Boards and Scores : Players Off to a Big Start in 21-22

Robert Kelly January 10, 2022 @ 02:44 PM

As teams close in on the mid-season tournament part of their schedule I am taking a overdue look at players who have had big early seasons in the rebounding and scoring department.  Continuing with the process I used in <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/2020/10/boards-and-scores-10-players-likely-to-have-big-years-2021/">2021</a> and <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/2019/09/boards-and-scores-10-players-likely-to-have-big-years/">2020</a>, including relying on data populating <a href="https://www.maxpreps.com/list/stat_leaders.aspx?gendersport=girls,basketball&state=ks">MaxPreps</a>, I looked at players using the following criteria: <ol> <li> Averaged greater than 8 rebounds per game;</li> <li> Gathered more than 60 rebounds in the first third of the season;</li> <li> Played a substantially high percentage of team's games; and</li> <li> Had a field goal percentage of greater than 35%.</li> </ol> The resulting pool of 15 players was reduced to 10 by ranking players by percentage of offensive rebounds to total rebounds in consideration for offensive rebounds turning into second chance points.  Listed below in order by average rebounds per game, the resulting pool of players are a mixture of known standouts and under-recognized. Josie Weers, 5'7", CG, Southern Coffee County, 2023 - 7 games averaging 13.7 rebounds, of which nearly 44% are offensive.  She has shot 43% from the floor while averaging 18.4 points for the 4-3 Titans. Jalea True, 5'11", PF, Southern Coffee County, 2023 - Another Titan making the list, Weers is averaging 11.6 rebounds, of which nearly 51% are offensive.  She has shot 45% from the floor while averaging 8 points per game. Kolbie Bartlett, 5'8", SF, Bennington, 2024 - 8 games averaging 10.9 rebounds per game, of which nearly 52% are offensive.  She has shot 45% from the floor while averaging 11.8 points per game for the Bulldogs [player_tooltip player_id="191492" first="Paisley" last="Smyth"], 5'7", CG, Fairfield, 2023 - Smyth his having a big year for the Falcons.  Through the first 8 games she has averaged 10.9 rebounds. She has also shot 42% from the floor in racking up 14.8 points per game.  She has also racked up 2.9 steals and 2.4 assists per game. Erin Schwertfeger, 5'8", SF, Fairfield, 2024 - Swertfeger is has a solid start to her sophomore campaign. While only averaging just over 5 points per game, she has shot 40% from the floor and has averaged 9.7 rebounds per game. [caption id="attachment_247013" align="alignleft" width="150"]<img class=" wp-image-247013" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/01/McKenna-Vogl-Pretty-Prairie-2022-253x300.jpg" alt="Pretty Prairie 2022 [player_tooltip player_id=" width="150" height="178"> Pretty Prairie 2022 [player_tooltip player_id="191202" first="McKenna" last="Vogl"]. Photo: Robert Kelly.[/caption][player_tooltip player_id="191202" first="McKenna" last="Vogl"], 5'11", PF/C, Pretty Prairie, 2022 - Vogl is the only returner to this list from the 2021 season preview list linked above.  Vogl has averaged 9 rebounds a game and 16.1 points per game, shooting a ridiculous 60% from the floor for the 9-0 1A Div 1 #2 ranked Bulldogs. [player_tooltip player_id="298541" first="Brooke" last="Strine"], 6'0", C, Scott City, 2023 - Through 8 games Strine is averaging 8.8 rebounds per game, of which 47% are offensive.  She is also hanging up 10.8 points per game while shooting 36% from the floor.  Her 5-3 Beavers have only lost to the #1 and #4 ranked 3A teams and a third team that had been ranked in the 3A top 10 as well. Livia Schulz, 5'10", SF/PF, Wheatland-Grinell, 2022 - In the first 7 games Schulz has pulled down 8.7 rebounds per game, with 54% of them being offensive boards.  She is also averaging 12.7 points on 48% shooting for the 5-2 Thunderhawks. Kaia Smith, 5'11, PF, Reno County Home School, 2025 - While not a KSHSAA member, RCHS is an approved school.  The Sabres play in the Kansas Christian Athletic Association and through 12 games Smith has averaged 8.3 rebounds.  She has also averaged 14.9 points on 46% shooting. [player_tooltip player_id='396413' first='Kambry' last='Adams'], 5'9", PF, Macksville, 2024 - Through 8 games Adams has averaged 8 rebounds per game. A whopping 57% are offensive.  She has also averaged 9.1 points on 39% shooting for the 5-3 Mustangs. Featured image: Sterling's [player_tooltip player_id="124974" first="Kali" last="Briar"] and [player_tooltip player_id="125016" first="Bennie" last="Horsch"] box out Scott City's [player_tooltip player_id="298541" first="Brooke" last="Strine"] during their 2021 Sterling Invitational contest. Photo: Robert Kelly.