You can’t deny production. You have to take into account the competition level but production still matters either way. Someone that did a great job of producing once again for her team each evening was SG – Taryn Petersen Taryn Petersen 5'6" | SG Exira-EHK | 2027 State IA . Petersen would be described as a stat-stuff for her team. She knows how to get buckets at all offensive levels, she can create for others off the dribble, she rebounds at a steady rate for her size/position, it doesn’t take much for her to catch on fire shooting the rock, and she is a scrappy defender. All of this leads to a ton of positive stats each evening for the Junior. We have seen that for years now leading up to this past season so it’s nice to see that she is still putting in the work and seeing the positive results. I wouldn’t expect anything to change moving into Petersen’s Senior year. She is going to be looked upon as their big dawg on the front lines so I can’t wait to see how she follows things up.

Exira-EHK beat GTRA earlier this week because of their efficient ability on the offensive end. When you look at the numbers, GTRA went 4/33 from behind the arc. Exira on the other hand went 3/12. GTRA went 8/14 from the charity stripe while Exira went 14/26. As you can tell just by these stat lines, Exira was getting most of their action in the middle of the floor on offense. They fed their Post and it was down-hill from there. The main contributor for the Spartans, who has been their top dawg all Winter long, was Taryn Petersen Taryn Petersen 5'6" | SG Exira-EHK | 2027 State IA . She registered a decent stat line to lead her team but her presence was the most important factor in my eyes. The opposing team having to use time, spacing, and energy on her is the reason that they dominated things from start to finish. Petersen has been someone with huge numbers for years now so it’s awesome to see that she has led her team to a 24-1 record as we move into 2025-2026 High School State Week.

Another amazing feat that we are seeing unravel in front of our eyes is the season that Exira-EHK has put together so far throughout the first half of their Winter season. The Spartans are 15-1 at this time, only falling to Riverside by 5 to start their year. A major reason for this success is because of the guard play they have on hand. Someone that specifically comes to mind is their overall leader, Taryn Petersen Taryn Petersen 5'6" | SG Exira-EHK | 2027 State IA . If you take a look at the stat book for this group, TP’s name pops up in every category as a positive producer. She is currently averaging the most PPG (20.5) and the most APG (4.8) from the SG position for the Spartans. Not to mention, she is averaging these numbers while being an overall efficient prospect. She is currently shooting the rock at a 43% clip and getting to the free throw line at Will when it’s needed. If you look at this team as a whole, their record, and what the future might hold – it’s interesting. Especially considering that the town in which this group comes from, Elk Horn, only has 650 people in it. That fact gives you a whole different perspective of everything when you break it down. Now they just need to keep things rolling.

If you are looking at the 2027 Class specifically, you see the name Taryn Petersen Taryn Petersen 5'6" | SG Exira-EHK | 2027 State IA . Petersen competes for Exira-EHK High School and she puts up some numbers. Even saying that she puts up “some numbers” might even be an understatement. Petersen finished off her season last Winter while putting up 539 Points (leads the 2027 Class), 143 Steals (2nd in the 2027 Class), & 191 FG made (leads the 2027 Class). These numbers might not seem crazy to some but they are impressive considering that this is Exira’s main source of production on both offense and defense. Looking at the crew that this school will return this Winter, I’m sure that we will see more numbers like this from Petersen in general. We just need to sit back, relax, and watch how these things unfold over the next eight months.

Not only is Taryn Petersen Taryn Petersen 5'6" | SG Exira-EHK | 2027 State IA of Exira-EHK High School is not only a 2A Class leader in PPG returning this Winter but she also averaged the most SPG for her 2A Class with over 5.5 Steals Per Game. This number is staggering because it shows that she is not only a great offensive weapon for her team to rely on but also someone that mixes it up and makes the most of her chances on defense too, leading into the offensive side of her play-style. This is another situation where Petersen is going to come into this Winter and be looked upon to lead once again. Something I’m sure she will be ready for when the time comes.

Taryn Petersen Taryn Petersen 5'6" | SG Exira-EHK | 2027 State IA was a constant last season when she took the floor for Exira-EHK High School. Petersen was a leader in the state for her Class in a few different statistical categories and I’m expecting her to come back stronger than ever this upcoming Winter. This is a guard that has some solid size at 5’6, she knows when and where she should attack her defender, and she can get a stop or two on defense when her team needs it the most. I haven’t had a chance to see too much of Petersen but if she replicates what she did a year ago, we are in for a treat in the near future while she competes with her Exira team this upcoming season.