Underclassmen Leading Their Varsity Programs This Winter

This season there are going to be several underclassman across the state that will lead their Varsity program. Below we highlight prospects that did their part last season in some big ways and they are going to be able to follow up with an even better Winter throughout the next eight months if they make the right moves.   Thanks for tuning in and enjoy!    HH stepped up as Colo-Nesco High School's most impactful product last season as a Freshman and she is going to be in place to repeat that once again this Winter for her Sophomore year. As you might imagine, Hendrick does everything she can to help her team. She is a scoring threat from each level while being someone who can attack off the dribble or score off the catch. She can defend her own position better than most by sticking with the fundamentals of the game. She rebounds fairly well, grabbing 9+ RPG last season from the Guard position and she leads by example with everything she produces. Some might not know about Hendrick because she plays for a smaller high school but production doesn't lie and she is about to be their main producer all over again.     We highlighted Horn last week as someone that is going to lead her team in multiple ways and here she is again. Horn led her St. Edmond group and the state last Winter in multiple positive statistical categories because of her combination of height, the competition level she is facing off against, and how her team focuses to use her as their main piece within the offense and defense. If you are unaware Horn led the 2029 Class in RPG last season grabbing a total of 325 throughout her year, as well as registering 111 blocks. To give you an idea the next closest number in the Rebounding category to that from another 2029 prospect was right around 275. Horn obviously stands out as someone to know. You can't teach her type of height and that's going to take her places at the next level at the end of her high school career.     Everyone in the 1A Class should be paying attention to North Linn moving into this season. If they don't it's going to be a grave mistake. They return a good amount of their role players from a season ago and they will bring in one of the best 2030's throughout the state in Audra Meyer at the Forward/Combo Guard position. The player that gets everything going for this team is Aliyah Wegmann at the PG position though. Wegmann led the team in APG last season with almost 5 per contest. That's an impressive number to average no matter of Class level or age. When you account for the fact that she only turned over the ball once per game on average - you start to understand her worth a little bit more. This Lynx group will have a lot of pieces that can make plays over the next few years but it's all going to start with the production of Wegmann.     Ryder returns to Ottumwa this Winter and she is going to be able to handle the workload in between the blocks once again as a Sophomore. The 6'1 Forward is coming off of her best AAU season to date. A season in which she was one of the best defenders inside the paint for the 15U level on the EYBL Circuit. If she can do even 50% of that this Winter during high school ball, she is going to stand out as one of the best in the state at her position. She should lead the team in RPG and scoring percentage. They were a really young group as Freshman in 2025-2026 but now they have some experience under their belts and that could take them a long ways look forward.     The Algona Bulldogs went 20-5 in total last season with steady production coming from multiple prospects around the floor. Their ace in the hole and workhorse in the middle being Kate Limbaugh. Limbaugh came in and took over last Winter as a Freshman. She nearly averaged 14 PPG and 9 RPG, while shooting the ball at a 56% rate from the field. That gives her one of the highest efficiency numbers for a 2029 prospect throughout the state. This Winter this group will return basically their entire roster as it pertains to their main playmakers. Limbaugh will be called upon to do her thing in the middle once again and from there we will have to watch. This team could go places once the Playoffs start. They have weapons at every position and history is on their side so who says they won't go out and make some magic happen.

This season there are going to be several underclassman across the state that will lead their Varsity program. Below we highlight prospects that did their part last season in some big ways and they are going to be able to follow up with an even better Winter throughout the next eight months if they make the right moves.