Breakout Performers at the Class 3A State Tournament

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Red Knights of Benilde-St. Margaret's took home their fourth consecutive state championship title at the Class 3A State Tournament, which concluded on Saturday. Along with the conclusion of the high school season came the end of several standout high school careers. Stewartville's [player_tooltip player_id='458305' first='Audrey' last='Shindelar'] (South Dakota State) and [player_tooltip player_id='339214' first='Jayci' last='Rath'] (St. Thomas) gave star performances at the Tournament that we highlighted in our All-Tournament Team selections. As did [player_tooltip player_id='589276' first='Taleigha' last='Bigler'] of Marshall (Southwest Minnesota State) and [player_tooltip player_id='502586' first='Maria' last='Radabaugh'] of Totino-Grace (Concordia-St. Paul).</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>With such players drawing the majority of the media attention over the weekend, we find it important to also spotlight some of the unsung heroes of the event. These are players who have gradually raised their game over the course of the season, allowing them to step up at State. Here's a look at four prospects who made an impact both on and off the stat sheet.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1132959' first='Leah' last='Hebl'] – 2028 Guard, Stewartville</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Hebl was a consistent contributor for Stewartville this season, averaging 8.1 points per game in her sophomore campaign. The 5'5 guard stood out at the State Tournament too, proving to be an instrumental piece of the Tigers playoff run. In all three games of the Tournament, Leah stayed ready, finding opportunities to score in a variety of ways. Despite being undersized in Saturday's championship matchup against Benilde-St. Margaret's, Hebl exploded downhill, finishing through plenty of contact at the rim. When she caught the ball on the perimeter, the Tigers guard was always ready to fire a three when the opening was there. She'll suit up for [program_tooltip program_id='712699' first='Minnesota' last='Rise'] this spring.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1681732' first='Leila' last='Colvin'] – 2027 Forward, Cretin-Derham Hall</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>We've been highlighting Colvin's rise throughout this season as she continued to improve her skills and raise the bar on her game. This past week, on the biggest stage, the work she has put in was evident. The Raiders junior was highly impactful on both ends of the floor, both in the quarterfinal and semifinal rounds. Leila showed a willingness to get creative in the paint, using crafty strep-throughs and fadeaway jumpers to get open looks. With great hands for catching the ball in the post, and a soft touch on her shot, the 6'1 forward added 10 points to the Raiders total in each game. On the other end of the floor, Colvin made big defensive plays, and was a relentless force on the boards. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Avery Schneekloth – 2027 Forward, Marshall</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Schneekloth lit up the scoreboard in the quarterfinal round of the State Tournament, finishing with a team-high 18 points in the win over Totino-Grace. The lengthy 6'0 forward found a variety of ways to score, from simple, but effective moves in the paint, to hitting catch-and-shoot threes on the perimeter. Avery showed off her versatility on the defensive end as well. With a lanky frame, quick feet, and a high degree of mobility, the Marshall junior was able to guard multiple positions at the Tournament, regardless of which opponent she faced. On numerous occasions Avery got her hands in the passing lanes, leading to transition buckets for the Tigers.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='907398' first='Tayja' last='Chatman'] – 2029 Guard, Totino-Grace</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>While the Totino-Grace squad did not end up with the result they hoped for at the State Tournament, Chatman still found ways to make an impact in her time on the court. The 5'7 guard provided key defensive minutes off the bench in the quarterfinals, using her speedy lateral movement and quick, active hands to disrupt the offense on the perimeter. Tayja got her hands in the passing lanes, forced dead ball turnovers, and didn't hesitate to wrestle for a loose ball. Only a freshman for the Eagles, Chatman played with a great deal of composure and poise against Marshall, continuing to work on each possession regardless of the score. We look forward to watching Tayja elevate her game this spring on [program_tooltip program_id='715704' first='Team' last='FSA'].</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->