Class 2A – Region 2: 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="127611" first="Akaysa" last="Duitscher"] - Pocahontas Area</strong> The past decade has treated Pocahontas Area to some incredible talent including current Missouri State standout Elle Ruffridge. Now, freshman [player_tooltip player_id="127611" first="Akaysa" last="Duitscher"] wants to follow in those footsteps. Duitscher helped the Indians reach the regional quarterfinals this past winter, winning 14 games overall. She led the team in assists with 92, adding 258 points, 67 steals, 54 rebounds and 11 blocks. Her point total was the second-most on the team, as Duitscher was also one of three players with over 30 made 3-pointers. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="63031" first="Carly" last="Janssen"] - Pocahontas Area</strong> A starter from the first game on, newcomer [player_tooltip player_id="63031" first="Carly" last="Janssen"] filled in nicely with the upperclassmen for Pocahontas Area this past season. Janssen knocked down 36 triples, finishing the season as one of three players for the Indians with over 200 total points. She also had 80 rebounds, 64 steals and 63 assists. For the season, Janssen averaged just under 11 points a night. <strong>Brielle Engelmann - Alta-Aurelia</strong> It was a learning experience for Alta-Aurelia this past winter, as the Warriors played several underclassmen. One of those, freshman Brielle Engelmann, ended up as the leading scorer with 135 total points. Engelmann, who shot 35 percent from the field with a team-high 13 made three-pointers, also added 103 rebounds, 38 steals and 30 assists. <strong>Olivia Sturgis - Manson Northwest Webster</strong> There are going to be plenty of shots to fill next season for Manson Northwest Webster, and freshman Olivia Sturgis could be one that helps do just that. Sturgis played in 20 games this past winter, shooting 64 percent from the field. She finished with 99 total points and 60 rebounds. The Cougars will see six seniors depart due to graduation, including leading scorer Chloe Troshynski. <strong>Olivia VonBank - North Union</strong> The task of putting together another winning season for North Union will fall on new shoulders next year, including Class of 2023’s Olivia VonBank. VonBank got her feet wet, playing in 21 games this past year. She scored 68 points, making 43 percent of her field goals with a handful of 3-pointers, adding 46 rebounds and 21 steals. The Warriors won 15 games and reached the regional semifinal behind graduated senior [player_tooltip player_id="133843" first="Chloe" last="Lofstrom"], who earned all-state honors after averaging 20 points and 11 rebounds per game.