These seniors saved their best for last, part 1

We always knew that Sophie Hawkinson Sophie Hawkinson 5'8" | CG Wayzata | 2025 State MN had all of the tools to be one of the premier players in the Prep Girls Hoops Class of 2025. From the time we first ranked the grade back in the fall of 2021 to the final update of Minnesota's best seniors, one thing has been consistent: Hawkinson is a top 10 talent destined for great things at the collegiate level. That's never been truer than right now given that Sophie is playing at the highest level we've seen since first scouting her in 7th grade. With the final 2025 rankings about to be published on Monday, Hawkinson is among several seniors we've seen who saved their best for last.

Sophie Hawkinson Sophie Hawkinson 5'8" | CG Wayzata | 2025 State MN – guard, Wayzata (North Dakota State)

We've watched 16-4 Wayzata live a half dozen times this season and every time we've done so Sophie has been very good. What we saw last Friday against Minnetonka was a whole different level of goodness… as in great. The North Dakota State commit had 34 points, 7 rebounds and 9 assists in a solid victory over the Skippers. She scored and distributed and defended – all at a very high level – while shooting 8-for-11 from the field, 3-of-3 from three and 11-for-14 at the line. And it's not as if this was an aberration.

Against Edina, Hawkinson made 8 triples on 11 attempts for 34 points. She was one assist shy of a triple-double against St. Michael-Albertville (18 points, 10 rebounds, 9 assists), and recorded 19 points and 10 assists versus Hopkins. Against Lakeville North she scored 23 points with 7 assists and 5 steals. Facing Eden Prairie with Wayzata's lineup depleted by illness, Sophie scored 26 points with 10 assists, 6 rebounds and 5 steals. Going up against a string of strong opponents, those numbers are remarkable. So are Sophie's season averages of nearly 20 ppg, over 50% shooting with 5.2 rebounds, 6.4 assists and 3.2 steals.

“We are sharing the ball and making the right plays,” said Wayzata coach Julie Stewart. “Sophie is making very good basketball decisions which is a major part of our cohesion and elevating our team's success. Players are shot-ready and they are receiving timely passes which is creating better chances to score.”

Data is important, of course, and Hawkinson's numbers speak volumes. Truth be told, Sophie's greatest assets are those that can't be measured. Heart. Grit. Toughness. Will to win. And the work ethic to build a college-ready game over a long period of time. With top 10 sophomore Kate Amelotte Kate Amelotte 6'0" | SF Wayzata | 2026 State MN out for the season, and two more 10th graders in the starting lineup, Hawkinson needed to step up and lead in her final high school campaign. That's exactly what she has done. Let's hope the Miss Basketball committee is paying attention when it comes time to choose their finalists because Hawkinson has made her case and made it well. “Sophie puts in the work and has grown so much. She is a complete player,” said Stewart. “She trusts her teammates and they know it.”

McKenna Schaefer McKenna Schaefer 5'10" | SF Providence Academy | 2025 State MN – forward, Providence Academy

Unlike Hawkinson, Schaefer has not been destined for Division 1 basketball. In fact, she left the court behind to focus on volleyball several years ago before making a surprise return to hoops in her junior year with the encouragement of good friend Maddyn Greenway Maddyn Greenway 5'8" | PG Providence Academy | 2026 State MN . McKenna earned her way into a solid supporting role at Providence last season; this year as a senior she's a starter and an integral part of the Lions ascent to the top of the heap in Minnesota girls basketball.

“McKenna is really a glue piece for us this year,” said PA head coach Connor Goetz. “On a team and starting lineup loaded with Division 1 talent, McKenna provides all the essential pieces to winning. She defends bigger than her position, she rebounds, she takes and makes open shots at an efficient level and, more importantly, she's a really steady and calming presence on our team.”

Averaging nearly a dozen points per game, Schaefer has solid fundamentals, good quickness, and nice shooting ability. What is most evident is her innate feel for the game. This year McKenna's poise on the floor has taken a noticeable step forward and she appears to be so much more self-assured. Ironically, that won't make a bit of difference to her college experience. “She's made the decision not to pursue basketball at the next level and just be a student at Kansas,” Goetz explained, “so she's treating every game like it's her last and it's really freeing for her.”

On Friday in part 2 we'll have three more seniors who've saved their best for last.