Kids Who Can Change a Game in 2025 Class

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Some kids can be impossible to handle when they're at their best. Today, I want to highlight some kids who fit that description in the 2025 and 2026 classes.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='374227' first='Rainey' last='Welson']</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Every step of the way over the past two seasons, Welson has found a way to star for teams with an extreme amount of talent. She led an elite Hortonville team in scoring as a freshman, helped her North Tartan team get to a 16U EYBL Title Game in 2022, and led her Polar Bear group to the state tournament as a sophomore. Weslon gets unconscious shooting the ball and looks like she'll make anything she throws up at the rim a handful of times each season. Last year, I saw one of those games in Minnesota against Minnetonka and one on stream in the Sectional Title against Neenah.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='329589' first='Madison' last='Fitzgibbon']</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>You don't score 1,000 points before your junior season on accident. The Homestead junior has consistently been one of the best long-range shooters in the state since she stepped foot on campus. Over time, we've also seen her grow as a facilitator. She's always been someone whom teams have feared because she can score 20 in any given half and ruin someone's day, but, especially at the Pewaukee Fall League, she looked for where her cutters and wasn't shy about firing passes into tight windows. With the speed of kids who cut on the Highlanders roster, I wouldn't be surprised if her assist numbers took a sizable jump this season while staying one of the most feared scorers in the North Shore.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='602354' first='Sophie' last='Trimble']</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>There's a select few with the physical and athletic tools to stay in front of Trimble for 36 minutes. Her physicality when she gets downhill is second to none. Whenever she decides to go to the basket, Trimble either powers through for a layup or gets hit and goes to the free-throw line. Outside of the elite of the elite, Trimble probably has the most gravity when it comes to driving. No matter who she plays against, teams will have to send help to get the ball out of her hands, but if she becomes more of a passer, kids like [player_tooltip player_id='374231' first='Clare' last='Shea'], [player_tooltip player_id='509704' first='Kate' last='Janssen'], [player_tooltip player_id='338946' first='Zariah' last='Green'], and [player_tooltip player_id='329591' first='Jade' last='Warren'] will get warm-up three-pointers all game.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='338969' first='Lilly' last='Meulemans']</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>I'll add the caveat of her returning from an ACL injury. However, Meulemans might be the top-five fastest guard in the state, and Appleton East can maximize what they can get from Meulemans at their best. If it's a turnover, missed shot, made shot sideline out of bounds, the start of a quarter or half, or even at the tipoff, this Patriots team might treat every time they gain possession as a fast break opportunity. Meulemans has elite acceleration and top-end speed, making her lethal in transition offense. Over time, her decision-making will continue to improve, and in turn, the Patriots will likely be a tough out in the postseason.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->