All-area girls' basketball: Ollinger, Sellers share player-of-the-year honors

This time two years ago, Lela Sellers was a Minnesotan. And Amanda Ollinger was a J-Hawk.

Times changed. Circumstances changed. Addresses changed.

It's been an interesting ride, to say the least, for Sellers and Ollinger, who today are named co-players of the year on the 2015-16 Gazette-area girls' basketball team.

'I think the whole thing has made me a stronger person,' said Ollinger, who transferred from Cedar Rapids Jefferson to Linn-Mar midway through her junior season, and led the Lions to the Class 5A state semifinals earlier this month.

'I missed my friends in Minnesota, but it was exciting to start something new and fresh,' said Sellers, whose family moved from the Twin Cities to Cedar Rapids in the summer before her junior season. 'And now, I'm excited for the next chapter.'

Sellers had offers to play at Arkansas and Indiana, but will follow her faith to Liberty University. Ollinger has signed with the University of Iowa.

Both are tall and athletic. At 5-foot-11, Sellers averaged 18.7 points and 9.1 rebounds per game as Cedar Rapids Kennedy finished 18-5 and reached the Class 5A regional finals. Ollinger (6-1) netted 17.8 points, 10.9 boards and 2.5 blocks per game and, like her team, surged late in the season.

Linn-Mar (20-5) advanced to the 5A state semifinals. Ollinger registered 25 points and 22 rebounds in a quarterfinal win over Indianola.

'Amanda's a great player,' Sellers said. 'I think in a lot of ways, we're pretty similar. I grew up playing the post, and I imagine she did too. But I think we both prefer to be wing players.'

Ollinger called Sellers 'long, athletic and quick. She knows how to attack the basket. She's hard to match up against. Her mid-range shot really makes her tough.'

Sellers is making her second appearance on the all-area team, Ollinger her third. Ollinger represented Jefferson in 2014, then shocked everyone by moving across town in December of her junior season.

It wasn't easy.

'A lot of people that I thought I was close with, they bashed me,' she said. 'I realized that those weren't my people. Only your true friends are the ones you know are going to be with you. Two of my very best friends are still at Jefferson.'

Arika Wooldridge of 3A state semifinalist Center Point-Urbana joins Ollinger as a third-time member. Iowa City High's Ashley Joens and Megan Maahs of Western Dubuque are second-timers, along with Sellers.

Maahs, a UNI signee, led Western Dubuque to three state tournaments.

The rest of the team consists of Mikayla Nachazel and Rylee Menster of 1A state-champion Springville, Shelby Reicks of 1A runner-up Turkey Valley, Chloe Rice of 4A state semifinalist Marion and Mary Crompton of 2A state semifinalist Iowa City Regina.

Five members of the team are sophomores, plus a junior and four seniors.

More: All-area boys' basketball

Marion Coach Cory Laube has been identified as the area coach of the year. Laube piloted the Indians to a share of the Wamac Conference West Division title, a 20-5 record and a berth in the 4A final four.

He did it with a starting lineup that consisted of three sophomores and two freshmen.

'I knew we had a lot of potential,' Laube said. 'To peak at the end of the year like we did, it was a lot of fun.'

Laube began wearing a purple shirt for an Alzheimer's Awareness game in January — his father, Harlen, is afflicted with the disease — and it became a constant in the Indians' stretch run.

'Dad would have loved to have been at those games, so it was a really good way to honor him and keep him close,' Laube said.

Laube, 41, is in his fourth year with the Marion girls and owns a 56-36 mark after a successful nine-year run with the Marion boys.

Marion's late run included a win over then-unbeaten CPU that ultimately forced a deadlock atop the Wamac West, a regional-final triumph at North Scott, then the dethroning of two-time defending 4A champion Harlan in the state quarterfinals.

For the next few years, the Indians' role will be that of powerhouse.

'Anything can happen. We won't take anything for granted,' Laube said. 'Our goals will certainly be high. The girls want to get back (to state) and go further.'

ALL-AREA TEAM

MARY CROMPTON, 5-8, soph., Iowa City Regina — Averaged 16.3 points per game and shot 46 percent from 3-point range as the Regals went 25-1 and reached the Class 2A state semifinals. 2A first-team all-state.

ASHLEY JOENS, 5-11, soph., Iowa City High — Second-time selection. Averaged 19.3 points and 8.9 rebounds per game. Little Hawks went 19-4 and won the MVC Mississippi Division title. Class 5A first-team all-state.

MEGAN MAAHS, 6-1, sr., Western Dubuque — Second-time selection. Averaged 16.8 points, 11.2 rebounds and 2.7 blocks per game as the Bobcats went 24-1 and reached the state tournament for the third straight time. Class 4A first-team all-state. Signed with the University of Northern Iowa.

RYLEE MENSTER, 5-6, soph., Springville — Averaged 13.7 points, 3.9 assists and 5.2 steals per game as the Orioles (26-1) captured the Class 1A state championship. 1A first-team all-state.

MIKAYLA NACHAZEL, 5-10, soph., Springville — Averaged 15.2 points and 5.2 rebounds per game for the Class 1A state-champion Orioles (26-1). 1A first-team all-state and 1A state-tournament captain.

AMANDA OLLINGER, 6-1, sr., Linn-Mar — Third-time selection. Averaged 17.8 points, 10.9 rebounds and 2.5 blocks per game as the Lions (20-5) reached the Class 5A state semifinals. 5A first-team all-state. Signed with the University of Iowa.

SHELBY REICKS, 5-9, jr., Turkey Valley — Averaged 15.7 points, 6.8 assists and 4.9 steals per game as the Trojans (26-1) reached the Class 1A state final. 1A first-team all-state.

CHLOE RICE, 5-10, soph., Marion — Averaged 14.0 points, 4.1 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game and shot 85 percent from the line as the Indians went 20-5 and advanced to the Class 4A state semifinals. 4A first-team all-state.

LELA SELLERS, 5-11, sr., Cedar Rapids Kennedy — Second-time selection. Averaged 18.7 points and 9.1 rebounds per game as the Cougars went 18-5 and reached the Class 5A regional finals. 5A first-team all-state. Signed with Liberty University.

ARIKA WOOLDRIDGE, 6-0, sr., Center Point-Urbana — Third-time selection. Averaged 16.1 points and 6.5 rebounds per game and shot 83 percent from the line as the Stormin' Pointers (24-2) advanced to the Class 3A state semifinals. 3A first-team all-state. Signed with Winona State University.

Co-players of the year — Ollinger and Sellers

Coach of the year — Corby Laube, Marion

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