Team Previews: Audubon, Ballard, Baxter
Audubon Wheelers 15-8 last year 53.7 points scored, 41.8 points against 7 returning players Juniors Aleah Hermensen and Jaci Christensen Jaci Christensen 5'10" | PF Audubon | 2022 State IA are back from a 15-win Audubon team that raced…
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Audubon Wheelers
15-8 last year
53.7 points scored, 41.8 points against
7 returning players
Juniors Aleah Hermensen and Jaci Christensen Jaci Christensen 5'10" | PF Audubon | 2022 State IA are back from a 15-win Audubon team that raced off to nearly 54 points per game. The Wheelers led were in scoring by Hermensen, as she averaged nearly 15 points and three assists a game. Christensen contributed 12.5 points with a team-high 8.9 rebounds a night. Audubon did graduate four seniors who provided leadership and experience. Now, that role will go to seniors like Kaitlyn Nielsen, Johanna Sauers and Kodie Sporrer, who all saw time last year.
Notable returners:
Aleah Hermensen – 14.7 PPG, 6.7 RPG, 2.8 SPG, 2.7 APG
Jaci Christensen
Jaci
Christensen
5'10" | PF
Audubon | 2022
State
IA
– 12.5 PPG, 8.9 RPG, 1.8 SPG
Kate Tessman – 3.0 PPG
Ballard Bombers
22-2 last year
53.8 points scored, 31.3 points against
x returning players
After dropping the season opener to Gilbert last year, Ballard reeled off 22 consecutive wins to reach the Class 4A state tournament before falling in a thriller to Lewis Central, 47-46. The Bombers, who went a perfect 14-0 to win the Raccoon River Conference title, return seniors Josie Fleischmann Josie Fleischmann 5'8" | SG Ballard | 2021 State IA and Molly Ihle Molly Ihle 5'5" | PG Ballard | 2021 State IA to lead the way this year. Fleischmann posted 11.5 points a game while Ihle averaged 10 points, six rebounds and 5.5 assists. Ihle sported a 4-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio. As a sophomore Brooke Loewe Brooke Loewe 5'7" | PG Ballard | 2022 State IA turned into a consistent contributor, averaging almost 11 points a game with four assists and three steals. Junior Meg Rietz also returns after averaging almost six points a game along with Cassidy Thompson Cassidy Thompson 6'2" | PF Ballard | 2021 State IA , who averaged five points and four boards.
Notable returners:
Brooke Loewe
Brooke
Loewe
5'7" | PG
Ballard | 2022
State
IA
– 10.9 PPG, 4.0 APG, 3.7 RPG, 3.0 SPG
Josie Fleischmann
Josie
Fleischmann
5'8" | SG
Ballard | 2021
State
IA
– 11.5 PPG
Molly Ihle
Molly
Ihle
5'5" | PG
Ballard | 2021
State
IA
– 10.4 PPG, 6.0 RPG, 5.5 APG, 4.0 SPG
Meg Rietz – 5.7 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 1.9 SPG
Baxter Bolts
13-10 last year
50.3 points scored, 35.2 points against
12 returning players
Baxter used a solid defense to finish 13-10 a year ago, allowing just 35 points a night. They held nine teams to 30 points or less. McKenzie Eslinger McKenzie Eslinger 5'9" | PF Baxter | 2021 State IA will take over as the leader after averaging almost 11 points and nine rebounds a game last year as a junior. She is joined by junior Lilie Vansice, sophomore Mandee Selover and senior Sophie Meyer who all averaged at least five points per game. Vansice recorded 67 assists and 35 steals last year while seniors Merrin Ziesman and Brooke Bacon combined for 30 assists and 32 steals.
Notable returners:
McKenzie Eslinger
McKenzie
Eslinger
5'9" | PF
Baxter | 2021
State
IA
– 10.7 PPG, 8.7 RPG, 1.4 SPG
Lilie Vansice – 6.1 PPG, 3.3 RPG, 2.9 APG, 2.2 SPG
Sophie Meyer – 5.5 PPG, 4.8 RPG, 1.9 APG