Introducing the Register's All-Iowa girls' basketball team
Elle Ruffridge and Hannah Fuller finished their high school basketball careers by winning state championships.
Now they're together in the same backcourt as members of the Des Moines Register's All-Iowa girls' basketball Elite team.
Ruffridge not only led Pocahontas Area to a second consecutive title, she also set state career records in points (2,951), assists (802) and 3-pointers (466).
The Missouri State recruit was named Miss Iowa Basketball. She averaged 30 points a game. Ruffridge was the Elite team's only repeat selection.
Fuller brought West Des Moines Valley its first girls' basketball state championship and was named captain of the Class 5A all-tournament team. She's a Drake recruit who averaged 13.6 points a game.
The two guards are joined on the Elite squad by center Taryn Knuth of Johnston and forwards Grace Berg of Indianola and Ashley Joens of Iowa City High.
Knuth is a senior who was one of the most dominant players on the court. At 6-foot-4, she used her size to average nearly 23 points and 14 rebounds, both tops in Class 5A. She'll play volleyball at Florida State.
Berg and Joens — two of the nation's top juniors — both demonstrated skills in scoring and rebounding. Berg will attend Missouri and Joens will play at Iowa State.
This season's state champs were Valley in 5A, North Scott of Eldridge in 4A, Pocahontas Area in 3A, Western Christian of Hull in 2A and Springville in 1A. All five winners earned at least one All-Iowa honor.
Valley's Fuller is joined by fellow guard Zoe Young, a sophomore.
North Scott's Karli Rucker, a Northern Iowa recruit, helped her school win its first girls' basketball state championship. She was the 4A captain of the all-tournament team.
Western Christian's Ashtyn Veerbeek, who was a Register All-Iowa volleyball player, was named the 2A all-tournament captain. She plans to play basketball at Nebraska.
Springville won a repeat state championship. The school placed two athletes on the Register's 1A first team, Mikayla Nachazel and Rylee Menster.
The All-Iowa players will be honored at the Register's All Iowa Sports Awards June 24 at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines. Athletes receive a free ticket, and the schools will be contacted with RSVP information. General admission tickets to the event, which features Shaquille O'Neal, are on sale at sportsawards.desmoinesregister.com.
ELITE TEAM
GRACE BERG
Forward | Indianola | Junior
Led Indianola to its best five-player basketball season: A 24-1 record, a No. 1 ranking and a semifinal finish at the state tournament. Ranked third in 5A scoring with 20.4 points a game and fourth in rebounding at 10.0. All-tournament pick. Missouri recruit. Honorable mention pick last year. One of the Iowa Eight, a Register preseason watch list.
ASHLEY JOENS
Forward | Iowa City High | Junior
Guided City High to the state tournament and a 22-2 record. Ranked second in 5A in scoring (21.1 points a game) and second in rebounding (10.3). Athlete of the Year in the MVC Valley Division. A Class 5A first-team pick last year. One of the Iowa Eight. Versatile player who can play forward or guard.
TARYN KNUTH
Center | Johnston | Senior
Led Class 5A in scoring with a 22.8-point average and rebounding at 13.7. Led team to three consecutive trips to the state tournament. Honorable mention pick last year. Des Moines Register player of the year in the CIML. One of the Iowa Eight. Will play volleyball at Florida State.
HANNAH FULLER
Guard | W.D.M. Valley | Senior
Led her team to program's first state championship, where she was named captain of the all-tournament team. Averaged 13.6 points and led her team in rebounds from a guard position. A Drake recruit. All-Iowa honorable mention last year. All-CIML Elite selection by the Register. A four-year starter who led her team to 80-plus wins in her career.
ELLE RUFFRIDGE
Guard | Pocahontas Area | Senior
All-time state career leader in scoring (2,951), 3-pointers (466) and assists (802). Miss Iowa Basketball. Led her team to a repeat Class 3A state championship. Elite choice last year. A dynamic player who can handle the ball and one of the top shooters in Iowa five-player history. One of the Iowa Eight. A Missouri State recruit.
CLASS 5A FIRST TEAM
F Ashley Joens, jr., Iowa City High
F Grace Berg, jr., Indianola
C Taryn Knuth, sr., Johnston
G Carlie Littlefield, sr., Waukee
G Hannah Fuller, sr., W.D.M. Valley
CLASS 4A FIRST TEAM
F Lexi Noonan, sr., C.R. Xavier
F Maegan Holt, jr., C.B. Lewis Central
C Lexy Koudelka, jr., Nevada
G Agatha Beier, sr., Carlisle
G Karli Rucker, sr., North Scott
CLASS 3A FIRST TEAM
F Lexi Toering, jr., Sioux Center
F Jasmine Harris, sr., Davenport Assumption
C Allie Wooldridge, jr., Center Point-Urbana
G Elle Ruffridge, sr., Pocahontas Area
G Ellie Friesen, jr., Crestwood (Cresco)
CLASS 2A FIRST TEAM
F Gracey Griglione, sr., Interstate 35 (Truro)
F Kelcie Shields, sr., Mount Ayr
C Ashtyn Veerbeek, sr., Western Christian (Hull)
G Mary Crompton, jr., Iowa City Regina
G Mackenzie Rogers, jr., Mediapolis
CLASS 1A FIRST TEAM
F Mikayla Nachazel, jr., Springville
F Tori Hazard, sr., Janesville
C Marissa Schroeder, sr., Bellevue Marquette
G Shelby Reicks, sr., Turkey Valley (Jackson Junction)
G Rylee Menster, jr., Springville
HONORABLE MENTION
Jinaya Houston, sr., Davenport North
Logan Cook, jr., Iowa City West
Kiara Barney, jr., Cedar Falls
Paige Bradford, jr., Davenport North
Maggie McGraw, soph., Indianola
Sierra Mitchell, sr., Southeast Polk
Caitlin Clark, fr., W.D.M. Dowling Catholic
Zoe Young, soph., W.D.M. Valley
Rachael Saunders, jr., Iowa City West
Cynthia Wolf, jr., Cedar Falls
Claire Sandvig, jr., Boone
Katie Vander Molen, sr., Pella
Chloe Rice, jr., Marion
Josie Durr, sr., Solon
Faith Meyer, sr., Pocahontas Area
Mackenzie Roberts, sr., Van Meter
Alex Wiese, sr., Iowa City Regina
Madelyn Deitchler, jr., Treynor
Kelsey Hora, sr., Highland (Riverside)
Sophia Peppers, jr., Exira-EHK
SELECTION CRITERIA
The Des Moines Sunday Register's all-state basketball selections have been made annually since 1924.
Ballots were sent to the state's coaches, who were asked to nominate players and to provide statistics and comments. The responses helped provide a basis for our selections, which were made by Register and Iowa City Press-Citizen sports staff.
SPORTS AWARDS INFO
The Register is inviting about 800 of Iowa's best high school athletes to the Des Moines Register Sports Awards on June 24. Those athletes will receive a free ticket to the event, which is headlined by celebrity speaker Shaquille O'Neal.
When: June 24; Doors open at 7 p.m. Event begins at 8 p.m.
Where: Wells Fargo Arena, Des Moines
Ticket info: General admission tickets are currently on sale at sportsawards.desmoinesregister.com. They are $35, plus processing fees. Concessions will be available at the ceremony.