Class A All-State Team & Player of the Year

We watched [player_tooltip player_id="1956" first="Taya" last="Hakamaki"] on the first day of the girls high school basketball season, and we watched her on the last. In between we watched the Cromwell-Wright senior, too, and she never failed to impress. We have said it before and we will say it again: Taya is capable of starting on any team in the state. That’s why we are pleased to name Hakamaki as our 2019-20 Prep Girls Hoops Class A Player of the Year. That also means, of course, that she is a member of our Class A All-State squad, a group that includes 10 outstanding members of the first and second teams along with five honorable mentions. Hakamaki, the #29-ranked prospect in the class of 2020, is a crafty 5’8 combo guard, who has deceptive speed, terrific handles and that ‘it’ factor that makes a player something special. She averaged over 25 points per game this year while shooting an incredible 66% from the field. She also contributed an average of 5 rebounds, 5 assists and 5 steals. The Minnesota Duluth commit made some history, too, along with her cousin [player_tooltip player_id="110871" first="Shaily" last="Hakamaki"] of the Cardinals. Shaily, another Duluth commit, and Taya reached 2,000 career points in the same game, the first teammates to do so in Minnesota girls basketball history. Taya made that milestone despite missing nine months as a sophomore due to a torn ACL. Bottom line: [player_tooltip player_id="1956" first="Taya" last="Hakamaki"] is a stud who led her team to a record of 29-2 and a trip to the Class A state tournament. Nobody is more deserving of this honor. Here are the other four members of the Class A All-State First Team, along with 10 more small-school players – a total of 8 seniors, 6 juniors and a sophomore – who have earned this post-season recognition. <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/faith-alberts/">[player_tooltip player_id="109747" first="Faith" last="Alberts"]</a> – junior forward, Parkers Prairie Faith is one of the quiet giants of Minnesota girls basketball. Parkers Prairie is a low-profile program, and Alberts is an under-the-radar talent, a consistent, productive performer who is strong both inside and out. She’s long and rangy and is equally effective at both ends of the floor. The 6’0 forward has consistently put up numbers, too. Although Parkers Prairie doesn’t post stats on a regular basis we know that Alberts has consistently averaged in the mid-20 points per game throughout her career and is a walking double-double. Faith is ranked #37 in the class of 2021. <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/ellie-dague/">[player_tooltip player_id="109736" first="Ellie" last="Dague"]</a> – junior guard, Henning We love a good comeback story and Dague is most certainly that. After missing a year and a half’s worth of basketball due to injuries over the past two campaigns, Dague made a triumphant return this season to lead the Hornets to state for the first time. The 5’11 guard is a multi-skilled athlete who has all the tools to be successful at the highest levels of college basketball. Ellie averaged over 20 points per game this season, a half dozen more than that in section play, and has rewritten the Hornets’ record books. At #11 in the class of 2021, Dague is the highest-rated prospect in Class A. <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/madison-mathiowetz/">[player_tooltip player_id="109131" first="Madison" last="Mathiowetz"]</a> – sophomore guard, Sleepy Eye St. Mary’s Mathiowetz is the lone underclassman to make our Class A All-State squad. The 5’10 guard has a big frame, a muscular build and offers a rare combination of strength, speed, quickness and agility. She scored 50 points the night we travelled to Sleepy Eye to watch Maddie play. I don’t think any player in the state had more than that in a single game this season, did they? She also had 47 and 41 against Minnesota Valley Lutheran, 42 against Waterville-Elysian-Morristown and was in the 30s 10 times. Maddie shot 60 percent on the season, averaging 29 points and 10.5 rebounds per game, along with 3.9 assists and 3.5 steals. She’s ranked #31 in the sophomore class and rising. <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/karley-motschenbacher/">[player_tooltip player_id="110546" first="Karley" last="Motschenbacher"]</a> – senior guard, Park Christian (MSU-Moorhead) Motschenbacher is another hidden gem who has done amazing work throughout her high school career at Park Christian, a small private school located in Moorhead. Karley is a standout defender who also knows how to run an offense with poise and precision. She is extremely strong, plays hard every minute and obviously has a very high basketball IQ. She can put the ball in the basket, too. Motschenbacher passed the 2,000-career points plateau in December. She is a complete player with an exceptional feel for the game. Karley, who is top 30 in the senior class, will stay home to play Division 2 ball at MSU-Moorhead. SECOND TEAM <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/sara-kottke/">[player_tooltip player_id="110898" first="Sara" last="Kottke"]</a> – senior guard, Buffalo Lake-Hector-Stewart (Bethany Lutheran) Kottke has been one of the state’s most prolific scorers in recent memory, reaching the 2,000-point mark in the final game of her high school career. This year she averaged 18 points and 7.4 rebounds per game while recording season totals of 71 assists and 51 steals. Her leadership was instrumental on a very young team that had a ton of success. <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/kirstin-robbins/">[player_tooltip player_id="56249" first="Kirstin" last="Robbins"]</a> – senior guard, Heritage Christian Last season Kirstin was really, really good. This year she was simply great. Night after night the very versatile Robbins led the Eagles with her excellent ball handling, outstanding shooting and a motor that doesn’t quit. Kirstin shot over 47 percent while averaging nearly 20 ppg – 508 points in all – to go along with 8.4 rebounds, 5.7 assists, 5.3 steals and a total of 23 blocks. She is #64 in the class but will no doubt go up in the final 2020 rankings. <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/shaily-hakamaki-2/">[player_tooltip player_id="110871" first="Shaily" last="Hakamaki"]</a> – senior guard, Cromwell-Wright (UM-Duluth) Often overshadowed by her cousin Taya, Shaily has been rock solid for the Cardinals throughout her high school career. We already told you that she can score, having reached 2,000 points in her career. The #76-ranked senior in the state averaged 17.5 ppg this year by getting to the rim and knocking down shots from distance. Taya may grab more headlines but Shaily has had nearly as much impact. <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/abby-hennen/">[player_tooltip player_id="109764" first="Abby" last="Hennen"]</a> – junior guard, Minneota The long, athletic guard is a volume scorer and solid rebounder who plays the game with grace under pressure. She has been a force for the Vikings since her freshman year. Ranked 63rd among Minnesota juniors – we suspect she’d be much higher if she played top-level AAU competition – Hennen averaged nearly 15 points per game this year, over 20 ppg in the post-season, while shooting better than 50% <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/brielle-bartelt/">[player_tooltip player_id="109822" first="Brielle" last="Bartelt"]</a> – junior guard, Waterville-Elysian-Morristown Brielle has big-time handles and plenty of swagger. This was Bartelt’s breakout season as she led the Buccaneers night after night. Brielle took it up several notches in the post season, turning in a couple of elite-level performances in sections and the state tournament. The top 150 prospect averaged 15 points, 3.7 assists and 2.8 steals per game. Bartelt is a player on the rise among the 2021s. HONORABLE MENTION <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/jordyn-allen/">[player_tooltip player_id="56233" first="Jordyn" last="Allen"]</a> – senior forward, Heritage Christian (Bethel) The long and lanky Allen shot 56 percent this season to lead Heritage back to the Class A State tournament for the third year in a row. Allen averaged 14.6 points, 6.6 rebounds, 3.1 steals and 1.9 assists per game. The #39-ranked prospect in the senior class will play next year for the MIAC champion Bethel Royals. <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/megan-oswald/">[player_tooltip player_id="109778" first="Megan" last="Oswald"]</a> – junior forward, Blooming Prairie Oswald is listed at 5’9 but she plays way bigger than that. She’s got a huge motor, is an excellent rebounder and loves to defend. She can also score. Megan averaged 17 and 12 this season for Blooming Prairie which went 21-6 but was upset by Fillmore Central in section 1A. Oswald is ranked #86 in the 2021 class. <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/marissa-radtke/">[player_tooltip player_id="57130" first="Marissa" last="Radtke"]</a> – junior guard, Lester Prairie-Holy Trinity Radtke is an athletic guard with nice handles, quick feet and plenty of bounce. She hit the 1,000 career points mark this season while averaging nearly 22 points per game to go along with about 4 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 steals. She is top 100 in the junior class and much-improved defensive play has earned her a big jump up. <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/riley-queensland/">[player_tooltip player_id="110930" first="Riley" last="Queensland"]</a> – senior guard, Grand Meadow (Gustavus) The elusive guard is a versatile multi-sport athlete who plays the game with pace and aggression, and was the heart and soul for the Super Larks this season. She averaged over 20 points per game while shooting better than 50 percent. She also had 7 rebounds per game and more than 30 steals. The #135 senior is part of a very deep recruiting class for Gustavus. [player_tooltip player_id="110908" first="Morgan" last="Hennen"] – senior forward, Minneota Morgan has been a key piece of the Vikings tremendous success over the past few years. Minneota captured the 2018-19 state Class A championship and were headed in that same direction this year when the tournament was called off. The 5’8 guard can get to the rim off the bounce and is a really good perimeter defender. Hennen, ranked #115, averaged 13 points per game. Top photo: [player_tooltip player_id="1956" first="Taya" last="Hakamaki"] of Cromwell-Wright is our Class A Player of the Year. (Photo courtesy of the StarTribune)