Players to Watch at the 2025 2A State Tournament

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The 2A state tournament kicks off Thursday, March 13, at Kansas State University's Bramlage Coliseum. Returning for their fourth straight tournament is St. Mary's-Colgan from the Crawford-Neosho-Cherokee League. Also returning is Valley Heights from the Twin Valley League. Joining them are Doniphan West from the Twin Valley League; top seed Moundridge and Inman from the Heart of America League; Phillipsburg and Thomas More Prep-Marian from the Mid-Continent League and Chase County from the Flint Hills League. A new champion is guaranteed to be crowned as the 2024 champion, The Independent School, competed at the 1A Divisions I level this season. An interesting quarterfinal matchup will be a rematch of the 2024 third place game won by St. Mary's-Colgan over Valley Heights. Another is a match-up between two teams new to 2A. Chase County dropped from 3A while Doniphan West moved up from 1A Division I. Take a look at players who I think will be keys to their team's success, especially in the opening round.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">#1 Moundridge (21-2) v #8 Thomas More Prep-Marian (15-9)</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='881007' first='Macy' last='Kaminkow']</strong>, 5'11”, PF, Moundridge, 2026 – On a loaded team that has been ranked #2 most of the season Kaminkow is consistently one of the Wildcats' best players. She is one of five players averaging more than 7 points per game and leads the team in rebounding at just over 6 per game. Kaminkow is scoring at an astonishing 55% clip from the floor and sinking 60% of her free throws. She has solid transition speed, boxes and completes for rebounds well and can just wear her opponent out inside with her consistency. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='719106' first='Cammi' last='Unruh'], 5'8", PG, Moundridge, 2026 - I wrote at the beginning of the season about Unruh being a fierce guard who is fast, quick, aggressive and strong. She also has good size at the position. If she maximizes how much of a match-up problem she is things could get ugly. Unruh is having a first team all-state kind of year averaging 16 points, 2.2 assists and 3.4 steals. She is shooting a whopping 52% from the floor including 36% from three point land. A walking, old-fashioned three point play Unruh is shooting 78% from the line. Unruh is not alone. The Wildcats are loaded with shooters who run the floor hard and guard with intensity. Five players are averaging more than 7 points per game. Thomas More Prep-Marian has to find a way to slow down the Wildcat offense and execute consistently when they have the ball.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='822724' first='Brooke' last='Koenigsman'], 5'8", PG/SG, Thomas More Prep-Marian, 2025 - The Monarchs are led by the experienced, long and creative scorer that is Koenigsman. She will score through contact and has the ability to use her steps wisely on the bounce to slide by set defenders. The Western Nebraska Community College softball commit has quick hands and jumps passing lanes well to create transition baskets. Koenigsman can be found defending a variety of positions but how well she and her teammates defend a strong, high scoring point guard and a bucket full of shooters will be key. The Wildcats have only scored less than 42 points once and just flat buried many teams. Koenigsman's leadership to not get caught up in a full court game needs to happen for the Monarchs to have a shot.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='916491' first='Gracyn' last='Schippers'], 5'10", C, Thomas More Prep-Marian, 2025 - The Monarchs are going to need a big game from Schippers and other post defenders against Moundridge's strong inside game and in helping on dribble penetration. Schippers is relatively unpolished offensively but runs the floor well, has great length and is a quality shot blocker. Laying wood on the the Moundridge rebounders will be important because offensive rebounds will lead to points for the high field goal percentage team.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">#2 St. Mary's-Colgan (21-2) v #7 Valley Heights (16-8)</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='881001' first='Jakayla' last='Davis'], PG, St. Mary's-Colgan - Besides saying she is among the state leaders in scoring regardless of classification at 26.3 points per game it is hard to decide where to start in describing her game. Davis is arguably the top point guard in 2A and seeing her on anything but first team all-state would be unfathomable. Fast with strong handles, athletic and creative Davis will be a nightmare for Valley Heights to stop if they cannot slow her down in transition. She is a gifted scorer at all three levels, is a very strong defender and gets the ball down the floor with the pass well. Davis is not just talented, she also works hard on every possession.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Mariah Harris</strong>, 5'10", C, St. Mary's-Colgan, 2025 - Following in the footsteps of some terrific all-staters as the girl in the middle is Harris. The experienced post is making her fourth trip to the state tournament. Harris has scoring ability around the basket and off the catch in transition but where she can come up big is if she protects the rim without fouling and boxes out strongly to prevent second chances.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='982112' first='Ava' last='Smith'], 5'9", SF, Valley Heights, 2026 - Smith is fast and quick with good length. In last year's tournament loss to Riverside she showed a consistent ability to score well. That has not changed. Smith will finish through contact with elevation and at speed. With her long limbs and athleticism she disrupts passing lanes. Smith will go end-to-end if needed or hit teammates on the run. Smith's scoring will be vital to the Mustangs advancing, especially if the guards struggle defensively or fail to beat Colgan guards off the dribble enough. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Lindsay Gray</strong>, 5'4", PG, Valley Heights, 2027 - Gray is a fast point guard with solid handles. When the Mustangs get out in transition she is sharp at making quick, catchable passes to give teammates scoring chances on the run. She is a legitimate three point threat who shoots it quickly and with range. Defensively she bodies up and uses her quick hands to generate turnovers. She and her back court mates will have their work cut out for them working against St. Mary's-Colgan's [player_tooltip player_id='881001' first='Jakayla' last='Davis']. If they cannot slow Davis and the Colgan offense down it could be a long night for the Mustangs.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">#3 Chase County (20-3) v #6 Doniphan West (17-5)</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Lynnae Rains</strong>, 5'5", CG, Chase County, 2027 - Rains is a dynamic scoring guard with speed and quickness. Her game is to disrupt, cause deflections and get to the basket. She and her back court mates will need to be disruptive to a Doniphan West team used to never getting a night off in the Twin Valley League.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='621264' first='Madelyn' last='Wilson'], 6'2", C, Chase County, 2026 - At 18.4 points and 12.2 rebounds this season Wilson continued her walking double-double persona from last year. Easily the top center in the classification Wilson has good speed, can handle it well going end-to-end and takes up space on both ends of the floor. What I like most about her game is her footwork. She is fluid on both ends of the floor because of it. She jumps to rebounds, scores from her back-to-basket and face-up game and protects the rim well because of it. Doniphan West is one of the few teams with a quality big that can remotely compete with her inside but Wilson is guaranteed to find the Mustangs sending help from all sides. If Chase County gets to the hoop off the dribble or shoots from the perimeter well enough Wilson and her teammates are going to have a field day. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='918818' first='Brennah' last='Edie'], 5'1", PG, Doniphan West, 2025 - The ringleader for the Mustangs is Edie. A Central Missouri College softball commit, she is a very quick point guard that shoots it from beyond the arc especially well off the spot-up. She has quick hops on her jumper, finishes with either hand at speed and sees the right pass to make. Her play will go a long way to the Mustangs dictating the game's tempo. If she sees consistent success playing her game, Doniphan West will also.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='675833' first='Katie' last='Johnson'], 5'11", C, Doniphan West, 2025 - When the Mustangs set up with a zone defense expect to see Johnson in the middle of it. She is long, has a solid frame and is a quality shot blocker. A talent who has not reached her potential yet, she is good in transition. If she can get a significant amount of touches inside she will be a big problem for Chase County. She has good feet, good length and athleticism. She is very, very good working off the post catch. She flashes well, catches, passes out, moves and resets. Johnson has to challenge everything inside, score inside and limit opponents to one shot with quality box-outs. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">#4 Phillipsburg (20-3) v #5 Inman (19-3)</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Brynn Billings</strong>, 5'9", PF, Phillipsburg, 2025 - Billings is one of the last players to have played in the Panthers' last state tournament appearance. The Taryn Sides led squad took out Silver Lake for third place. Even then I noted she was first off the bench and showed good hands. This time around Billings is a team leader whose build and game have matured. She has a solid frame and good speed. I see her as a small forward playing inside playing the 4/5. Defenses have to really pay attention to her because she moves well away from and to the ball. She also posts well, can score inside and is effective passing the ball out to her shooters. Her play will be key because she just understands how to play inside on both ends of the floor.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Kayla Jacobs</strong>, 5'6", PG/SG, Phillipsburg, 2025 - Jacobs is not just one of the last players to have played in the Panther's last state tournament appearance, 2023 in 3A with Kansas State University's Taryn Sides. She started. What I noted then was how well she shot the challenged mid-range jumper. This time around she is one of the team's leaders on a mission to finish higher than the third place Phillipsburg took then. Jacobs is a primary ball handler who has a big task defending a team with, like the Panthers, strong players inside and out. I do not think Jacobs and company want to get in a low-scoring, grind it out affair. On a big floor, I think the team will be more successful pushing temp to take advantage of transition mistakes.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='621258' first='Suttyn' last='Harris'], 5'11", CG, 2026 - Harris is a load and has been since she stepped on the floor. In this opening round game she will be the most talented player on the floor, period. Her numbers, 15 points; 8.3 rebounds; and 3.7 steals, reflect it. Harris is the most dangerous when she is not playing ball handler and gets a lot of touches within 10' of the basket. She will jump over and blow by multiple defenders to get old-fashioned three point plays. Harris is also a great offensive rebounder who will out-jump the crowd. If she stays out of foul trouble and gets a lot of touches inside in a more grind-it-out affair Phillipsburg is in trouble. Even on a bad night, which I saw against Berean Academy this season, she had double-digit rebounds and nearly ten points. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='773201' first='Morgan' last='Froese'], 5'11", PF, Inman, 2026 - How Froese uses her height and strong frame on both ends of the floor will take heat off her scorers. Writing about her after the Tutons defeated Berean Academy I stated that she is much more effective denying entry passes than defending posts from behind. The Tutons need substantial minutes from her to wear down Panther post players. She walls up well, is not easily moved on the block, sets up opponents for shot blocks and has athleticism to catch and finish on the fly. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->