Vote now: Who should be SBLive’s Iowa high school athlete of the week?
By Chris Short
Here are the candidates for SBLive’s Iowa high school athlete of the week for Feb. 13-19. Read through the nominees and cast your vote. Voting will conclude Sunday at 11:59 p.m. If you would like to make a nomination in a future week, email nate@scorebooklive.com.
Editor’s Note: Our Athlete of the Week feature and corresponding poll is intended to be fun, and we do not set limits on how many times a fan can vote during the competition. However, we do not allow votes that are generated by script, macro or other automated means. Athletes who receive votes generated by script, macro or other automated means will be disqualified.
Ryder Block, Waverly-Shell Rock wrestling
Block won his third Class 3A state title, claiming the 138-pound championship and helping the Go-Hawks claim the state team championship.
Ben Bockman, Decorah boys basketball
The junior contributed 29 points, eight rebounds and four assists for the Vikings in a 75-56 victory over Mason City in a regular-season finale.
Trovary Cavil, Des Moines Lincoln boys basketball
The junior eclipsed the 1000-point mark Tuesday with 19 points vs. Dowling and followed that with a 30-point performance against No. 2 Waukee.
Audi Crooks, Algona Garrigan girls basketball
The Iowa State recruit totaled 35 points and 14 rebounds for the defending Class 1A state champs in an 80-27 rout of GTRA in a regional opener. Molly Joyce also posted a double-double in that contest and Garrigan reached a regional final with a 71-50 victory over Saint Ansgar.
Danny Diaz, Waverly Shell-Rock wrestling
Diaz finished the season unbeaten and was one of three Go-Hawks to win state championships, along with Ryder Block and Bas Diaz.
Jacob Hargens, Sioux Central boys basketball
Hargens, who recently scored 53 points in a game, finished with 25 points and 11 rebounds for the unbeaten Rebels in a 50-31 Class 2A district victory over East Sac County. Sioux Central will take a 22-0 mark into a district semifinal.
Sage Evans, West Harrison boys basketball
The senior scored 20 points and snared a whopping 21 rebounds for a double-double in the 20-1 Hawkeyes’ 85-31 victory over Boyer Valley to open district play. Sage’s brother Koleson also registered a double-double with 18 points and 11 rebounds.
Carter Freeman, Waukee Northwest wrestling
Freeman became a three-time Class 3A state champion, winning the 132-pound title.
Preston Gillespie, Dunkerton boys basketball
The senior tossed in 30 points, leading the 21-1 Raiders to a 95-42 victory over Riceville in a district opener. Gillespie also had six rebounds and four assists.
Bo Harrington, Nashua-Plainfield boys basketball
The senior fired in 39 points to go along with 11 rebounds in the Huskies’ 80-63 1A district tournament win over Waterloo Christian. Harrington also had six assists and five steals.
Alizabeth Jacobsen, Underwood girls basketball
Jacobsen, a junior, had 28 points and 16 rebounds as the Eagles downed Carroll Kuemper 64-43 in a Class 2A regional semifnal. Underwood plays Pocahontas Area in a regional final.
Xada Johnson, Clear Lake girls basketball
The junior posted a double-double of 20 points and 10 rebounds as the Lions won their 19thstraight game, 65-35 over Forest City in a Class 3A regional semifinal. Johnson was 9-for-11 from the field and blocked two shots.
Carlee Julius, Des Moines Lincoln girls basketball
The senior became Lincoln’s all-time leading rebounder with a 24-board performance against Council Bluffs Thomas Jefferson. Julius leads Class 5A in rebounding with 371 (16.1 per game) and is second in all classes.
William Kiburis, Gladbrook-Reinbeck boys basketball
Kiburis continued his torrid offensive pace, scoring 29 points for the Rebels in an 85-31 Class 1A district tournament win over BGM. Kiburis, who recently tallied a 46-point game, was 12-for-13 from the field and handed out eight assists.
Whitney Klyn, Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont girls basketball
The junior scored 24 points as the Rockets remained undefeated with a 60-46 Class 2A regional win over Pella Christian. Klyn also contributed five assists and four rebounds while making 9 of 10 free throws.
Kyler Knaack, Don Bosco wrestling
Knaack led the Dons to the Class 1A team championship by winning their only individual state title at 152 pounds.
Ben Kueter, Iowa City High wrestling
With a 19-4 technical fall of Dubuque Hempstead senior Joseph Lewis in the 220-pound championship match at the Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines on Saturday, Kueter – 39-0 on the season -- became the seventh wrestler in Iowa state history to go undefeated in 111 matches for his high school career. A four-time state champ, the future Iowa Hawkeye wrestler and football player has won titles at the state, national and international levels.
Owen Larson, Estherville-Lincoln Central boys basketball
The junior had 26 points, seven steals, six assists and four rebounds for the Midgets as they opened 2A tournament play with an 80-30 win over Pocahontas Area. Larson ranks second in the state with a 27.6 points per game average.
Callie Levin, Solon girls basketball
The junior came away with 27 points, six assists, five rebounds and three steals for the Spartans in a 71-43 Class 3A regional semifinal win over Davis County. Levin had 23 points in Solon’s regional opener against Fairfield.
Merquiche Lewis Jr., Burlington boys basketball
The senior scored 27 points and grabbed 13 rebounds as the Grayhounds ended the regular season with a 59-54 win over Oskaloosa.
Whitney Klyn, Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont girls basketball
The junior scored 24 points as the Rockets remained undefeated with a 60-46 Class 2A regional win over Pella Christian. Klyn also contributed five assists and four rebounds while making 9 of 10 free throws.
Brandon Paez, Lisbon wrestling
Paez finished the season a perfect 53-0, winning gold at 120 with a first period fall.
Kale Petersen, Greene County wrestling
Petersen was crowned the 132-pound champion in Class 2A to finish the season undefeated.
Blaise Porter, New London boys basketball
The senior and Truman State recruit had a double-double with 29 points and 14 rebounds, leading the Tigers to a 78-49 win over Danville in a 1A district contest. New London eliminated fifth-ranked WACO in the second round, advancing to a semifinal.
Gable Porter, Underwood wrestling
Porter recorded a first-period pin to become a three-time state champion with a first period fall in the Class 1A 132-pound championship.
McKinley Robbins, Greene County wrestling
The unbeaten Robbins claimed the 2A title at 138 with a 15-5 major decision for the Rams.
Katy Ryerson, West Marshall girls basketball
Ryerson fell just shy of a triple-double in the Trojans’ 65-34 3A regional win over Roland-Story. The 6-2 guard finished with 21 points, 12 rebounds and nine assists.
Josh Sanderson, Grand View Christian boys basketball
Sanderson had 28 points and 12 assists as the Class 1A top-ranked Thunder smashed East Union 104-33 in a district tournament opener. Sanderson made 5 of 10 3-pointers and Christian improved to 21-0.
Carson Scroggins, Baxter boys basketball
Scroggins made 17-of-24 shots and scored 38 points for the Bolts in a 94-41 victory over Twin Cedars to open postseason play. He completed a double-double with 11 rebounds and also had three blocks and three assists.
Toryn Severson, Madrid boys basketball
The sophomore scored 29 points to go along with six rebounds and five steals as the Tigers beat Martensdale-St. Marys 86-26 in a Class 1A district opener. It was the 16th straight win for Madrid.
Jaidyn Sellers, Panorama girls basketball
Sellers, a junior, had 24 points, 12 rebounds (nine offensive) and three blocked shots in the Panthers’ 74-32 Class 2A regional semifinal win over Central Decatur. Panorama will play Treyor for a state tournament berth.
Carter Sievers, Newell-Fonda boys basketball
Sievers, the leading scorers in the state, tallied 27 points for the Mustangs in a 73-55 victory over Lawton-Bronson in a 1A district contest. Sievers splashed five 3-pointers and handed out six assists.
Tucker Stangel, Osage wrestling
Stangel concluded his season 40-0 with a 7-6 decision in the 145 pound final in Class 2A.
Douglas Taylor, Mason City Newman boys basketball
Taylor, a senior who will play baseball at the University of Iowa, combined for 50 points and 23 rebounds in two Knights Class 1A district tournament wins. He hit for 30 points and 13 boards against North Iowa and had another double-double against Algona Garrigan.
Jenna Twedt, Benton girls basketball
The senior rained in six of her team’s 12 3-pointers and scored 24 points, leading the Bobcats to a 65-38 3A regional semifinal victory over Union Community. Twedt also pulled down six rebounds.
Reece Vander Zee, Central Lyon boys basketball
The junior exploded for 40 points in the Lions’ 85-61 victory over Boyden-Hull in a Class 2A district game. Vander Zee made 16 of 25 shots, including 5 of 6 from beyond the 3-point arc.
Ellen Waller, Aplington-Parkersburg girls basketball
The senior scored a combined 42 points – including 32 in a first-round game – in the Falcons’ two postseason victories thus far. Aplington-Parkersburg is one win away from a state berth, meeting Dyersville Beckman in a regional final.
Derek Weisskopf, Williamsburg boys basketball
The junior and Iowa football recruit scored 21 points and hauled down 10 rebounds as the Raiders knocked off Class 3A fifth-ranked Marion 69-57.
Ben Wheatley, North Linn boys basketball
The unbeaten Lynx also topped the century mark in their first tourney game, rolling past Edgewood-Colesburg 103-24. Wheatley, a senior, poured in 40 points on 17 of 21 shooting, including five 3-pointers.
Caden Wilkins, Bettendorf boys basketball
The junior poured in 30 points and snared 19 rebounds in a win over Davenport North and followed that with 33 points and 13 boards in a victory over Davenport West.
