Season Preview: Sophomore Standouts

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>As the 2024-2025 season approaches, I have done some digging through the stat sheets to find a handful of sophomores in Eastern Iowa that I believe have the potential to make embrace bigger roles for their high school squads this season. Check out who's featured below!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["896434"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6731a9c901ed2"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Following a 7.1PPG and 5.9RPG freshman year (second-most on her team), this season will provide ample opportunity for Vinton Shellsburg's [player_tooltip player_id='896434' first='Adalee' last='Klein'] to shine. At 6'1", Klein averaged almost three offensive rebounds last season for the Vikings and one can only assume her rebounding numbers will climb this year. In addition Klein shot at a 47% clip last year. After graduating last year's top-scorer, Julia Johnson, the Vikings will need a go-to player and I think Klein can step up to the challenge.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"[player_tooltip player_id='1056799' first='Ava' last='Hocker']","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2027","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"null","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"12125","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Williamsburg","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6731a9c901f6d"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">On a pretty well-balanced team last season, Hocker stepped in as a freshman and did a little bit of everything for the 13-9 Raiders. She scored about five points per game while averaging 3.7 rebounds, 1.6 assists and almost 2 steals. This season I envision her production will only grow across the board as the Raiders look to improve on their 14-9 record from last year.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1055304"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6731a9c901fb0"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Coming off a strong freshman debut, [player_tooltip player_id='1055304' first='Sydney' last='Feldhacker'] will be in the mix as one of the top contributors for Dubuque Hempstead this season. With seniors Camdyn Kay and Chandler Houselog graduating last spring the Mustangs will need someone to carry the load, and I think Feldhacker will be one of the players to do so. Last season she shot at a high percentage (48.2%) while grabbing 4.5 rebounds per game, and there will be ample opportunity for Sydney to increase these numbers this year.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["896425"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6731a9c901fe9"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Cross country star [player_tooltip player_id='896425' first='Grace' last='Estling'] has plenty to be proud of from her freshman basketball season at CPU. Despite playing limited minutes last year, Grace averaged 5 points per game while shooting 43.8% from the floor. In addition she grabbed 2.4 rebounds and 1.4 steals per game. Combining that efficiency with grit from the course and on the soccer field makes for a hustle player that anyone would want on their team, especially with such wide-spread scoring coming from the Pointers last season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["896422"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6731a9c90201f"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Addison stuffed the stat sheet for the Orioles last season as a freshman, tallying 7.1 points, 4.8 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 2.7 steals per game. Merritt was third on her team in scoring and with the graduation of senior guards Kennedy Moore and Hannah March, there is an even bigger opportunity this season for Merritt to shine. Alongside teammate [player_tooltip player_id='595151' first='Rowan' last='Jacobi'], a South Dakota commit, I anticipate Merritt will step up and be an excellent 1-2 punch for Springville.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block -->