Outstate Top 10s: Who are the best Up North?

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Minnesota's top girls basketball talent has always been concentrated in the Twin Cities metro. That's not surprising. With about 65 percent of the state's 5.8 million people living in or around Minneapolis and St. Paul, the numbers simply favor the seven-county metropolitan region. Still, that leaves a lot of talent elsewhere – and our mission this week is to shine a light on the best "Greater" Minnesota has to offer.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Over the next few days, we'll roll out the Top 10 prospects from the Classes of 2029 through 2026 in each of four regions: North, South/Southwest, Southeast, and West Central. That means sorting players not only by ability, but also by geography, which can be more complicated than it sounds.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>To draw the line between “Metro” and “Outstate,” we leaned on the federal definition of the Twin Cities Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA). An MSA includes counties anchored by an urban core plus surrounding counties with significant commuting and economic ties to the center. In practical terms, that means several communities often considered rural are now firmly part of the metro. For this series, we excluded schools in New Prague, Jordan, Glencoe-Silver Lake, and Northfield to the south; Becker, St. Michael-Albertville, Delano, Monticello, Princeton, Milaca, and Annandale to the northwest; and Cambridge-Isanti and North Branch to the north. With apologies to players like [player_tooltip player_id='595199' first='Maya' last='Kilian'] of New Prague, [player_tooltip player_id='458302' first='Abbie' last='Pietila'] of Delano, [player_tooltip player_id='502602' first='Morgan' last='Staloch'] of Jordan and [player_tooltip player_id='515676' first='Samantha' last='Voll'] of Monticello, that's where we drew the lines.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Defining the outstate regions themselves was another challenge. We'll outline each boundary as we move through the series. For now, we begin with the North. For this article, “North” is everything above U.S. Highway 2, which runs from East Grand Forks to Duluth. Schools such as Cass Lake-Bena, Grand Rapids, Mountain Iron-Buhl, and Duluth Marshall fall here. We also included the territory east of Highway 371 and north of Highway 210 – home to programs like Walker-Hackensack-Akeley, Pequot Lakes, Brainerd, Crosby-Ironton, and Cromwell-Wright.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Now that we've done the groundwork, let's dive into the first installment of our Outstate Top 10 series: the best prospects from Up North.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>#1 </strong>[player_tooltip player_id='433933' first='Chloe' last='Johnson'] <strong>(Duluth Marshall) &amp; #1a</strong> [player_tooltip player_id='205310' first='Tori' last='Oehrlein'] <strong>(Crosby-Ironton) (Minnesota)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>One is the premier prospect in America in the Class of 2028. The other is a high-major Division 1 commit who has a chance to complete her high school career as the all-time leading scorer in Minnesota history. We have the utmost respect for both Chloe and Tori. You can debate the differences until your throat hurts, but one thing is undeniable: both players are truly elite by any criteria. Chloe is a generational talent who plays the game like no other athlete  we've seen. Tori is a do-it-all competitor who excels at both ends of the court against the best players in the country. We'll leaving the haggling over who's #1 up to you!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>#2</strong> [player_tooltip player_id='665719' first='Addison' last='Bjorklund'] <strong>– 2027 forward, Brainerd (North Dakota)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The 6'1 power forward has been in and around the Top 10 in the Class of 2027 from the first time we ranked this year's juniors in the fall of 2023 and is currently rated #8. Bjorklund has size, skill and athleticism and has put in a tremendous amount of work to improve over the years. She'll excel at North Dakota.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>#3</strong> [player_tooltip player_id='502561' first='Marta' last='Forsline'] <strong>– 2026 forward, Mesabi East</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Coming off the best few months of her life, Marta has elevated her game to new heights. At 6'3, Forsline is the biggest post player available in Minnesota's senior class. She blossomed this summer into an outstanding D1 prospects with a dozen or so offers in her back pocket while earning Prep Girls Hoops 2026 Breakout Player of the Year.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>#4</strong> [player_tooltip player_id='1265103' first='Farrah' last='Thomas'] <strong>– 2029 guard/forward, Mountain Iron-Buhl</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The incoming freshman from the Iron Range emerged this summer as one of the most exciting young talents in the Class of 2029. Playing for the top Fury UAA squad, the athletic competitor showed off her enhanced ball handling, improved shooting and physical defense against top-shelf opponents. We love Farrah's motor!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>#5</strong> [player_tooltip player_id='918612' first='Lexi' last='Lawrence'] <strong>– 2027 forward, EGF Sacred Heart</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The 6-foot forward from East Grand Forks comes from a long line of successful collegiate athletes, most of whom played at the University of North Dakota. Lexi hasn't said ‘yes' to the Fighting Hawks just yet, but we won't be surprised if it happens. The top 40 prospect is long and athletic with a solid skillset and a really nice feel for the game.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>#6</strong> [player_tooltip player_id='478373' first='Chloe' last='Carlson'] <strong>– 2026 guard, Proctor (Mary)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Chloe has been a source of much discussion since emerging as one of the most intriguing players in the Class of 2026. She is a top 30 prospect who brings energy to the proceedings every time out. She is productive on offense, impactful on defense and has a knack for making the big play. We love Chloe's enthusiasm and love for the grind. She has committed to D2 University of Mary in North Dakota.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>#7</strong> [player_tooltip player_id='927227' first='Cairin' last='Berger'] <strong>– 2026 forward, Duluth Marshall (UM-Crookston)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Berger is big and strong and highly impactful at both ends of the floor. After beginning her high school career at Esko, Cairin transferred to Duluth Marshall where the lights are brighter and the stakes are higher. Good move! Berger's game grew and her confidence soared playing alongside [player_tooltip player_id='433933' first='Chloe' last='Johnson']. The result was a D2 commitment to the University of Minnesota-Crookston.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>#8</strong> [player_tooltip player_id='659121' first='Anna' last='Neyens'] <strong>– 2027 guard, Mountain Iron-Buhl</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>We didn't see much of Anna this summer as she toiled away down in Iowa and did not return to play in Minnesota until the AAU season was nearly over. She may have been out of sight but was definitely not out of mind. Neyens is a solid scholarship-level prospect who brings it all to the court every time out. She plays with pace and aggression, has a big-time motor, and a nice feel for the game.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>#9</strong> [player_tooltip player_id='897052' first='Tatum' last='Morrison'] <strong>– 2028 guard, Deer River</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Tatum had a really solid summer with [program_tooltip program_id='713021' first='West' last='Central United'] playing on a team that attracted a ton of eyeballs week in and week out. College coaches who may have come to see other, more prominent performers on the squad soon discovered that Tatum is a next-level prospect with plenty of upside. She has skill, size, strength and a strong set of tools at both ends of the floor.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>#10</strong> [player_tooltip player_id='665721' first='Peyton' last='Walker'] <strong>– 2027 guard, Proctor</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The athletic guard got noticed early in the scouting process, earning her way into the Top 40 as a freshman and maintaining that status to the present time. If you've seen Walker play you know why. She is a natural athlete with quickness and pace, possesses a strong set of ball skills, and can shoot it at a high level. We love Peyton's non-stop motor and physical presence.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>OTHERS TO WATCH</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Class 2026</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>[player_tooltip player_id='716895' first='Lexi' last='Mahlen'] – 2026 forward, Fosston (UM-Crookston)</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>[player_tooltip player_id='927235' first='Lexi' last='Lamppa'] – 2026 guard, Rock Ridge (UM-Crookston)</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>[player_tooltip player_id='560398' first='Aniyah' last='Thomas'] – 2026 guard, Mountain Iron-Buhl</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>[player_tooltip player_id='502577' first='Kylee' last='Binkley'] – 2026 guard, Northome/Kelliher</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>[player_tooltip player_id='782558' first='Kate' last='Thayer'] – 2026 guard, Northome/Kelliher</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Class of 2027</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>[player_tooltip player_id='764185' first='Candice' last='Ndomb'] – 2027 guard, Duluth Marshall</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>[player_tooltip player_id='761285' first='Sami' last='Warwas'] – 2027 guard, Mountain Iron-Buhl</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>[player_tooltip player_id='629645' first='Ellie' last='Pease'] – 2027 guard, Proctor</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Class of 2028</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>[player_tooltip player_id='990349' first='Jailynn' last='Sherill'] – 2028 forward, Hermantown</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>[player_tooltip player_id='786203' first='Bethany' last='Black Lance'] – 2028 guard, Brainerd</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>[player_tooltip player_id='991034' first='Izzy' last='Wiita'] – 2028 guard/forward, Mountain Iron-Buhl</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>[player_tooltip player_id='881084' first='Macy' last='Castle'] – 2028 guard, Brainerd</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>[player_tooltip player_id='880951' first='Vaeda' last='Davidson'] – 2028 guard, Duluth East</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>[player_tooltip player_id='867616' first='Nora' last='Wake'] – 2028 forward, Hill City-Northland</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Class of 2029</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>[player_tooltip player_id='1268792' first='Ruby' last='Zubich'] – 2029 forward, Duluth East</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list -->