Class 1A – Region 8: 2023’s to Watch

As we look for other ways to cover prospects we thought it would be beneficial to cover players in a way that allows us to cover those we don’t write much about. We will be using the region’s from last season as they were constructed. Obviously, these regions will change into next season but for these stories it was the easiest way to divide players and teams as equally as possible. We will be writing a series of three stories for each region in the state and the categories are as follows: 2023’s to put on Your Radar, 2022’s who can Breakout, and 2021’s Who Should be Valued by Colleges. We will continue to go through each region and aim to hit as many players as we can that we haven’t talked about previously. Here are five 2023’s who need to be on your radar. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="127613" first="Jaeden" last="Ferris"] - Westwood</strong> Westwood put together a 14-win season before running into eventual state champion Newell-Fonda in the regional quarterfinals. Newcomer [player_tooltip player_id="127613" first="Jaeden" last="Ferris"] was a critical player to that success, leading the team at just under 15 points per game. Ferris, who made 44 percent of her field goals and 43 percent of her 3-point attempts, also dished out 4.5 assists per game for the Rebels. She finished her freshman season with 325 points, 99 assists, 75 rebounds and 40 steals with 47 made triples. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="127631" first="Kinzie" last="Theeler"] - Whiting</strong> Despite only starting a handful of games, [player_tooltip player_id="127631" first="Kinzie" last="Theeler"] showed she can produce when on the court. The Whiting freshman averaged eight points and a team-high eight rebounds per game this past season. Theeler totaled 194 points, 191 rebounds, 50 steals, 27 assists and 10 blocks, even knocking down a handful of 3-pointers. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="160561" first="Mary" last="Walker"] - Newell-Fonda</strong> It was quite the ride for Newell-Fonda freshman [player_tooltip player_id="160561" first="Mary" last="Walker"], as she helped the Mustangs complete a perfect season with another state title. Walker, part of a large group of incoming talent, scored 150 points with 19 made 3-pointers. She shot 45 percent from the floor and added in 43 rebounds, 38 steals and 33 assists. With just one player set to graduate, Walker and Newell-Fonda are primed for another memorable year. <strong>Nicole Sherer - Woodbine</strong> Woodbine, which finished with a winning record, looks primed for even more success next year behind a large returning class. Freshman Nicole Sherer, who started all 20 games for the Tigers, scored 187 points with 129 rebounds, 88 assists and 81 steals. She was the only member of her team to surpass 100 points, 100 rebounds, 80 assists and 80 steals on the year. <strong>Nevaeh Lyman - Newell-Fonda</strong> Another piece of the youthful roster for Newell-Fonda and legendary head coach Dick Jungers was freshman Nevaeh Lyman. Lyman recorded 82 points with 18 made 3-pointers, adding in 42 rebounds, 17 steals and 14 blocks. Her versatility as both a post presence and someone who can step outside makes her very difficult to guard.