The Summit City (Fort Wayne, IN)
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The featured image is of Kaelyn Ortiz-Vaudt Kaelyn Ortiz-Vaudt 5'6" | CG Concordia Lutheran | 2024 IN (2024) of Fort Wayne’s Concordia Lutheran High School. Over the five years I have been with Prep Girls Hoops, I have taken a…
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Continue ReadingThe featured image is of Kaelyn Ortiz-Vaudt Kaelyn Ortiz-Vaudt 5'6" | CG Concordia Lutheran | 2024 IN (2024) of Fort Wayne’s Concordia Lutheran High School.
Over the five years I have been with Prep Girls Hoops, I have taken a moment each year to introduce different areas of the state and their top prospects. I wanted to again work through that this Fall and offer you a much more detailed look at the Hoosier State’s different regions and the prospects who should shine this Winter throughout those regions. With this first installment, I wanted to turn everyone’s attention to the Northeast corner of the state and focus on the state’s second biggest city, Fort Wayne, nicknamed “The Summit City”. I also quickly wanted to recognize and thank the site www.visitfortwayne.com for some of the information I was able to gather and include below.
Fort Wayne is named after “Mad” Anthony Wayne, an American General who helped build the first fort where the Saint Mary’s River, the Saint Joseph River, and the Maumee River all come together. Later, in the 1830s, construction began on the Erie and Wabash Canal in Fort Wayne, and because Fort Wayne was the highest point above sea level along the canal route, it was aptly later nicknamed “ The Summit City”.
Year after year, Fort Wayne turns out several high-quality basketball players and high school teams. 2022 Miss Basketball Ayanna Patterson (Homestead) and Indiana All-Star teammate Olivia.Smith (South Side 2022) come directly from the Summit City, as did prospects like Sydney Graber (Homestead 2020) and Carissa Garcia (Concordia Lutheran 2019). Even Sydney Freeman (Central Noble 2019), Grace Hunter (Bellmont 2019), and Hanna Knoll (Angola 2021) are from the Northeast corner of the state, though not actually “in” Fort Wayne. All of those ladies were Indiana All-Stars and/or have seen Division-I floors.
However, year after year there are many other quality players in the Fort Wayne area who often go underrecruited, so I encourage small colleges to make the trip up I-69 or across U.S. 30 a couple of times each high school season to check out the area teams. Below, I wanted to take the time to highlight a handful of girls who may not often grab the spotlight, but who deserve their share of recognition for their basketball abilities. Not all of these girls are technically in Fort Wayne, but they are all from the Northeast corner of Indiana.
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Janiya Johnson
Janiya
Johnson
5'7" | SG
New Haven | 2024
State
IN
, 2024, 5-7 SG, New Haven H.S.
– Janiya doesn’t have a huge reputation statewide on the basketball court, but this Spring & Summer was the most I’ve ever seen her out on the grassroots circuit. She had a really nice 2022-2023 season for New Haven, averaging 13.0 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 2.7 steals per game. She also knocked down 36 3-pointers in 21 games. She is a strong and athletic scoring guard who gets to the basket and can make athletic finishes in the lane or the mid-post area. She plays with a nice motor and a toughness, plus she’ll sit down and defend with effort. I think she could develop into a really nice steal for a Midwest small college.
Kaelyn Ortiz-Vaudt
Kaelyn
Ortiz-Vaudt
5'6" | CG
Concordia Lutheran | 2024
IN
, 2024, 5-6 CG, Concordia Lutheran H.S.
– The best word to describe Kaelyn is simply ‘solid’. She has always been a skillful, hard-working, invested ballplayer who figures out ways to contribute to whatever environment she is in. She can handle the ball, take care of it, and initiate/manage an offense like a point guard. She’s also a solid perimeter shooter, and she can make a move and attack the basket North/South as a scoring guard. Defensively, she gives great effort, she understands angles, plus she’ll come up with hustle plays like loose balls or taking charges, and she effectively rebounds her position. I think she could make for a well-balanced small college guard.
Tessa Tonkel
Tessa
Tonkel
5'6" | CG
Columbia City | 2024
IN
, 2024, 5-6 CG, Columbia City H.S.
– Tessa plays with a nonstop motor that could give the Energizer Bunny a run for his money. Whenever you look over at her court, she is flying around, trying to make a play. She has some length at her height, good all-around athleticism, and speed. Defensively, she can get into ball-handlers and disrupt them, or she can play the passing lanes and create turnovers. Offensively, she can get to the basket and change directions along the way, plus she’s a capable perimeter shooter. If she could harness her raw energy a little better and learn how to change speeds and sense tone in a game, I think her burst could be that much more dangerous.
Layla Williams
Layla
Williams
6'3" | C
Fort Wayne Wayne | 2025
State
IN
, 2025, 6-2 C, Fort Wayne Wayne H.S.
– Layla is still in need of a lot of fundamental work, but she has grown, gotten noticeably stronger and more physical, and she is becoming a real presence on the block at both ends of the floor. Offensively, her hands and footwork are improving, so now it’s just a matter of her developing a couple of consistent moves and countermoves. Defensively, she protects the paint with her great length, plus she will pursue rebounds. She’ll need to keep strengthening her base so she can come out, sit down, and defend ball screens a bit better. But she has vast potential and continues to improve. She transferred to Wayne from Homestead over the Summer.
Alivia Bolinger
Alivia
Bolinger
6'1" | PF
Concordia Lutheran | 2026
State
IN
, 2026, 6-1 PF, Concordia Lutheran H.S.
– I first saw Alivia last year at a showcase event, and she continues to develop and improve. She has gotten another inch taller, a little stronger, plus she plays with some physicality in her wiry frame. Offensively, she can post smaller defenders and make moves around the block, but she is also comfortable facing the basket in the mid-post. As she gains strength and becomes a little more explosive, I think she’ll be able to attack the basket from the perimeter, absorb contact better, and finish. Defensively, she uses her tremendous length and mobility to alter opponents’ shots. Right now, she’s a little more comfortable inside, but I think she’ll be a face-up ‘4’ long-term.
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Additional Northeast Corner Prospects in Our Rankings for 2024-2026:
Molly Baker
Molly
Baker
5'10" | PF
Columbia City | 2024
State
IN
, 2024, Columbia City H.S.
Kelsey Bergman
Kelsey
Bergman
6'1" | C
Garrett | 2024
IN
, 2024, Garrett H.S.
Allie Boyer
Allie
Boyer
6'2" | C
Blackhawk Christian | 2024
IN
, 2024, Blackhawk Christian H.S.
Alexis Castator
Alexis
Castator
6'1" | SG
Fort Wayne Northrop | 2024
State
IN
, 2024, Fort Wayne Northrop H.S.
Kylie Caswell
Kylie
Caswell
5'4" | PG
Angola | 2024
IN
, 2024, Angola H.S.
Hailey Cole
Hailey
Cole
5'11" | PF
Bellmont | 2024
State
IN
, 2024, Bellmont H.S., committed to Trine University
Destini Craig
Destini
Craig
5'9" | PF
Fort Wayne Northrop | 2024
State
IN
, 2024, Fort Wayne Northrop H.S.
Annika Davis
Annika
Davis
5'8" | PG
Bishop Luers | 2024
State
IN
, 2024, Bishop Luers H.S.
Joh’nea Donahue
Joh’nea
Donahue
5'8" | SG
Fort Wayne Snider | 2024
State
IN
, 2024, Fort Wayne Snider H.S., committed to Bowling Green State University
Giselle Eke
Giselle
Eke
6'3" | C
Bishop Dwenger | 2024
State
IN
, 2024, Bishop Dwenger H.S.
Gracie Fields
Gracie
Fields
5'7" | SG
Huntington North | 2024
IN
, 2024, Huntington North H.S.
Kennedy Fuelling
Kennedy
Fuelling
5'7" | CG
Norwell | 2024
State
IN
, 2024, Norwell H.S.
Makenzie Fuess
Makenzie
Fuess
5'5" | PG
Norwell | 2024
State
IN
, 2024, Norwell H.S.
Sydney Gorman
Sydney
Gorman
5'8" | SG
Fort Wayne Wayne | 2024
State
IN
, 2024, Fort Wayne Wayne H.S.
Dekota Hubble
Dekota
Hubble
6'0" | C
Norwell | 2024
IN
, 2024, Norwell H.S., committed to Huntington University
Taylor Kneubuhler
Taylor
Kneubuhler
6'0" | PF
Woodlan | 2024
State
IN
, 2024, Woodlan H.S.
Macy Oberlin
Macy
Oberlin
6'0" | PF
Angola | 2024
State
IN
, 2024, Angola H.S., committed to Thomas More
Olivia Oman
Olivia
Oman
5'9" | SF
Lakeland | 2024
IN
, 2024, Lakeland H.S.
Riley Pepple
Riley
Pepple
5'6" | SG
Fort Wayne Northrop | 2024
IN
, 2024, Fort Wayne Northrop H.S.
Tia Phinezy
Tia
Phinezy
6'3" | C
Fort Wayne Snider | 2024
State
IN
, 2024, Fort Wayne Snider H.S.
Jordyn Poole
Jordyn
Poole
5'6" | PG
Fort Wayne Snider | 2024
State
IN
, 2024, Fort Wayne Snider H.S., committed to Purdue University
Macy Pries
Macy
Pries
5'8" | SF
South Adams | 2024
IN
, 2024, South Adams H.S.
Emma Reust
Emma
Reust
5'9" | SG
Homestead | 2024
State
IN
, 2024, Homestead H.S.
Addie Shank
Addie
Shank
6'0" | PF
Bishop Luers | 2024
State
IN
, 2024, Bishop Luers H.S., committed to Huntington University
Kyndra Sheets
Kyndra
Sheets
5'6" | PG
Columbia City | 2024
State
IN
, 2024, Columbia City H.S., committed to Huntington University
Ciara Sims
Ciara
Sims
5'8" | SF
Fort Wayne Snider | 2024
State
IN
, 2024, Fort Wayne Snider H.S.
Aniya Woodson
Aniya
Woodson
5'7" | SF
Fort Wayne North Side | 2024
IN
, 2024, Fort Wayne North Side H.S.
Addison Baxter
Addison
Baxter
5'9" | PG
Columbia City | 2025
State
IN
, 2025, Columbia City H.S., committed to Butler University
Ashley Cox
Ashley
Cox
5'8" | CG
DeKalb | 2025
State
IN
, 2025, DeKalb H.S.
Lauren Goodman
Lauren
Goodman
5'6" | PG
Concordia Lutheran | 2025
IN
, 2025, Concordia Lutheran H.S.
Jersey Paul
Jersey
Paul
5'6" | CG
Carroll (Fort Wayne) | 2025
State
IN
, 2025, Carroll H.S. (Fort Wayne)
Reese Rhodehamel
Reese
Rhodehamel
5'9" | PF
Bishop Luers | 2025
IN
, 2025, Bishop Luers H.S.
Saniah Sandlin
Saniah
Sandlin
6'0" | C
Fort Wayne Snider | 2025
IN
, 2025, Fort Wayne Snider H.S.
Alexis Stillman
Alexis
Stillman
5'11" | SF
Angola | 2025
State
IN
, 2025, Angola H.S.
Marissa Trout
Marissa
Trout
5'10" | SF
Huntington North | 2025
State
IN
, 2025, Huntington North H.S.
Whitney Ankenbruck-Shooting Guard
Whitney
Ankenbruck-Shooting Guard
5'9" | SF
Homestead | 2026
State
IN
, 2026, Homestead H.S.
Myah Epps
Myah
Epps
5'10" | CG
Homestead | 2026
State
IN
, 2026, Homestead H.S.
Lillian George
Lillian
George
6'2" | C
Carroll (Fort Wayne) | 2026
State
IN
, 2026, Carroll H.S. (Fort Wayne)
Gabby Helsom
Gabby
Helsom
5'11" | PF
Homestead | 2026
State
IN
, 2026, Homestead H.S.
Swynn Jackson
Swynn
Jackson
5'9" | SG
Fort Wayne Northrop | 2026
State
IN
, 2026, Fort Wayne Northrop H.S.
Ava Myers
Ava
Myers
5'9" | SG
Carroll (Fort Wayne) | 2026
IN
, 2026, Carroll H.S. (Fort Wayne)
Leah Shappell
Leah
Shappell
6'0" | PF
Leo | 2026
State
IN
, 2026, Leo H.S.
Anisa Tonkel
Anisa
Tonkel
5'8" | SG
Columbia City | 2026
IN
, 2026, Columbia City H.S.
Miley Wareing
Miley
Wareing
6'1" | C
Bishop Luers | 2026
IN
, 2026, Bishop Luers H.S.
Khala Williams-Thomas
Khala
Williams-Thomas
5'10" | SF
Fort Wayne Northrop | 2026
State
IN
, 2026, Fort Wayne Northrop H.S.