Vote: Who should be SBLive’s Iowa high school athlete of the week? (12/4/2023)
Here are the candidates for SBLive’s Iowa high school athlete of the week for Nov. 27-Dec. 3. 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.
Blake Aalbers, MOC-Floyd Valley boys basketball
The junior has combined for 52 points, 11 rebounds and 13 assists in three games. The Dutch are off to a 3-0 start with wins over Sheldon, Spirit Lake and Boyden-Hull.
Holden Amaman, West Branch boys basketball
The senior finished with 27 points, six rebounds and five assists in the Bears’ 64-51 win over Dyersville Beckman, Amaman hit six of nine shots from beyond the arc.
Johny Amida, North Cedar boys basketball
Amina had 24 points, 14 rebounds, two assists and two steals in a 66-54 win over Central City. In three games, Amida has accounted for 58 points and 30 rebounds.
Dru Ayala, Fort Dodge boys wrestling
Ayala became the first Dodger to win a title at the Donnybrook when he defeated Luke Koenen of Wayzata (Minnesota) at 120 pounds, 2-0. Ayala, the younger brother of current University of Iowa wrestler Drake Ayala, has committed to join the Hawkeyes next year.
Alyssa Bartlett, Southeast Polk girls basketball
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 girls basketball
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 girls basketball
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.
Katie Biscoglia, Raccoon River-Northwest girls wrestling
Biscoglia rolled to a state title as a freshman, and she started off her sophomore campaign the same way, winning the 100-pound Donnybrook title. She tallied two falls and won her other two matches by decision.
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.
Brady Boulton, Montezuma boys basketball
Boulton, a 5-10 sophomore, had 32 points and eight assists, helping the Braves (1-1) down North Mahaska 80-60.
Devine Bourrage, Davenport North girls basketball
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.
Koy Davidson, Fort Dodge boys wrestling
A former state runner-up, Davidson gave the Dodgers a second champion at the Donnybrook, defeating Iowa City High senior Kael Kurtz in sudden-victory at 138. He tallied 49 team points for the tournament.
Camden Davis, Hudson boys basketball
The senior had 24 points, eight rebounds and two steals in a 71-38 triumph over Janesville. The 6-5 forward had 20 points and 13 rebounds to open the season against Grundy Center and followed that with 20 points, 11 rebounds and five assists against Jesup.
Max DeVries, Red Oak boys basketball
The senior finished with 32 points, eight rebounds and four steals in a 77-59 win over Lenox. The 6-4 DeVries has scored 67 points in three games.
Klara Djoumessi, Waverly-Shell Rock girls wrestling
The unbeaten senior picked up the Donnybrook gold with a fall in the finals at 140 pounds. Three of her four bouts ended by fall with the other being a major decision.
Jude Gibson, Ballard boys basketball
The sophomore contributed 33 points and six rebounds, but the Bombers suffered a narrow 76-74 loss to ADM. Gibson had 21 points and six rebounds in a season-opening victory over Norwalk.
Caleb Haack, Iowa Valley boys basketball
The junior poured in 41 points and pulled down 12 rebounds to go along with five blocks, three steals and four assists in a season-opening 72-48 win over English Valleys. Haack made six 3-pointers in 12 attempts.
Jace Hedemen, Union LaPorte City boys wrestling
Hedemen survived a tough bracket at the Cliff Keen Invitational to win gold at 126 pounds. He had four falls to start out his tournament run.
Dustin Hoksbergen, Trinity Christian boys basketball
The senior totaled 30 points and seven rebounds in a 61-35 victory over Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn. The 6-3 Hoksbergen scored 19 and 22 points in his previous two games, giving him 71 thus far this season.
Ally Jelinek, Linn-Mar girls wrestling
Jelinek earned the 120-pound Donnybrook crown with a fall in the finals over Bree Swenson of Vinton-Shellsburg. She earned a fall in all five of her matches, with three coming inside the first minute of the first period.
Grady Jeppesen, Riverside boys basketball
Jeppeson fired in 40 points, making 16 of 26 shots, in a 71-50 victory over AHSTW. The 6-2 guard hit for 22 in his only other game of the season.
Lincoln Jipp, Bettendorf boys wrestling
Jipp dominated his way to the Donnybrook title at 165, capping it off with a technical fall in the finals. He recorded two technical falls and a pin while also knocking off a returning state medalist in the quarterfinals.
Joelle Johnson, Pleasantville girls basketball
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 girls basketball
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.
Gavin Landers, Denver boys wrestling
Just a freshman, Landers topped Brayden Bohnsack of Union LaPorte City in the finals at the Cliff Keen Invitational to win gold at 113 pounds. He reeled off two falls and a technical fall before finishing the day with decision wins.
Owen Larson, Estherville-Lincoln Central boys basketball
Larson, who will play at South Dakota State, had 34 points, 14 rebounds, seven assists and three steals in a season-opening 87-73 victory over Algona. The 6-1 point guard then had 18 points, 10 rebounds and five assists in a 69-28 win over Sioux Central.
Claire Luken, Dubuque Wahlert girls basketball
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.
Dylan Marquardt, Dunkerton boys basketball
Marquardt has hit for 37 and 30 points in his first two games. The 6-1 junior guard has splashed 15 of 31 3-pointers.
Kelsey McDonough, Mason City girls basketball
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.
Braden McShane, New Hampton/Turkey Valley boys wrestling
McShane picked up five falls to tie for the tournament lead at the Cliff Keen Invitational, earning the 215-pound title for his efforts. Three of those falls came inside of the first minute.
Kane Naaktgeboren, Linn-Mar boys wrestling
With an 8-6 victory at 144 pounds, Naaktgeboren walked out of the Donnybrook a champion for the Lions. He tallied 54 team points and had four falls in his first four matches.
Payton Petersen, Dike-New Hartford girls basketball
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.
Ty Pflughaupt, North Linn boys basketball
The senior hit 16 of 17 shots from the field and scored 33 points in a 103-21 rout of Easton Valley. The 6-5 forward then had 20 points and six rebounds in an 81-27 win over Springville.
Hudsyn Ranschau, Sioux City East girls basketball
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.
Dreshaun Ross, Fort Dodge boys wrestling
A defending state champion, Ross secured his first Donnybrook crown with a 2-1 decision at 220 pounds. With several Div. I football and wrestling offers to his name, the sophomore recorded three falls and had 52 team points.
Jackson Ruggles, Mount Ayr boys basketball
The sophomore has tallied 59 points and nine assists in his first three contests this season. He had 28 points in the Raiders’ 60-54 win over Southwest Valley.
Hayden Schwab, Don Bosco boys wrestling
The freshman, and son of University of Northern Iowa head wrestling coach Doug Schwab, topped Ankeny’s Benjamin Walsh in the finals at the Donnybrook for the 106-pound title. All five of his matches resulted in bonus points with three technical falls and a major decision before the finals.
Toryn Severson, Madrid boys basketball
The junior popped in 33 points and snared seven rebounds in a season-opening 93-57 win over Southeast Valley. He followed that up with performances of 21 points and 27 points, giving the 6-4 guard 85 in his first three games.
Eve Skrocki, Dubuque Wahlert girls wrestling
Just a freshman, Skrocki served notice of her potential by securing a championship at the Donnybrook in a hard-fought 145-pound title match with Decorah’s Anastasia Simon. She picked up three falls for the event.
Naomi Simon, Decorah girls wrestling
The returning three-time state champion, Simon showed she is still one of the best by winning 170 at the Donnybrook with a fall in the finals. Only her final opponent made it out of the first period, and that one ended less than a minute into the second.
Rayce Snyder, Wayne boys basketball
The senior had 17 points, 13 rebounds and four blocked shots as the Falcons opened the season with a 53-39 win over Murray. The 6-6 Snyder then had 28 points, 10 rebounds, three blocks and a steal against Twin Cedars and 26 points, 14 rebounds and two assists against Central Decatur.
Kamryn Steines, Decorah girls wrestling
The Decorah team is stacked, adding another Donnybrook gold courtesy of Steines at 190 pounds. She picked up three falls and a major decision in her four matches.
Haylee Stokes, Estherville-Lincoln Central girls basketball
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 girls basketball
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 girls basketball
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.
Gavin Thomas, Aplington-Parkersburg boys basketball
Thomas scored 21 points and dished out eight assists as the Falcons raced past Oelwein 83-57. The 6-1 guard has 61 points and 16 assists in three games.
Madden Uhlenhopp, Osage boys basketball
The junior scored 27 points and grabbed six rebounds as the Green Devils improved to 3-0 with an 85-32 pasting of Central Springs. Uhlenhopp, who has 53 points in three games, hit five of nine 3-point shots.
Reanah Utterback, Sigourney-Keota girls wrestling
Utterback made history last year when she earned a medal competing at the boys state wrestling tournament. This season, she locked up a Donnybrook title with a 53-second fall in the finals at 115 by pinning her way to gold.
Nic VanArkel, West Des Moines Valley boys wrestling
The Decorah team is stacked, adding another Donnybrook gold courtesy of Steines at 190 pounds. She picked up three falls and a major decision in her four matches.
Three pins and a technical fall resulted in VanArkel claiming the 175-pound title at the Keith Young Invitational. His technical fall was recorded during the first period.
Jonovan Wilkinson, Roland-Story boys basketball
Wilkinson erupted for 44 points, to go along with 15 rebounds and three assists, in a season-opening 94-87 shootout with Gilbert. The 6-2 senior forward then posted 28 points, five rebounds and five assists in a win over West Marshall.
Ava Zediker, West Des Moines Dowling girls basketball
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.
