High school preview: The 10 best forwards in Class A

It takes a little effort to get to a game in Chisholm, way up on the Iron Range. Most Minnesotans would be hard-pressed to point out Minneota or Buffalo Lake or Grand Meadow on a map, at least not without the help of their smartphone. And where the heck is East Chain anyway? Their schools may not be as well known as Hopkins or Minnetonka or Stillwater but there are plenty of kids in Class A who’ve got game. Over the weekend we brought you the 10 best guards in Class A. As we prepare for the 2021-22 high school season, here’s our take on the top small-school forwards in the state, regardless of class. [player_tooltip player_id="109147" first="Natalie" last="Rolbiecki"] <strong>– senior, Minneota (#83)</strong> Positionless basketball. That seems to be the way the game is headed so it makes perfect sense to include one of Minnesota’s highest-performing state tournament participants in recent times to our top forwards list even if we’re not sure she’s a forward. We have always considered Natalie as a guard, but team rosters say she’s a forward so let’s go with that. At 5’10ish, with long strides and nice athleticism, Rolbecki gets the job done all over the court. She attacks off the bounce, knocks down shots from distance, and can shut down opponents with her length and intelligence. I’d take her on my team eight days a week. [player_tooltip player_id="108342" first="Allison" last="Milbrandt"] <strong>– junior, Buffalo Lake-Hector-Stewart (#45)</strong> Lest you have forgotten in her absence, Allison is a baller. The 5’10 forward/wing/guard from BLHS is still rehabbing from a torn ACL. Although she has been a constant presence on the bench with her Minnesota Rise teammates all summer – Allison’s cheery demeanor and clever wit are never far from the action – we have missed watching her float up and down the floor en route to another smooth two. Milbrandt remains an underappreciated talent whose ceiling is high, high, high. She runs well, handles the ball, elevates with ease and always plays hard. It won’t be long before the rest of Class A is reminded about all of the above. [player_tooltip player_id="215986" first="Tresa" last="Baumgard"]  <strong>– sophomore, Chisholm (#30)</strong> There’s a lot to like about Baumgard’s game but what we like the most is her edge. The very first time we watched her do battle in the uniform of Playmakers North, that’s what stood out, even more so than her size, strength and electric yellow nail polish. At about 6 feet tall, with long limbs, Tresa is a handful to defend and even more of a pest if you are the one with the basketball. Her competitive fire, healthy dose of sandpaper and willingness to bang as necessary sets Tresa apart from others. She can also put up numbers more often than not. [player_tooltip player_id="223915" first="Katelyn" last="Diegnau"] <strong>– senior, GHEC (Augustana) (#99)</strong> Katelyn’s school name might be a mouthful – no we are not jesting when we tell you it’s Granada-Huntley-East Chain-Truman-Martin Luther – but her game is as simple as ABC 123. At well over 6-feet tall with a frame to match, Diegnau’s got size, strength, physicality and finish. What more do you want out of a post player? Katelyn has put in a ton of work to improve over the past couple of years and it has paid off handsomely in a D2 opportunity at Augustana one year from now. Before then, however, the Top 100 prospect will continue to cause havoc for Class A opponents from far and wide. [player_tooltip player_id="109152" first="Lauren" last="Maki"] <strong>– senior, Mountain Iron-Buhl (#109)</strong> We told you about Lauren last week in our look at potential breakout players among Minnesota seniors. We’ll repeat what we said then by telling you that Maki is one of the most effective forwards in small-school basketball, a player whose impact on the game is sometimes subtle but nearly always important. Lauren is barely scratching the surface of what’s possible. She works hard, plays hard and produces. It may not always show up on the score sheet but Maki is an impact player who scores big baskets, can bury shots at key moments, rebounds hard, and always, always, always provides defensive presence. <strong>5 MORE CLASS A STANDOUTS</strong> [player_tooltip player_id="304937" first="Brea" last="Mertz"] – The 5’10 sophomore from Sleepy Eye has a big frame, plenty of power, and the ability to own her space in the paint which enables Mertz to be a prolific rebounder. Brea has shown consistent year-round improvement while putting up points and grabbing rebounds on a regular basis. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="356083" first="Ava" last="Butler"]</strong> – Although she is a bit undersized for the forward position, the 5’9 senior from Mountain Iron-Buhl makes up for it with intelligence, effort and touch. Ava scored over a dozen points per game for the Rangers last season and plays a leadership role at both ends of the floor. <strong>Maddie Luft</strong> – Just a 9th grader, the 6’1 forward from Yellow Medicine East is long, long, long. Her wingspan is huge and so is her potential. She is a terrific shot blocker and disruptive defender. She can also step outside and knock down shots. By the time she’s a senior, Luft could be the best in Class A. [player_tooltip player_id="109146" first="Natalee" last="Hakamaki"] – The big power forward from Cromwell-Wright is a Top 100 prospect with a huge frame, big-time strength and the ability to overpower defenders of all descriptions. The senior averaged over a dozen points per game for the Cardinals. <strong>River Landers</strong> – The 6’0 senior from Grand Meadow is a classic late bloomer who is poised for next-level success just like her sister Rio, who had an excellent career at Northwestern-St. Paul. River averaged about 11 points and 5 rebounds last season for the Superlarks and keeps on getting better.