Iowa high school girls basketball: Top stars, best performances from last week (12/4/2023)

Here are some stars from the past week's high school girls basketball games across Iowa.

If you know of a top performance we should include, please email nate@scorebooklive.com. 

Alyssa Bartlett, Southeast Polk 

The junior had 19 points, nine rebounds and seven assists, leading the Rams to a 75-34 win over Indianola. Bartlett scored 19 points in a season-opening win over Iowa City Liberty for Southeast Polk, which won its first three games before a 51-45 setback to Waukee.

Vanessa Bickford, Dallas Center-Grimes

The Minnesota-Duluth recruit had a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds, while also handing out five assists for the defending Class 4A state champions in a season-opening 52-40 win over Ballard.

Bailey Birmingham, Norwalk

The junior had 27 points, eight rebounds, three assists and three steals in a 69-67 win over Pella. The 5-8 guard has poured in a state-high 149 points and the Warriors have won their first five games.

Brenna Bodensteiner, Waverly-Shell Rock

The Go-Hawks won their first three games, including a 62-54 triumph over Cedar Rapids Kennedy when the senior scored 20 points on 5 of 8 shooting, nailing four 3-pointers.

Tyme Boettcher, Panorama

The senior had a combined 61 points as the Panthers got their season off to a roaring start with three wins. Boettcher is one of five starters returning from a 2A state qualifier.

Devine Bourrage, Davenport North

The junior finished with 27 points, seven rebounds, seven assists and three steals in an 85-38 victory over Bettendorf. Fourth-ranked North made the Class 5A state tournament last season.

Mya Crawford, Ankeny Centennial

The junior contributed 21 points, 11 rebounds, four steals and four assists in a 75-33 win over Urbandale. Third-ranked Centennial is off to a 3-1 start with its only loss to Dowling.

Joelle Johnson, Pleasantville

The junior scored 30 points, pulled down nine rebounds and dished out five assists in a 68-53 win over Wayne. Johnson has 113 points and 27 rebounds in four games.

Grace Knutson, Cedar Falls

The Drake University commit contributed 26 points, making five 3-pointers, in a 66-31 win over Dubuque Hempstead. The Tigers are off to a 3-1 start with an overtime loss to Ankeny despite 24 points and six steals from Knutson.

Kamryn Kurt, North Linn

The senior point guard made 9 of 15 shots and scored 20 points as the Lynx blasted Easton Valley 77-7. Kurt added six rebounds and six assists and it was the second time this season that North Linn limited an opponent to single digits.

Callie Levin, Solon

The University of Iowa commit came through with 22 points, eight rebounds and five steals as the 4-0 Spartans beat Iowa City High 50-38. Solon has already beaten two-time defending Class 2A state champion Dike-New Hartford, 49-48.

Ava Locklear, Clear Creek-Amana

The senior posted a double-double with 16 points and 10 rebounds as the Clippers beat Iowa City West 57-45.

Claire Luken, Dubuque Wahlert

The junior put together a strong all-around performance with 12 points, seven rebounds, six assists, six blocked shots and three steals in a 61-32 victory over Linn-Mar. Luken tossed in 30 points in the Golden Eagles’ season-opening win over Decorah.

Kelsey McDonough, Mason City

The senior converted six of eight shots, including five 3-pointers in six attempts, scoring 20 points to lead the Riverhawks past Des Moines North 86-16.

Payton Petersen, Dike-New Hartford

Petersen, a Louisville volleyball recruit, had 29 points and 10 rebounds in the one-point loss to Solon and the Wolverines have won three of their first four to start defense of their 2A title. Petersen had 20 points and seven rebounds in a 63-19 drubbing of East Marshall.

Hudsyn Ranschau, Sioux City East

The sophomore scored 33 points, grabbed six rebounds and came away with four steals as the Black Raiders opened the season with a 72-19 rout of Spencer.

McKenna Sievers, Newell-Fonda

The senior had 16 points and eight assists as last year’s Class 1A state runner-up Mustangs opened the season with a 77-39 win over Hull Western Christian.

Haylee Stokes, Estherville-Lincoln Central

The junior has totaled 106 points, 29 assists, 24 rebounds and 22 steals in four games for the Class 3A top-ranked Midgets. E-LC won the state title two seasons ago and suffered its only loss in a state quarterfinal last season.

Maryne Szalo, Waukee

The sophomore hit 8 of 11 shots and scored 19 points as the Warriors moved to 4-0 with a 55-41 victory over Southeast Polk. Szalo just missed a double-double, grabbing nine rebounds.

Aili Tanke, Johnston

Iowa State recruit Tanke finished with 16 points (7 of 9 shooting) and six rebounds as SBLive’s top-ranked Dragons moved to 3-0 with a 70-49 win over Ankeny. The 6-foot guard had 23 points, 11 rebounds, two blocks and two steals earlier this week in a 72-56 victory over Waukee Northwest.

Aliya Wagamon, Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont

The senior contributed 18 points and seven rebounds as the Rockets improved to 3-0 with a 63-52 win over Pella Christian.

Jayla Williams, Ankeny

The sophomore had 24 points and eight rebounds in a 62-57 loss to Waukee. Williams tallied 18 points and six rebounds in a loss to top-ranked Johnston.

Quinn Vice, Pleasant Valley

Vice, a junior, had 17 points each in wins over Clinton and Muscatine. The defending 5A state champs have already lost one game, but they held Clinton and Muscatine to a combined 28 points last week.

Cora Widel, Maquoketa

The sophomore ranks fourth in the state with 96 points through four games. She had 23 points and seven rebounds in her most recent outing.

Ava Zediker, West Des Moines Dowling

The junior guard has 82 points, 20 rebounds and 18 assists in her first four games this season. Zediker has already committed to Creighton University.