rebounds per game.

2016 IOWA NEWSPAPER ASSOCIATION ALL-STATE GIRLS' BASKETBALL TEAMS

CLASS 5A

First Team

Front line — Taryn Knuth, 6-4, jr., Johnston; Amanda Ollinger, 6-1, sr., Linn-Mar; Lela Sellers, 5-11, sr., Cedar Rapids Kennedy; Back court — Becca Hittner, 6-0, sr., West Des Moines Dowling; Ashley Joens, 5-11, soph., Iowa City High; Carlie Littlefield, 5-9, jr., Waukee; Utility — Jinaya Houston, 6-0, jr., Davenport North.

Second Team

Front line — Grace Berg, 6-0, soph., Indianola; Reilly Jacobson, 6-1, sr., Waukee; Tasha Vipond, 6-1, sr., Ankeny Centennial; Back court — Chrislyn Carr, 5-4, soph., Davenport West; Jacionna Stowers, 5-7, jr., Davenport North; Casey Stuart, 5-8, sr., Southeast Polk; Utility — Emma Gerdes, 5-10, sr., Cedar Falls.

Third Team

Front line — Kennedy Dighton, 6-1, jr., Cedar Rapids Jefferson; Courtney Joens, 5-11, sr., Iowa City High; Ellie Spelhaug, 5-10, soph., Pleasant Valley; Backcourt — Joniqua Clark, 5-1, sr., Cedar Rapids Washington; Kamryn Finley, 5-8, soph., Linn-Mar; Hannah Fuller, 5-8, jr., West Des Moines Valley; Utility — Rachael Saunders, 5-9, soph., Iowa City West.

CLASS 4A

First Team

Front line — Megan Maahs, 6-1, sr., Western Dubuque; Taylor Frederick, 6-1, sr., Harlan; Agatha Beier, 5-9, jr., Carlisle; Back court — Makenzie Meyer, 5-10, sr., Mason City; Jordyn Moser, 5-7, sr., Harlan; Chloe Rice, 5-10, soph., Marion; Utility — Katie Vander Molen, 5-9, jr., Pella.

Second Team

Front line — Gabie Doud, 5-11, sr., Ballard; Amanda Brainerd, 6-2, sr., DeWitt Central; Maegan Holt, 5-11, soph., Lewis Central; Back court — Morgan Pitz, 5-9, jr., Western Dubuque; Karli Rucker, 5-6, jr., North Scott; Michaela Davis, 5-4, soph., Keokuk; Utility — Sienna Durr, 6-0, soph., Grinnell.

Third Team

Front line — Katie Harken, 5-11, jr., Waverly-Shell Rock; Kiara Bradley, 5-10, jr., Pella; Kaeley Petzenhauser, 5-10, soph., Spencer; Back court — Megan Meyer, 5-8, fr., Mason City; Mia Laube, 5-9, soph., Marion; Nicole Buch, 5-10, soph., Fairfield; Utility — Makenzie Pezley, 5-9, jr., Keokuk.

CLASS 3A

First Team

Front line — Arika Wooldridge, 6-0, sr., Center Point-Urbana; Kati Cassabaum, 6-0, sr., Nevada; Lexi Koudelka, 6-1, soph., Nevada; Back court — Elle Ruffridge, 5-3, jr., Pocahontas Area; Kaely Hummel, 5-8, sr., Cherokee; Mackenzie Rogers, 5-8, soph., Mediapolis; Utility — Ellie Friesen, 5-3, soph., Osage.

Second Team

Front line — Kaitlyn Volesky, 5-10, jr., Mount Vernon; Allison Wooldridge, 6-1, soph., Center Point-Urbana; Gabby Reyerson, 6-1, sr., West Marshall; Back court — Faith Meyer, 5-8, jr., Pocahontas Area; Jessica Speake, 5-6, sr., Hampton-Dumont; Jordan Prantner, 5-7, sr., Hampton-Dumont; Utility — Grace Meyer, 5-9, jr., Pocahontas Area.

Third Team

Front line — Britany Mathison, 5-8, sr., Central Lee; Logan Ehlers, 6-1, sr., Shenandoah; Lauren Ries, 5-9, soph., Monticello; Back court — Emily Snelling, 5-6, jr., Clear Lake; Alyssa Wiebel, 5-8, sr., Benton Community; Alli Fey, 5-9, sr., Nevada; Utility — Jasmine 5-10, jr., Davenport Assumption.

CLASS 2A

First Team

Front line — Anna Kiel, 6-0, sr., Unity Christian; Ashtyn Veerbeek, 6-2, soph., Western Christian; Gracey Griglione, 6-1, jr., Interstate 35; Back court — Chanda Zomermaand, 5-7, sr., Unity Christian; Katie Lindeman, 5-8, sr., Grundy Center; Mary Crompton, 5-8, soph., Iowa City Regina; Utility — Beth Atwood, 5-11, sr., Pekin.

Second Team

Front line — Megan Peschong, 6-0, sr., Okoboji; Morgan Boer, 5-11, sr., North Linn; Paige Beacom, 5-10, sr., Council Bluffs St. Albert; Back court — Maria Gonzalez, 5-5, sr., West Hancock; Mackenzie Roberts, 5-8, jr., Van Meter; Alyssa Carley, 5-10, sr., Council Bluffs St. Albert; Utility — Kailey Burke, 5-10, sr., Hinton.

Third Team

Front line — Kaira Moss, 6-2, sr., Western Christian; Ali Verzani, 5-9, sr., Lawton-Bronson; Faith Troshynski, 5-8, sr., Manson-NW Webster; Back court — Kelsey Hora, 5-3, jr., Highland; Janey Botkins, 5-7, sr., Durant; Emalee Fundermann, 5-8, sr., Mapleton MVAO; Utility — Raegan Boothe, 5-11, jr., Central Decatur.

CLASS 1A

First Team

Front line — Mikayla Nachazel, 5-10, soph., Springville; Johanna Vaske, 5-10, sr., Algona Garrigan; Kelcie Shields, 6-1, jr., Mount Ayr; Back court — Rylee Menster, 5-6, soph., Springville; Shelby Reicks, 5-9, jr., Turkey Valley; Riley Kilbride, 5-8, sr., Burlington Notre Dame; Utility — Regan Shockley, 5-5, sr., Hartley HMS.

Second Team

Front line — Tori Hazard, 5-10, jr., Janesville; Marissa Schroeder, 6-1, jr., Bellevue Marquette; Julia Fleecs, 6-2, jr., Glidden-Ralston; Back court — Hattie Davidson, 5-7, sr., Northwood-Kensett; Erin Gerke, 5-7, jr., Newell-Fonda; Megan Wagaman, 5-8, sr., Springville.

Third Team

Front line — Brenna Lanser, 5-10, jr., Lynnville-Sully; Addison Hirschman, 6-2, soph., Kingsley-Pierson; Josie Clarke, 6-1, jr., Nodaway Valley; Back court — Emilee Danner, 5-9, fr., Ar-We-Va; Sarah Dreckman, 5-7, sr., Marcus MMC; Emma Staudt, 5-8, jr., Rockford; Utility — Callie Calfee, 5-9, sr., Bedford.

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