State's best girls' players to meet at Mount Mercy this weekend

CEDAR RAPIDS -- Larry Niemeyer has released the reins as girls' basketball coach at Cedar Rapids Jefferson.But he said this won't be his final season in charge of the Iowa Girls Coaches Association Senior Basketball Classic."I really enjoy meeting the kids from around the state that you read about," Niemeyer said. "It's a lot of work, but I enjoy doing it."Plus ..."I don't think anybody else wants to."The best senior girls' basketball players from across the state will congregate Saturday and Sunday at the Hennessey Recreation Center on the campus of Mount Mercy University.Among the top players is Jessie Pauley of Ida Grove OA-BCIG, who was named Miss Iowa Basketball earlier this month. Maddie Manning of Class 4A state runner-up Ankeny, who will play at the University of Oklahoma, also was invited.Class 3A and 4A games will be Saturday, beginning at 12:30 p.m.; 1A and 2A players will compete on Sunday.Most of the players have been the targets of junk defense all season. Not this weekend."It's just strict man-to-man defense," Niemeyer said. "We're here to showcase the kids' ability. Most of them have been double-teamed their whole lives."

IOWA GIRLS COACHES ASSOCIATION 2012 SENIOR BASKETBALL CLASSIC

At Mount Mercy University

Saturday

12:30 p.m. -- 3A White vs. 3A Dark

2:15 p.m. -- 3A Select vs. 4A Select

4 p.m. -- 4A White vs. 4A Dark

Sunday

1 p.m. -- 1A White vs. 1A Dark

2:45 p.m. -- 1A Select vs. 2A Select

4:30 p.m. -- 2A White vs. 2A Dark

Rosters

1A White -- Karie Ludvigson (River Valley), Kelsey Roberts (Corning), Mackenzie Barton (Corning), Morgan Halverson (Martensdale-St. Marys), Kendall Corbitt (Charter Oak-Ute), Majia Jantti (Woodward-Granger), Kristin Klocksiem (Glidden-Ralston), Caila Raymond (Bedford), Cassidy Bangasser (North Butler), Madison Probasco (Moulton-Udell).

Coaches -- Sandy Winter and Julie Krauth (Corning).

1A Dark -- Emily Bell (Algona Garrigan), Kayla Foresman (Marcus MMC), Tori Albaugh (Sigourney), Kayla Fenken (Northeast Hamilton), Sydney Fehr (North Tama), Kristen Bunn (West Central), Sara Hoppenworth (Tripoli), Melissa Alger (Lisbon), Brianna James (Lynnville-Sully), Kate Ray (North Mahaska).

Coach -- Will Baumann (Tripoli).

1A Select -- Erica Dreckman (Marcus MMC), Dani Kock (Ar-We-Va), Karlie Schut (Iowa Christian Academy), Katie Dentlinger (Coon Rapids-Bayard), Jessica Balek (Mason City Newman), Whitney VanderMaten (Boyden-Hull), Maddy Peppers (Exira-EHK), Mary Halverson (Coon Rapids-Bayard), Dana Weerheim (West Sioux), Tara Smith (North Mahaska).

Coach -- Jim Kettmann (Bellevue Marquette).

2A White -- Annie Gullickson (South Winneshiek), Aarika Wittenburg (Wapsie Valley), Emily Dinsdale (Gladbrook-Reinbeck), Amanda Aberle (North Linn), Abby Nuese (East Marshall), Taryn Wicks (South Hamilton), Carly Pagel (Sumner-Fredericksburg), MacKenzie Haupt (Clarion-Goldfield), Paige Naig (Emmetsburg), Ahra Bruns (West Hancock).

Coach -- Jim Hanson (North Fayette).

2A Dark -- Lexi Friesen (Osage), Lacey Rae Vokt (Audubon), Britny Halleland (Roland-Story), Bailey Boswell (Central Decatur), Sara Kerber (Nodaway Valley), Carly Grotenhuis (Des Moines Christian), Erika Massner (Wapello), Tarah Alexander (Eddyville-Blakesburg), McKenzie Shipley (West Marshall), Alayna Diveney (Clarke).

Coach -- Doug McAnelly (Clarke).

2A Select -- Leah Miller (Lawton-Bronson), Tember Schechinger (IKM-Manning), Morgan VanDerSloot (OA-BCIG), Jessie Pauley (OA-BCIG), Zoe Dutchik (Iowa City Regina), Jasmin Schelhaas (Pella Christian), Olivia Sulentic (Interstate 35), Alyssa Johnson (Estherville ELC), Liz Skotowski (Mount Vernon), MacKenzie Zeitler (Van Buren).

Coach -- Pat Miller (OA-BCIG).

3A White -- Kenzie Gott (Oskaloosa), Olivia Kreiner (Crestwood), Dani Peyton (Marion), Meghan McClimon (DeWitt Central), Alex Fuller (Sioux City Heelan), Lauren Vittetoe (Washington), Kendra Bradley (South Tama), Emily Barker (Independence), Meg Monson (Clear Lake), Krista Briggs (West Delaware).

Coach -- Mark Sovers (Solon).

3A Dark -- Jackie Yount (Bondurant-Farrar), Kelsey Brecht (Benton Community), Lindsey Schulz (Carroll), Sydney Greiner (Washington), Rachel Sage (Ballard), Alexis Fisher (Glenwood), Jasmine Binion (Davenport Assumption), Zoe Kayvan (Keokuk), Gabi French (Red Oak), Presley Swan (Chariton).

Coach -- Steve Neville (Bondurant-Farrar).

3A Select -- Madison Baier (South Tama), Mackenzie Bigbee (Williamsburg), Betsy Thomas (Sergeant Bluff-Luton), Morgan Lucy (Glenwood), Olivia Starcevich (Centerville), Tessa Leytem (Dubuque Wahlert), Madison Yohe (Sioux City Heelan), Mullen Wacker (Waukon), Regan Cooper (Pella), Cassidy Breon (Sergeant Bluff-Luton), *Claire Till (Dubuque Wahlert).

Coach -- Nate Roberts (South Tama).

4A White -- Shelly Stumpff (Iowa City West), Krystal Graves (Cedar Falls), Jazz Royster (Cedar Rapids Washington), Shahana Williams (Iowa City West), Kaitlyn Anderson (Cedar Rapids Xavier), Ally Swartz (West Des Moines Valley), Delaney Higgins (Lewis Central), Hannah Jones (Mason City), Erin Brown (West Des Moines Dowling), Haley Faber (West Des Moines Dowling).

Coach -- Curt Klaahsen (Mason City).

4A Dark -- Tasha Roundtree (Cedar Rapids Washington), Brittani Graves (Dubuque Hempstead), Rachel Hinebaugh (Ottumwa), Alex Bartz (Cedar Rapids Xavier), Bailey Egger (Urbandale), Cheyenne Pritchard (Ames), Allie Wirth (Cedar Falls), Liz Sieleman (Lewis Central), Shayla Starkenburg (Ankeny), Chandra McCampbell (Burlington).

Coach -- Tom Eagle (Davenport Central).

4A Select -- Courtney Strait (Cedar Rapids Kennedy), Mckenzie Piper (Iowa City West), Whitney Van Wyk (Southeast Polk), Maddie Manning (Ankeny), Kelsey Nickerson (Ottumwa), Meg Goodsen (Waukee), Kristin Pettepier (Ankeny), Tatum Klein (Iowa City West), Jenna Power (Ames), Sierra Chambers (Iowa City High).

Coach -- Everette Locklear (Dubuque Hempstead).*injured, will not play