10 rising young stars to watch at the State Tournament

The high school State Tournament is all about the stars. We won’t be at all surprised if veteran standouts like [player_tooltip player_id="12712" first="Maya" last="Nnaji"], [player_tooltip player_id="12713" first="Amaya" last="Battle"], [player_tooltip player_id="108299" first="Tessa" last="Johnson"], [player_tooltip player_id="30148" first="Ellie" last="Colbeck"] or [player_tooltip player_id="57914" first="Ronnie" last="Porter"] grab most of the headlines. And so they should. I expect we will also see the emergence of some rising young stars this week, athletes whose level of play will no doubt surprise the television broadcasters who show up in Minneapolis once a year and feign knowledge of the girls game. To those of us who observe our sport all year long, however, it won’t be a surprise at all. That’s why we are focused today on the rising stars of the State Tournament, those freshmen and sophomores who will likely emerge on the big stage this week. Of course there are plenty of 9th and 10th graders who are already established stars. That would include the #1 sophomore [player_tooltip player_id="177728" first="Olivia" last="Olson"] of Benilde-St. Margaret’s, #2 [player_tooltip player_id="178269" first="Liv" last="McGill"] of Hopkins, and #6 [player_tooltip player_id="178277" first="Jordan" last="Zubich"] of Mountain Iron-Buhl. Ditto for the #5 freshman [player_tooltip player_id="252379" first="Addison" last="Mack"] of Minnehaha Academy and 2026 sensation [player_tooltip player_id="252381" first="Maddyn" last="Greenway"] of Providence Academy, who came within a whisker of winning the Class AA state title last year and who has continued to rewrite the record books this season. As we saw last year with Albany’s run to the championship, newcomers like [player_tooltip player_id="302297" first="Alyssa" last="Sand"] (the #22-rated sophomore) and [player_tooltip player_id="302300" first="Kylan" last="Gerads"] (#36) can make a huge difference when the rubber hits the road. Will it be 2025 #2 [player_tooltip player_id="296523" first="Kendall" last="McGee"], who has led the Minnesota Stars Borowicz squad to multiple AAU state titles who makes the big play at the big moment? Perhaps it will be one of the 10 rising stars profiled here, skilled performers who could take center stage this week. <img class="alignnone wp-image-338623 size-thumbnail" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/10/249-Olivia-Pawlicki-150x150.jpg" alt="" width="150" height="150" /> [player_tooltip player_id="215985" first="Olivia" last="Pawlicki"] – 2024 forward, Shakopee Shakopee has had an incredible run to the State Tournament, winning 21 straight games and knocking off both Chaska and Eden Prairie on their way to Minneapolis. They are a veteran squad but it is Pawlicki, a lanky forward with a multi-dimensional skill set, who has raised the Sabers game more than any other player. She’s ranked #13 in the class and folks are about to see why. [player_tooltip player_id="215969" first="Nicole" last="Maenke"] – 2024 guard, Shakopee Maenke is a 5’9 combo guard who plays the game with poise and moxie. She is highly skilled, very intelligent and loaded with swagger. In a veteran backcourt with longtime leaders [player_tooltip player_id="109179" first="Kate" last="Cordes"], [player_tooltip player_id="223918" first="Jasmyn" last="Hale"] and [player_tooltip player_id="109183" first="Maya" last="Mitchell"], the youngster has brought her own flair to the proceedings and it has made a huge difference for Shakopee. <img class="alignnone wp-image-338645 size-thumbnail" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/10/274-Trinity-Wilson-150x150.jpg" alt="" width="150" height="150" /> [player_tooltip player_id="335641" first="Trinity" last="Wilson"] – 2024 forward, Lakeville North If you had to choose the biggest reason why the Panthers advanced to state it would be Trinity, both literally and figurately. Wilson has dominated the second half of the season and was stellar in North’s section final win over Rochester John Marshall facing one of the state’s top talents. The 6’3 post is the Panthers leading scorer and rebounder. [player_tooltip player_id="215957" first="Gabby" last="Betton"] – 2024 guard, Lakeville North The Panthers have a strong collection of guards and Gabby is the rising star of the group. She is North’s second-leading scorer and an outstanding all-around contributor, a smooth and talented ball handler who can be counted on to made smart plays throughout. Gabby is the 14th-ranked prospect in Minnesota’s sophomore class. <img class="alignnone wp-image-338466 size-thumbnail" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/10/71-Macy-Birkholz-150x150.jpg" alt="" width="150" height="150" /> [player_tooltip player_id="304895" first="Macy" last="Birkholz"] – 2024 guard, Mankato East The Cougars rise to prominence over the past five seasons has been built around seniors [player_tooltip player_id="109139" first="Mackenzie" last="Schweim"] and [player_tooltip player_id="109122" first="Lexi" last="Karge"], but it was the addition of Birkholz that really lifted Mankato East to a new level of success. She is a spitfire – a high-energy, all-in contributor who brings grit, tenacity and touch and averages 11 points per game. <img class="alignnone wp-image-209126 size-thumbnail" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2020/10/40_Ja_Kahla-Craft_1-150x150.jpg" alt="" width="150" height="150" /> [player_tooltip player_id="339129" first="Ja’Kahla" last="Craft"] – 2024 guard, St. Michael-Albertville It has been a breakout season for Craft, a newcomer for the Knights who emerged as a key piece in a talented lineup. She is also one of the biggest stock risers in the Prep Girls Hoops prospect rankings this season. Craft averages 12 ppg (2nd best for STMA) and plays an aggressive attacking style on both sides of the ball. [player_tooltip player_id="215953" first="Marisa" last="Frost"] – 2024 guard, Centennial Frost is a master tactician, a cerebral guard who is one of the most intelligent, well-rounded talents in the state. Her 82 assists led the team in that category while she was second in scoring at 10 ppg and third in rebounding at 5 per game. The #9-ranked player in the Class of 2024 turned in three excellent performances in section play. [player_tooltip player_id="346166" first="Autumn" last="McCall"] – 2025 forward, Centennial The evolution of Autumn’s game has been fun to watch as she has grown in the past year from a cautious newcomer last summer into a varsity standout today. The 6’2 forward is long and mobile and has been a huge difference-maker for the Cougars. She leads the team in rebounding at 7.2 per game and blocks (31) while scoring consistently. <img class="alignnone wp-image-338551 size-thumbnail" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/10/167-Zahara-Bishop-150x150.jpg" alt="" width="150" height="150" /> [player_tooltip player_id="208184" first="Zahara" last="Bishop"] – 2025 guard, Benilde-St. Margaret’s Not surprisingly it is [player_tooltip player_id="177728" first="Olivia" last="Olson"] and [player_tooltip player_id="296523" first="Kendall" last="McGee"] who have drawn most of the headlines for BSM this season and rightly so. But Bishop’s contributions for the Red Knights have been absolutely crucial. A top 10 prospect in the Class of 2025, the silky smooth guard is the team’s third-leading scorer and a key piece of the puzzle if Benilde is going to succeed this week. [player_tooltip player_id="330743" first="Abby" last="Hoselton"] – 2025 forward, St. Michael-Albertville The big power forward is strong, she’s skilled and she plays hard. On a team loaded with offensive threats, Abby’s contributions are more subtle but just as important. She is a rebounding machine who can be counted on to contribute in a big way on both sides of the ball. The 10th ranked freshman in Minnesota will have to do more of the same if STMA is to go far this week. Top photo: [player_tooltip player_id="215969" first="Nicole" last="Maenke"] of Shakopee (left) and [player_tooltip player_id="215957" first="Gabby" last="Betton"] of Lakeville North (right).