Iowa all-state girls' basketball 2021: Area stars comprise half of Class 2A first team

There's no debate where the best area girls' basketball storylines resided this winter.

They were in Class 2A.

North Linn reached the state tournament for the sixth time in the past eight years. West Branch won its first state-tournament game in school history. Maquoketa Valley reached the championship game, and very nearly won it.

Elite talent helps make elite teams, and those three squads accounted for half of the 2A all-state first team.

The Iowa Print Sports Writers Association released its honor teams Tuesday morning. Eleven area players earned first-team status, including four in Class 2A — seniors Ella Imler and Emerson Whittenbaugh of Maquoketa Valley, senior Sasha Koenig of West Branch and freshman Kamryn Kurt of North Linn.

Imler averaged 14.3 points and 4.5 assists per game, and Whittenbaugh tallied 12.5 points per contest as the Wildcats went 25-1 and earned runner-up honors. Imler hit the go-ahead free throws with six seconds left in the semifinal.

Maquoketa Valley fell to Dike-New Hartford, 47-42, in the title game.

Imler will play at Coe College next year, Whittenbaugh — who returned after missing her junior season due to a knee injury — at Loras.

Koenig will join older sister Tatum Koenig at Bradley University next year. She averaged 20.6 points, 4.5 rebounds, 5.5 assists and 3.1 steals as the Bears enjoyed their best season in school history, finishing 21-2.

Kurt is the only freshman in any class to earn first-team status. She posted 13.6 points and 5.5 rebounds per game as the Lynx (21-3) reached the 20-win mark for the 11th consecutive season.

Other area first-team picks:

• Iowa City West senior Audrey Koch averaged 19.1 points and 5.9 rebounds as the Trojans (14-1) advanced to the Class 5A state semifinals. The Providence signee shot 57.6 percent from the field.

• Cedar Rapids Washington junior Hannah Stuelke posted 21.4 points and 12.2 rebounds per contest to lead the Warriors (13-4) to the 5A regional finals. Stuelke has committed to the University of Iowa. She shot 57.8 percent from the floor.

• Marion senior Ella Van Weelden has signed with Valparaiso. She was good for 16.4 points and 8.6 rebounds per game as the Indians went 14-9, shared the Wamac Conference East Division title and reached the 4A regional finals.

• One of the state's top volleyball players and a former state champion in the long jump, West Liberty junior Macy Daufeldt is a 3A first-team pick. She registered 14.4 points and 7.9 rebounds per game. The Comets went 16-6 and reached the 3A regional finals.

• Center Point-Urbana junior Ryley Goebel is a 3A pick after averaging 18.2 points, 8.6 rebounds and 3.2 steals per game for the Stormin' Pointers (15-7). Goebel shot 57.7 percent from the floor and has committed to Northern Iowa.

• One of the most prolific 3-point shooters in state history, Montezuma senior Elise Boulton posted 17.3 points and 5.6 assists per game as the Bravettes (23-2) reached the 1A state semifinals, one of her four state trips. The Simpson College recruit shared the season lead for treys (73) with younger sister Mia Boulton.

• Springville junior Lauren Wilson registered 17.6 points, 10.2 rebounds and 3.6 blocks per game. The Orioles (21-5) were a state-tournament team, and gave Algona Garrigan a tussle before bowing 48-42 in the opening round.

Katie Dinnebier of 5A state-champion Waukee was selected as Miss Iowa Basketball 2021. Dinnebier will play for Drake.

Sportswriters from around the state met in a Zoom conference Sunday morning to select the teams.

Class 5A

FIRST TEAM

Katie Dinnebier, sr., Waukee

Anaya Barney, sr., Cedar Falls

Grace Larkins, sr., Southeast Polk

Jada Gyamfi, jr., Johnston

Audrey Koch, sr., Iowa City West

Halli Poock, soph., Waterloo West

Sahara Williams, soph., Waterloo West

Hannah Stuelke, jr., Cedar Rapids Washington

SECOND TEAM

Maggie Phipps, sr., Ankeny Centennial

Arianna Jackson, soph., Des Moines Roosevelt

Caroline Waite, sr., Ames

Kelsey Joens, soph., Iowa City High

Lexi Boles, sr., West Des Moines Dowling

Peyton Kelderman, sr., Waukee

Bella Sims, sr., Davenport North

Sydney Mitvalsky, sr., Cedar Rapids Washington

THIRD TEAM

Aili Tanke, fr., Johnston

Hattie Aanestad, soph., Bettendorf

Matayia Tellis, soph., Iowa City West

Sophia Barrett, sr., Cedar Rapids Kennedy

Eviyon Richardson, jr., Iowa City High

Emma Gipple, jr., West Des Moines Dowlin

Reagan Bartholomew, jr., Waukee

Ashley Iiams, sr., Ames

Class 4A

FIRST TEAM

Abbie Draper, sr., Waverly-Shell Rock

Taylor Veach, jr., DeWitt Central

Katelyn Lappe, jr., Bondurant-Farrar

Jenna Hopp, soph., Glenwood

Allison Meadows, jr., DeWitt Central

Ella Van Weelden, sr., Marion

Molly Ihle, sr., Ballard

Ava Hawthorne, jr., Gilbert

SECOND TEAM

Ashley Fountain, sr., North Scott

Emma Donovan, soph., Dubuque Wahlert

Jenna Twedt, soph., Benton Community

Calia Clubb, jr., Clear Creek Amana

Madison Camden, jr., Glenwood

Paige Andersen, sr., Denison-Schleswig

Emma Miner, soph., Dallas Center-Grimes

Ivey Schmidt, jr., Grinnell

THIRD TEAM

Kelsey Fields, sr., Creston

Malarie Ross, jr., Fort Madison

Sadie Struchen, jr., Marion

Lexi Turner, soph., Cedar Rapids Xavier

Andrea Lopreato, soph., Mount Pleasant

Brooke Loewe, jr., Ballard

Claire Schmitz, jr., Harlan

Samantha Scott, sr., North Scott

Class 3A

FIRST TEAM

Maggie Wilkins, sr., Knoxville

Gracie Schoonhoven, soph., Unity Christian

Janie Schoonhoven, sr., Unity Christian

Brooklyn Meyer, jr., West Lyon

JeMae Nichols, sr., Cherokee

Macy Daufeldt, jr., West Liberty

Ryley Goebel, jr., Center Point-Urbana

Mya Merschman, sr., Central Lee

SECOND TEAM

Moriah Prewitt, sr., Des Moines Christian

Jaydan Nitchals, jr., Estherville ELC

Callie Levin, fr., Solon

Gabrielle Guilford, sr., Monticello

Haley Rasmussen, sr., Atlantic

Katy Reyerson, soph., West Marshall

Payton Beckman, jr., Panorama

Sydney Marlow, sr., West Burlington

THIRD TEAM

Dani Johnson, sr., Osage

Claire Mathews, sr., Centerville

Finley Hall, soph., West Liberty

Reagan Barkema, jr., Roland-Story

Jaden Ainley, jr., Clear Lake

Lucy Howes-Vonstein, sr., Vinton-Shellsburg

Kenley Meis, soph., Sioux City Heelan

Kendal Clark, sr., Humboldt

Class 2A

FIRST TEAM

Ella Imler, sr., Maquoketa Valley

Emerson Whittenbaugh, sr., Maquoketa Valley

Isabel Manning, sr., Van Buren County

Kamryn Kurt, fr., North Linn

Maddax DeVault, jr., Nodaway Valley

Rachel Leerar, sr., West Hancock

Sasha Koenig, sr., West Branch

Sophia Hoffmann, jr., Dike-New Hartford

SECOND TEAM

Ali Vesely, sr., Waterloo Columbus

Ellie Ware, sr., North Linn

Kelsey Drake, jr., Wilton

Kennedy Kelly, jr., West Hancock

Lindsey Davis, fr., Nodaway Valley

Mallory McCall, sr., West Monona

Payton Petersen, fr., Dike-New Hartford

Taya Tucker, sr., Maquoketa Valley

THIRD TEAM

Alison Van Gorp, sr., Pella Christian

Kailey Jones, sr., Avoca AHSTW

Abbie Schany, sr., Emmetsburg

Abby Heemstra, sr., Rock Valley

Hannah Dau, sr., South O'Brien

Hayden Heimensen, sr., Central Lyon

Lainey Thoren, jr., Grundy Center

Morgan Brandt, jr., Sumner-Fredericksburg

Class 1A

FIRST TEAM

Audi Crooks, soph., Algona Garrigan

Molly Joyce, soph., Algona Garrigan

Macy Sievers, jr., Newell-Fonda

Cassidy Nelson, sr., Lenox

Elise Boulton, sr., Montezuma

Hali Anderson, sr., Saint Ansgar

Macy Emgarten, jr., Exira-EHK

Lauren Wilson, jr., Springville

SECOND TEAM

Quinn Grubbs, soph., Exira-EHK

Danielle Hoyle, sr., Paton-Churdan

T.J. Stoaks, sr., Lenox

Kaylyn Meyers, Algona Garrigan

Bailey Sievers, jr., Newell-Fonda

Taylor Harpenau, jr., Marcus MMCRU

Reagan Franzen, sr., Collins-Maxwell

Layla Hargis, jr., North Mahaska

THIRD TEAM

Sara Reid, jr., Central City

Allie Petry, sr., Council Bluffs St. Albert

Katy Stephens, jr., Burlington Notre Dame

Emily Dreckman, jr., Marcus MMCRU

Maggie Walker, sr., Newell-Fonda

McKenzie Goodwin, jr., Kingsley-Pierson

Aleah Hermansen, jr., Audubon

Reagan Mudderman, jr., Lansing Kee

Comments: (319) 368-8857; jeff.linder@thegazette.com