Class A State Tourney: All-Tournament Team

To those of us who had not seen West Central Area before their appearance the Minnesota State High School League State Tournament, the Knights' victory over Cromwell-Wright in Thursday's opening round of the Class A event was intriguing. Their subsequent victory over the defending champions from Goodhue in the semifinals was a total shocker. For teams that had faced WCA during the regular season, however, it was hardly a surprise.   The Knights played a strong schedule with their losses being primarily to powerhouse New London-Spicer and to Class 2A squads that also made it to State – Minnewaska and Sauk Centre. They just didn't play in any of the marquee events over the winter and they didn't play in the Twin Cities. By the time we got to Saturday's championship game, we knew that the Knights could win it all which is exactly what they did in an impressive victory over MACCRAY.   Most of the Class A State Tournament teams have at least one well-known college prospect on their roster. [player_tooltip player_id='515673' first='Brielle' last='Janssen'] at MACCRAY, [player_tooltip player_id='498658' first='Morgan' last='Mathiowetz'] at Sleepy Eye St. Mary's, and [player_tooltip player_id='918612' first='Lexi' last='Lawrence'] at East Grand Forks come to mind, along with Goodhue stalwarts [player_tooltip player_id='550025' first='Kendyl' last='Lodermeier'] and [player_tooltip player_id='862790' first='Natalie' last='Thomforde'], for example. WCA, on the other hand, featured a group of veteran high school performers who were physical, defensive-minded, cohesive and well-coached. There were a couple of players who stood out above the rest and we're happy to selected Jayden Styba as our Most Valuable Player and Addison Staples as our Breakout Performer.  Here's more on those two and the rest of the All-Tournament selections.   MOST VALUABLE PLAYER   Jayden Styba — West Central Area, 2025 Guard   The West Central Area guard's State Tournament performance was all about consistency. In all three rounds she was grabbing boards and scoring buckets at crucial moments. The 5'8 senior's contributions were exactly what put the Knights over the top in Saturday's championship game. Particularly in the second half, it seemed that every time Jayden got an offensive board in the paint, her subsequent shot was guaranteed to go in. When MACCRAY pushed to close the gap with about 8 minutes remaining, she was there to pick off a pass and get a bucket in transition. Styba finished the championship game with a double-double of 16 points and 10 rebounds; she shot an efficient 7-for-11 from the field.   The Knights stunned basketball fans across the state when they took down top-ranked Goodhue in the Class A semifinals. Styba was the X-factor against the Wildcats, too – scoring 12 points and grabbing 8 rebounds. Against Cromwell-Wright in the quarterfinals she totaled 12 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 steals. Jayden brought a dose of toughness, hustle, and leadership that was key on the road to the championship.    BREAKOUT PERFORMER   Addison Staples — West Central Area, 2025 Forward   Versatile bigs, particularly those who can distribute the ball and shoot the three, are a tremendous asset for any team, but it can prove to be especially valuable for schools that play in Class A. The performance of Staples was evidence of this at this year's State Tournament. The 5'11 forward showed her ability to score at multiple levels, play with strong fundamentals and IQ, and bring physicality on both ends of the floor.   Addison's defensive play on Goodhue's [player_tooltip player_id='550025' first='Kendyl' last='Lodermeier'] was, perhaps, the most crucial element of her performance in the biggest moment of her high school career. Normally an efficient scorer who averages 18.2 points per game, Addison's physical, intense defense held the Upper Iowa commit to 7-of-22 from the field. She forced her opponent to take well-contested, difficult shots, making it impossible for the Wildcats to mount a comeback. Over three games, Staples totaled 35 points and 24 rebounds. On Saturday she shot a perfect 6-for-6 from the field. Addison's contributions were essential in order for Knights to take home their first state championship, and while her current college plans are unknown to us, it's clear that she belongs at the next level.   ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAMS   First Team   Jayden Styba — West Central Area, 2025 Guard   Addison Staples — West Central Area, 2025 Forward   [player_tooltip player_id='515673' first='Brielle' last='Janssen'] — MACCRAY, 2026 Forward   [player_tooltip player_id='498658' first='Morgan' last='Mathiowetz'] — Sleepy Eye St. Mary's, 2027 Guard   [player_tooltip player_id='550025' first='Kendyl' last='Lodermeier'] — Goodhue, 2025 Forward (Upper Iowa)   Second Team   [player_tooltip player_id='1078537' first='Aubrey' last='Christianson'] — Goodhue, 2027 Guard   [player_tooltip player_id='866106' first='Lola' last='Christianson'] — Goodhue, 2027 Guard   Emma Thein — MACCRAY, 2026 Forward   Macy Grosz — West Central Area, 2025 Guard   [player_tooltip player_id='918612' first='Lexi' last='Lawrence'] — EGF Sacred Heart, 2027 Forward   Honorable Mentions   Remington Olesiak — Cromwell-Wright, 2027 Guard   Finley Horken — EGF Sacred Heart, 2027 Guard   Sam Hultgren — MACCRAY, 2027 Guard   Callie Jaenish — MACCRAY, 2025 Guard   Mya Foslien — West Central Area, 2025 Guard/Forward   PGH scout Ally McGinnis contributed to this article.

To those of us who had not seen West Central Area before their appearance the Minnesota State High School League State Tournament, the Knights' victory over Cromwell-Wright in Thursday's opening round of the Class A event was intriguing. Their subsequent victory over the defending champions from Goodhue in the semifinals was a total shocker. For teams that had faced WCA during the regular season, however, it was hardly a surprise.