Showdown Stars: top performers vs. ranked opponents

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This weekend featured a handful of big time matchups across the state, including a handful of ranked teams facing off in early-season tests. Though the 2025-2026 season is in the early stages, it's great to see players stepping up when the moment calls for it. Who led the way against top-ranked teams? Who has shown they're a go-to player when teams are expected to be at their best? Continue reading to find out!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1044928"],"_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-6937a2e9334c0"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">In a ranked 2A vs. 1A clash, [player_tooltip player_id='1044928' first='Audra' last='Burbridge'] of Maquoketa Valley shimmered coming off the bench to lead her Wildcats to a comfortable victory. Burbridge showed off an efficient stroke, finishing the game 3/7 on three pointers and 4/5 on free throws. She also stuffed the stat sheet with five rebounds, four steals, and an impressive seven assists. Audra has exploded early on in her Sophomore season — she has increased her scoring average by 10 points as well as bumping her numbers in rebounds, assists and steals. The lengthy point guard is absolutely one to watch on the state level in class 2A.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["833956"],"_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-6937a2e933560"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='833956' first='Kaitlin' last='Loria'] flaunted an efficient, balanced game this weekend when her #7 Iowa City High Little Hawks faced 13th-ranked Marion. The guard-forward combo scored a game high 24 points on 41% shooting and knocked down all eight of her free-throw attempts. Loria also tallied 6 boards, 3 assists and 2 steals. Loria looks comfortable on the move — she hit a smooth jumper on a baseline cut, is more than willing to put the ball on the deck, and is great at identifying mismatches and sealing smaller defenders. Kaitlin has improved each season and I'm envisioning a breakout season for her this year in the Mississippi Valley Conference.</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":"Ellah Wagenbach","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2026","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"5'9u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"12121","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Mediapolis","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"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-6937a2e933657"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Ellah Wagenbach has been nothing short of brilliant so far in her senior year, and this brilliance continued when her Mediapolis squad took on the 3A 12th-ranked Tipton this weekend. In a back and forth matchup, Wagenbach led the way across the board with 22 points, 6 rebounds, and 2 steals. Ellah is scoring at a blistering pace thus far — shooting 51.7% FG% and an eye-popping 52.2% from behind the arc. Improving her 3PT% by over 13% so far, I can tell Wagenbach has put the work in this offseason. The combination of Ellah and her fellow seniors [player_tooltip player_id='1160666' first='Josie' last='Hutcheson'], Amelia Grier and [player_tooltip player_id='839371' first='Grace' last='Holsteen'] will be making waves this season in Class 3A — keep your eyes on the Bulldogs in the postseason in 2026. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["896439"],"_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-6937a2e9336cb"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='896439' first='Averie' last='Bolger'] had one of her best games to date in Tipton's matchup vs. Mediapolis this weekend. Despite the close loss Bolger led the way, showing that she can step up in the big moments and make big plays against ranked opponents. Bolger averages just over 10PPG this season but had a breakout performance on Saturday — she finished the game with an efficient 20 points, going 7/12 from the floor and 5/10 from deep. Tipton has only seven players on the roster, meaning Bolger will be relied on to play big minutes down the stretch day in and day out — and she proved that she is more than capable of getting the job done. </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":"Ava Mundt","_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":"5'10u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"12124","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Grundy Center","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"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-6937a2e933792"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">My final ranked-matchup standout features Grundy Center's Ava Mundt, who was a workhorse on both sides of the floor. Versus 15th-ranked North Linn, Mundt tallied 14 points and hauled in 13 rebounds (5 of them coming on the offensive end), leading her Spartans to a ranked win. Ava has been super productive so far this season and is averaging an impressive double-double (12.5 points and 12.8 rebounds per game). Agains North Linn Mundt looked comfortable finishing with either hand and did a great job keeping the ball high on offensive rebounds, leading to a number of easy putbacks. She tracks the ball really well — if you don't get a body on her, she's flying past you for another board.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block -->