(Area) The tradition is rich for immediate coverage area teams in girls basketball. Avoca, Atlantic, Audubon, Exira, Harlan, and Wiota have all won state championships. Cumberland and Oakland are among the others that have made it to the state finals. Audubon was one of the marquee teams at the outset of girls basketball and they lead the area in both appearances (18) and championships (5).
In addition to the State Tournament qualifiers being listed in this post, a rundown of Hall of Fame members is also included. Seven schools, past or present, have had at least one Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union Basketball Hall of Fame inductee.
Part two of girls basketball is scheduled for Tuesday. It will involve the all-state selections for each team as well as other key statistics.
Previous sports:
State Qualifiers
Adair-Casey: 2 (1992, 2014)
In 1992 the Bombers picked up a win over Midland, 69-59 to start the tourney. The lost in the second round to Osage, 76-48. Tara Kading was one of the team’s all-state players. Dean Roe and Keith Myers were the coaches. Joining Kading in the starting lineup as forwards were Colleen Mullen and Jeanna Brownlee. The guards were Angela Kading, Jennifer Eggan, and Meri Mueller. The 2014 team took a 23-3 record to Des Moines. They beat Heartland Christian, Exira-EHK, and Kingsley-Pierson to qualify before being downed by Burlington-Notre Dame in the state quarterfinals. London Vais averaged a gaudy 26 points per game. The supporting cast included Shelby Sorensen, Zoey Dinkla, Emma Ferguson, Danni McCorkel, and Miranda Plowman. Cory Bartz was the head coach.
AHST: 2 (1993 and 2001)
Amy Towne was an integral part of the team’s success in 1993 while Holly Lamp and Ann Gramkow provided some big plays in 2001. They won their first two games 1993 to advance to the semifinals. They lost in the semi’s to Hubbard-Radcliffe which won the championship over Atlantic and was headlined by superstar Lisa Brinkmeyer. The two state tourney wins were over Woodward-Granger (75-69) and Osage (95-80). The 1993 teams holds the all-time record for three-pointers made in a single tourney with 44. Staci Bruck and Mandy Blakestad each made 21 of them which are tied for an individual state tourney record. Bruck made nine against Osage which is a single game all-class record. In 2001 they beat Wilton 62-45 in the quarterfinals and suffered a tough 51-49 loss to Saint Ansgar in the semfinals.
Avoca: 4 (1931, 1934, 1940, 1942)
State Championships: 1 (1931)
Anna Kuhr and Della Braman’s play in the early 30’s earned each of them a spot in the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union Basketball Hall of Fame. Braman scored 43 points over three games at the state tournament. The ’31 state title team beat Lamont, Aplington, and Centerville at the state tourney. O.H. Rutenbeck was the head coach. The final score in the championship game was 17-15. According to the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union’s Hoop Scoop Page “A statewide snowstorm forced fans to battle drifts and treacherous roads to reach Drake Fieldhouse. The storms prompted the first live ‘broadcast’ of the girls state tournament. Fred Taylor, captain of the Avoca boys team, described the action by phone to the theater which had an amplifier hooked up with fans listening.”
Anita: 2 (1953 and 1963)
Frances Miller (1953) and Marsha Schaaf (1963) were the leading players for Anita’s two state tourney trips. Their only state tourney win came in 1963 over Perry, 56-47. Harley McDaniel (153) and Ron Dittemore (1963) were the coaches.
Atlantic: 9 (89, 90, 92, 93, 94, 99, 01, 03, 04)
State Championships: 1 (1990)
Runner-up: 3 (1989, 1994, 2003)
A 77-65 win over North Iowa in the 1990 state championship game will live on forever in Atlantic lore. Tina Smith, Shelby Berry, and Sara Mailander were all recognized as all-state selections in the year Atlantic won it all under head coach Don Jenkins. Atlantic has the distinction of playing in the last 6-on-6 championship game ever as they were in the finals in 1994, but Hubbard-Radcliffe’s Lisa Brinkmeyer scored 53 points and the Trojanns settled for a runner-up finish. That’s not the only 2nd place trophy in the case. They made the finals in 1989 as well with Mailander and Smith as some of the big names. In ’89 they lost to Ankeny 57-36. The 2003 runner-up team lost to Cedar Rapids Xavier 53-37 in the finals. Jamie Hoegh and Sarah Wernimont were among the leaders of the 2003 runner-up team. Each were two-time all-state selections. Mandy Parrott’s 8 steals (1994) and Lindsey Worth’s 7 3-pointers (1999) are among the most ever for a single game at the state tournament. Angie Runchey is tied for the 6-on-6 record for steals in a tournament with 23 in 1993. Also worth noting is Atlantic’s perfect 9-0 record in first round games.
Audubon: 18 (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 26, 28, 31, 32, 33, 69, 74, 75, 77, 98, 99, 06, 10)
State Championships: 5 (21, 22, 23, 24, 99)
Audubon is one of the pioneers of girls basketball in the state and dominated during the early days. Dorcas Anderson scored 18 of the team’s 21 points in the 1921 state championship game and had 89 of their 122 over the course of the tournament. She’s in the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union Basketball Hall of Fame, as is her granddaughter, Elk-Horn Kimballton star Jan Jensen. Clarice Clemmensen and Helen McLeran are two other Audubon Hall of Famers from that era. The 1922 title game brought a dogfight with Cresco, which the Wheelers prevailed in 10-3. Audubon hosted the 1923 tourney which they won 18-11 in the finals over a Mallard team that had beaten them four times previously that season. A three overtime game in the 1924 championship resulted in a 21-20 victory over Iowa Falls. Coaches Hazel Owens and M.M McIntyre guided Audubon’s championship teams in the 20’s. Audubon became the first team to win four in a row. It took 81 years for another school to repeat that feat. The 1999 state championship brought a finals win over Denver 53-50. Frank Howell coached the group which was led by Jenny Randeris and Tiffany Christensen among others. Bruce Adkins coached four Audubon state appearances in the 60’s and 70’s. Derek Sonderland was at the helm when they went in 2006 and 2010. Mykel Brannan and Brittni Obermeier were the team’s top scorers during their last state appearance.
Bridgewater-Fontanelle: 2 (1958 and 1981)
B-F went was 0-2 in their state tourney history with losses to Cedar Valley and Aplington. Dale Hague and Rosemary Bishop coached teams to state.
CAM: 2 (1997 and 2019)
The 1997 roster had Stacy Ticknor, Cindi McDonald, Jaime Crawford, Zoey Artist, Beth Hartman, Kate Hensley, Jessie McCunn, Ann Muller, Sherry Ticknor, Shelby Schultes, Layne Westfall, Shannon Ticknor, Amanda Kerkmann, Amber Littler, Amber Erickson, Susan Nelson, Missy Christensen, Ali Downer, Amber Pringnitz, and Steph Kinzie. The head coach was Sandy Booker. They lost to St. Albert in the first round. In 2019 they had starters Zoey Baylor, Paige McAfee, Madison Gettler, Macy Ticknor, and Sammi Jahde. Seniors McAfee and Gettler were four year varsity players and the team’s leaders statistically. Other that played were Marissa Spieker, Shelby Stephenson, Allison Spieker, and Molly Venteicher. Montezuma beat CAM in the first round at state.
Cumberland: 5 (21, 32, 34, 35, 36)
Runner-up: 1 (1936)
Who could forget the run through the ’36 tourney which included wins over Stanwood, Bode, and Hansell. They lost 37-24 to Centerville in the finals. With 4,000 fans inside Drake Fieldhouse for the 1936 championship game it broke a state attendance record.
Elk-Horn Kimballton: 8 (67, 71, 78, 87, 89, 90, 92, 97)
Jan Jensen and Shannon Kite are each members of the IGHSAU Basketball Hall of Fame. In 1989 they made it to the semifinals where they lost to eventual champion Ankeny. They returned to the semi’s in 1990. Each year they won the consolation game. Rod Hoegh oversaw the best stretch of success with three state appearances. David Taylor coached the 1971 and 1978 state qualifiers. Tony Petersen led the ’92 and ’97 teams to state, and Harold Shepherd was the head coach in 1967. Their 14 3-pointers in a 1990 win over South Tama it tied for the 6-on-6 state tourney record. Christiana Jensen made 21 3-pointers at state that year, matching a state record. Shannon Kite’s average 45 points per game in the 1989 tournament is among the highest scoring outputs and Jan Jensen had a 56 point game at state in 1987.
Exira: 5 (45, 46, 65, 08, 10)
State Championships: 1 (2010)
Hallie Christofferson is in he Hall of Fame for the Vikettes. She was front and center in their 2010 state championship. Her 95 points are tied for a 5-on-5 state tourney record and her 50 rebounds are the most ever under the four class system. Christofferson was the all-tournament team captain and the team also had Ann Walker on the all-tournament team. Other key players on that 26-0 group were Kasie Simpson, Maddy Peppers, Nora Walker, Chelsea Nelson, and Courtney Peppers. Tom Petersen coached the 2008 and 2010 teams. Rod Chisolm coached in ’45 and ’46. Ade Schmahl was at the helm in 1965.
Exira-EHK: 4 (15, 16, 17, 18)
Coach Tom Petersen guided the Spartans to four straight appearances. They made the semifinals twice in that span including a 48-44 overtime loss to Turkey Valley in 2017. Players from that stretch included: Rachel Smith, Sophia Peppers, Mara Burmeister, Maggie Rasmussen, Kennedy Madsen, Rose Andersen, Kealey Nelson, Ellie Schultes, Tatum Grubbs, Kamryn Waymire, and Leslie Caniglia.
Griswold: 1 (1934)
The 1934 state qualifiers were coached by V.P. Patterson. They lost to Dana in the first round by a score of 19-15.
Harlan: 13 (79, 82, 85, 91, 92, 95, 97, 06, 09, 13, 14, 15, 16)
State Championships: 2 (2014 and 2015)
Runner-up: 2 (1995, 2013)
The 2014 championship run featured state tourney wins over North Scott, Carlisle, and Western Dubuque all in tight games. Taylor Frederick and Jess Schaben each averaged in double figures for a balanced group. Additional starters were Jordyn Moser, Taylor Wagner, and Elle Kloewer. They all returned the next year and posted a 2nd straight 26-0 season. They rolled through the state tourney field in 2015 with wins of 23, 26, and 10 points. The team won 55 consecutive games from 2014-16, which is the fourth longest streak in the 5-player era. The 1995 team lost to Vinton-Shellsburg 41-29 in the finals. In 2013 they came up short against CR Xavier, 53-52. Zach Klaassen has taken the team to state four times. Tony Vis directed the 2006 and 2009 state qualifiers.
Oakland: 7 (23, 49, 50, 53, 54, 55, 56)
Runner-up: 2 (1949 and 1954)
Oakland played for the title in ’49, but lost to Wellsburg 54-40. They made it back to the finals in ’54 where Garnavillo beat them 48-45. Coach OE Lester got the team to state six times in an eight year stretch. In 1950 Mary Ann Jensen scored 68 points in a first round win over Sperry to break the state tournament’s single-game scoring record.
Walnut: 2 (1957, 1983)
The Warriors lost in the first round in each appearance. Harry Dean Jr. coached the 1957 group while Rod Hoegh was on the sideline in 1983.
Wiota: 10 (40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45,45, 47, 48, 50, 51)
State Championships: 2 (1944 and 1945)
Runner-up: 1 (1942)
According to the IGHSAU Hoop Scoop page the 1944 and 1945 teams were led by Joe O’Connor who played at Maryville, Mo. Teachers College under Hank Iba, future coach at Oklahoma A&M. O’Connor doubled as the boys coach and thus the girls team reportedly practiced just three hours per week. They topped Gowrie for their first title and Coon Rapids for their second championship. Maxine Armstrong (1943), Marilyn Coomes (1943), Phyllis Armstrong (1945), and Donnis Coomes (1945) are all in the Hall of Fame.
Hall of Fame
AHST
Amy Towne (1993)
Audubon
Dorcas Anderson (1921)
Clarice Clemmensen (1926)
Helen McLeran (1926)
Donna Fenske (1969)
Avoca
Della Braman (1931)
Anna Kuhr (1931)
Elk Horn-Kimballton
Jan Jensen (1987)
Shannon Kite (1989)
Exira
Hallie Christofferson (2010)
Guthrie Center
Ordella Rodenbaugh (1937)
Karen McCool (1963)
Debbie Merritt (1969)
Wiota
Maxine Armstrong (1943)
Marilyn Coomes (1943)
Phyllis Armstrong (1945)
Donnis Coomes (1945)
