Elle Ruffridge is now Iowa high school girls' basketball's career scoring leader

Iowa has a new scoring queen, and her name is Elle Ruffridge.

With a free throw in the third quarter Tuesday at home against Manson-Northwest Webster, Ruffridge became the state's career scoring leader in 5-on-5 girls' basketball.

The Pocahontas Area senior scored 31 points in a 73-44 win to reach 2,774 and surpass Deb Remmerde's record of 2,756, achieved from 1999-2003 at Rock Valley.

The record setting free throw. February 8, 2017

The record setting free throw. pic.twitter.com/dirN2gjJaU

— IGHSAU (@IGHSAU)

Ruffridge scored 612 points her freshman year, then 766 as a sophomore, 632 as a junior and has 764 so far this season.

"Breaking the All Time Leading Scoring Record in Iowa is something that I will always treasure," Ruffridge wrote on Twitter, "but I wouldn't be in this position without my family, coaches, teammates and community! Together we broke the record!

The endless support has been incredible the past 4 (years) and I can't wait to see what the rest of this season has to offer! We're not done, not even close! Time to go after what really matters!"

February 8, 2017

pic.twitter.com/m2H9Vr7DRc

— Elle Ruffridge (@ERuffridge)

A 5-foot-4 senior guard, Ruffridge has signed to play at Missouri State. The second-ranked, defending state champion Indians (21-1) open Class 3A regional play Saturday against Clarion CGD.

Girls' basketball has been played 5-on-5 in Iowa since 1984, though some still played 6-on-6 until after the 1992-93 season. Ventura's Lynne Lorenzen holds the six-player record with 6,736 points from 1983-87.

Top 10 Iowa High School 5-on-5 Girls' Basketball Career Scorers

Name

School

Year

Points

Elle Ruffridge

Pocahontas Area

2013-2017

2.774

Deb Remmerde

Rock Valley

1999-2003

2.756

Jennifer Jorgensen

Southeast Webster-Grand

2005-2008

2.708

Anne O'Neil

Cedar Rapids Kennedy

1996-2000

2.494

Jennifer Goetz

Keokuk Cardinal Stritch

1999-2003

2.433

Kala Kuhlmann

Charter Oak-Ute

2002-2006

2.337

Margo Muhlbauer

IKM

2002-2006

2.304

Lindsay Hoehns

Twin Cedars

2005-2010

2.253

Hallie Christofferson

Exira

2005-2010

2.247

Sara Stribe

Carroll

1994-1998

2.245