One Vital Player From Each Class 5A Team - Part 1

Over the next several weeks, prior to the high school season kicking off, we are going to highlight a prospect on each team throughout the state of Iowa, that is vital to the success of their Varsity program over the next six months. To start things off, we are going to lock in with the biggest Class in the state and that is the 5A Class. In this specific piece, we highlight the schools of Sioux City West, Council Bluffs Jefferson, Indianola, Davenport North, Urbandale, Cedar Rapids-Washington, and Iowa City-Liberty.   Thanks for tuning in and enjoy!    There is a very limited list of prospects that averaged a double-double throughout their season last Winter in Iowa and SF - [player_tooltip player_id='842624' first='Vera' last='Grom'] of Sioux City West was almost in that conversation. Grom put together a Junior season in which she averaged just under 15 PPG and right around 9.9 RPG, just falling short of that mark but she should still be incredibly proud. Proud but not satisfied. I think that this Winter, this is someone that WILL average a double-double in her efforts. She is going to feast near the paint once again with her mixture of size, touch, physical prowess, and calculated aggressive behavior. This is the season where she can really push her limits and give it her all for her last time on the high school floor. If she does that and other around her can eat off of her opportunity, they are all going to love how the season plays out.     "A small setback for a big comeback." This is a phrase you hear often in the sports world when a player takes a lose in some sort of way. In [player_tooltip player_id='311365' first='Journey' last='Houston']'s case, this phrase is used because she had a season ending injury a year ago and she is looking to make an even bigger comeback for her Senior season at Davenport North. A lot of people forget that Houston was the top prospect in this 2025 Class in Iowa to start her high school career over LSU commit and high school teammate, [player_tooltip player_id='311381' first='Divine' last='Bourrage']. Over time, things changed a little bit and other athletes came into their own but that doesn't change the fact that Houston is an Iowa commit and one heck of a ball player. She has fantastic size and ability at 5'10, while being a player of opportunity. During Nike Nationals a few years ago, she was cutting to the hoop in transition for easy buckets, she was hitting open shots at the rim over smaller defenders, and she was even stepping out to hit her patented step-back three pointer over anyone who wanted it. I'm hoping this is all going to be on full display once again this Winter and it'll also translate to the floor at Iowa, once she eventually gets there.     I had a chance to step in and see [player_tooltip player_id='671471' first='Lauren' last='Salmon'] from Urbandale High School compete last Winter when she was putting up respectable numbers. A goal that I'm sure will be the same for this upcoming Winter. Salmon is their group's leader. Plain and simple. She is their returning leader in PPG and RPG from last season and so it's not crazy to think that she will be in the exact same position this time around. Salmon competes from the SG position and she has some solid ability to her play-style. She can handle a little bit, knock down open jumpers on rotation, and she is a selfless contributor in other aspects of the game as well. Defensively, she can wall up against taller opponents or stay in front of smaller defenders, making it easy for her to switch in any given moment. This Winter Urbandale is going to look for Salmon to produce and I'm sure she will be ready for that opportunity.     Becker took major strides last Winter during her Sophomore season and she is looking to do even better over this next six months. The ability that Becker brings to the floor is elite control. She can control tempo, pace of play, and everything that is happening around her when she has the ball in her hands. She can also score it at a thorough rate if need be, when everything else breaks down around her. This team is going to have 2-3 high ranking players from their perspective age-group that will be looked upon along with Becker but in the end, it'll be on her shoulders as their PG these next two years.     This one may come as a surprise to some that know the Liberty program but I think that this team goes as far as [player_tooltip player_id='1044945' first='Kennedy' last='Goodheart'] can take them in a sense this upcoming season. This program has D1 committed prospects in hand, size at the post position, and a lot of skill throughout their program from top to bottom. On the Varsity floor, a lot of attention is going to go towards other prospects in the game plan to beat Liberty and that will be a mistake if they don't plan for Goodheart. This is someone that has been talked to by D1 programs for years now and she plays like that as well so as long as the strategy is there by the coaching staff, I could see a year to remember out of Goodheart and company.     [player_tooltip player_id='1055320' first='Alexa' last='Guyer'] was only a Freshman last Winter for Indianola when she led their team in PPG with just over 8 on over 35% shooting. From a recruiting standpoint, this is someone that can move around between the 1 and the 2 spot on the floor, depending on what is needed out of her. Last Winter was her first year on the Varsity court and she was 1 assist shy of being her team's leader in that category so I'm sure she will be even better this time around. Especially now that she has more experience and she understands what to expect this time around.     Hosick will return this Winter as a Senior with her Council Bluffs Jefferson team in attempts to put together a better season than a year ago. During their campaign during the 2023-2024 season, this Varsity group didn't have the year they would have liked but that all changes starting these next few weeks. Hosick will come back as a team's starter once again, looking to build on what she put in place during her Junior year. She is someone that competes at the Forward position and she started most of her team's games a year ago. I'd imagine that this group will look to Hosick and their other Senior starter for most of their production this next six months, so we will have to see how it all plays out.

Over the next several weeks, prior to the high school season kicking off, we are going to highlight a prospect on each team throughout the state of Iowa, that is vital to the success of their Varsity program over the next six months. To start things off, we are going to lock in with the biggest Class in the state and that is the 5A Class. In this specific piece, we highlight the schools of Sioux City West, Council Bluffs Jefferson, Indianola, Davenport North, Urbandale, Cedar Rapids-Washington, and Iowa City-Liberty.