8 Under the Radar Players: 1A State Tournament
On Monday we will start the 2020 girls’ state tournament in Des Moines at Wells Fargo Arena. There are a lot of star players in each class who have led their teams all season long but there are also players…
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Continue ReadingOn Monday we will start the 2020 girls’ state tournament in Des Moines at Wells Fargo Arena. There are a lot of star players in each class who have led their teams all season long but there are also players who don’t get the recognition on each team that deserve it. Below I will be taking a look at an under the radar player on each team in the 1A state tournament.
Megan Morenz – 2020 – Newell-Fonda
Morenz is the lone senior for Newell-Fonda and while you can’t take any of the starting lineup for granted, Morenz is the most overlooked. She averages 8.8 points a game which is actually fifth on the team. Morenz has the capability to take over the game but doesn’t really show that because she doesn’t need to. She will always add in a few rebounds, assists, and steals to the stat sheet. She’s a leader of this team and that is overlooked with all the talent they have.
Kaylyn Meyers – 2021 – Bishop Garrigan
A lot of attention is on the Bishop Garrigan freshman duo this year as they have averaged 40.1 points a game this season. Meyers is a junior who scores 8.3 points a game, good for fourth-best on the team. Meyers is a big part of taking the pressure off the guards for Bishop Garrigan as she can handle the ball and rebound it well from her position. She pulls down 4.1 rebounds a game and dishes off 2.7 assists a game. She’s a player who is in store for a great state tournament,
Ellie O’Brien – 2021 – Marquette Catholic
There are two star players on the Marquette Catholic squad and O’Brien doesn’t have the flashy stats that they do but is just as important to the team. She scores 8.5 points a game and pulls in 7.5 rebounds a game. O’Brien is a force on the inside defensively getting 1.9 blocks a game really helping out the interior defense. She’s overlooked because she’s third in all of these categories on her team but is a paramount piece to the Marquette Catholic success.
Maddy McKeag – 2020 – Montezuma
Montezuma has two very good scorers in Wetering and Boulton and that leaves McKeag as a very capable third scorer. She stepped up big in a region game by scoring 24 points after scoring 7.1 points a game this season. She is a very solid on-ball defender and will force her man to give up the ball. McKeag grabs two steals a game while dishing out close to two assists a game. She has the ability to get hot from behind the arc and is a paramount piece to the offense when all the attention is on others.
Madison Hillman – 2023 – Saint Ansgar
Hillman is a freshman that is a very solid piece to the puzzle for Saint Ansgar. She scores 7.1 points a game and pulls down 4.5 rebounds a game while shooting 49 percent from the floor. Hillman is a freshman that is already a very solid defender and is a big part of the defensive success that Saint Ansgar has. Hillman is a freshman to keep an eye on in the state tournament in a class that as proven to have a lot of good freshmen. She can already lead a group to a win with her toughness.
Anna Parrott – 2022 – Martensdale-St Marys
Parrott is the fourth leading scorer on the Martensdale-St Marys team but she is clearly the best rebounder. She scores 8.5 points a game but grabs 9.9 rebounds a game commanding the paint. She isn’t a perimeter shooter as she only has two attempts on the year but she can score well on the inside. You can count on two steals a game from her as well as a few blocks and assists. Parrott has the ability to really dictate a game and with the number of good post players in the tournament, her performance will be critical.
Kate Hill – 2020 – Gehlen Catholic
I feel like there are a lot of players for Gehlen Catholic that could be classified as under the radar types but Hill is definitely one of the most overlooked. She has a ton of toughness and scores 6.9 points a game which is fifth on the team but she will also do a lot of the little things to win a game. She will always add in a few rebounds, rebounds, and steals a game while taking good care of the ball. For Gehlen Catholic to make a run Hill will have to play well and with as steady as she’s been this season that should be no problem.
Lauren Williams – 2022 – St. Albert
St. Albert has athletes all over the floor and might be one of the most athletic teams in the state. Sophomore Lauren Williams isn’t going to be the flashy player who scores the ball a lot but she is always in a good spot defensively. She’s a tough player who can guard all over the floor and is a glue player that every team needs. She has quite a bit of skill that hasn’t been harnessed yet but is starting to shine through. She’s a lengthy player who can throw a wrench into the opposing teams’ gameplan.