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Mar. 28—WAGNER, S.D. — After a stellar junior season, Wagner's Ashlyn Koupal was recognized as the Class A player of the year, while Mount Vernon/Plankinton's Reagan Rus was also named to the Class A girls all-state first team.
Koupal, a junior 6-foot-3 guard/forward, averaged a double-double at 21.5 points and 10 rebounds per game. She also dished out 5.2 assists per game and blocked 67 shots. Her big season also led the Red Raiders to the Class A state tournament for the second time in three years, where they finished seventh.
"Ashlyn is a very unselfish player that just did what it took to put herself and teammates in great positions to be successful on the court," said Wagner coach Mike Koupal, who is also Ashlyn's father. "She can score at all three levels, but what may get overlooked is her court awareness and her passing.
"We heard from quite a few coaches at the state tournament and after, 'How does she do it game in and game out with the physicality of play that she has to endure for an entire game?'" he added. "We really didn't know what they were talking about because it's what we were used to seeing game in and game out the entire season."
Rus, the Class A Spirit of Su award recipient, took the leading role for the Titans this season after Emilee Fox's departure. As MVP's primary playmaker, the 5-foot-9 senior guard averaged 19.4 points and 7.5 rebounds per game with 78 steals as well. She led the Titans to their second-straight Class A state tournament, where they finished eighth.
"Reagan has been a big part of our program for five years. She has adapted to a new role every season and has pushed herself to be in the position she is at today," said MVP coach Preston Kristensen. "She has worked really hard over the years, and she is probably one of the most athletic kids I've ever met. She can play off guard, work in the post and play the point, which she had to do this year for us. She is also a really good defender who doesn't back down from competition. She is a natural leader and really shouldered that this year by elevating everyone on our team just by the way she competes."
The rest of the Class A all-state first team includes Mahpiya Luta junior guard Ashlan Carlow-Blount, Sisseton senior center Krista Langager, Vermillion freshman guard Taylor Reuvers and Hamlin junior guard Addison Neuendorf. Along with Koupal, Langager and Neuendorf were both first-team selections last season, too.
The 6-foot-2 Langager's 23 points per game were the most of any all-state first-team honoree. She also averaged a double-double, adding 12 rebounds and she recorded 50 blocks on the season. However, Sisseton fell just short of the state tournament, losing to Hamlin in the SoDak 16.
At 6-foot, Carlow-Blount's 19.3 points, 7.8 rebounds, 5.6 assists per game and 116 steals led Mahpiya Luta to a Class A title game appearance, narrowly falling to Sioux Falls Christian on a buzzer-beater.
The 5-foot-6 Neuendorf spearheaded Hamlin's Class A third-place finish, averaging 14.1 points, 3.9 rebounds and 4.9 assists per game. She also collected 61 steals.
Rounding out the first team, the 5-foot-5 Reuvers was the lone underclassman and only one of four freshmen to earn all-state honors. She averaged 17.2 points, 5.6 rebounds, 4.5 assists per game and collected 82 steals as the Tanagers fell in the SoDak 16 to Dakota Valley.
The Class A all-state second team included Dakota Valley senior Cameryn Sommervold (15.1 ppg, 8.3 rpg, 35 blocks) and freshman Ella Otten (16.4 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 3.5 apg). Vermillion senior Brooke Jensen (15.5 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 43 steals), Canton senior Jenna VandeWeerd (19.8 ppg, 12.2 rpg, 71 blocks), Mahpiya Luta senior Jodene Big Crow-Hunter (17.5 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 85 steals) and Hamlin senior Addie Steffensen (16.9 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 46 steals) rounded out the second team honorees.
Sioux Valley sophomore Kailey Cradduck (14.1 ppg, 7.6 rpg, 3.7 apg, 71 steals), senior Keyra Kruse (11.4 ppg, 8.2 rpg, 2.8 apg), Lakota Tech junior Shania Ferguson (19.7 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 5.1 apg, 96 steals), Mobridge-Pollock junior Blake Thompson (17.1 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 2.2 apg), Belle Fourche senior Lily Nore (21 ppg, 8 rpg, 40 blocks) and Sioux Falls Christian senior Maya Nelson (10 ppg, 2.0 rpg, 3.1 apg) made up the third team.
Honorable mentions include Sioux Valley junior Talya Vincent (13.6 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 3.5 apg), Flandreau freshman Morgan Sheppard (16.2 ppg, 7.7 rpg, 2.9 apg), Aberdeen Roncalli senior Ava Hanson, Dakota Valley freshman Aubree Worden (12.4 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 2 apg), Cheyenne-Eagle Butte sophomore Suni Bowman (17.8 ppg, 11.3 rpg) and Milbank senior Isabella Anderson (14.5 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 48 steals).
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Koupal, a junior 6-foot-3 guard/forward, averaged a double-double at 21.5 points and 10 rebounds per game. She also dished out 5.2 assists per game and blocked 67 shots. Her big season also led the Red Raiders to the Class A state tournament for the second time in three years, where they finished seventh.
"Ashlyn is a very unselfish player that just did what it took to put herself and teammates in great positions to be successful on the court," said Wagner coach Mike Koupal, who is also Ashlyn's father. "She can score at all three levels, but what may get overlooked is her court awareness and her passing.
"We heard from quite a few coaches at the state tournament and after, 'How does she do it game in and game out with the physicality of play that she has to endure for an entire game?'" he added. "We really didn't know what they were talking about because it's what we were used to seeing game in and game out the entire season."
Rus, the Class A Spirit of Su award recipient, took the leading role for the Titans this season after Emilee Fox's departure. As MVP's primary playmaker, the 5-foot-9 senior guard averaged 19.4 points and 7.5 rebounds per game with 78 steals as well. She led the Titans to their second-straight Class A state tournament, where they finished eighth.
"Reagan has been a big part of our program for five years. She has adapted to a new role every season and has pushed herself to be in the position she is at today," said MVP coach Preston Kristensen. "She has worked really hard over the years, and she is probably one of the most athletic kids I've ever met. She can play off guard, work in the post and play the point, which she had to do this year for us. She is also a really good defender who doesn't back down from competition. She is a natural leader and really shouldered that this year by elevating everyone on our team just by the way she competes."
The rest of the Class A all-state first team includes Mahpiya Luta junior guard Ashlan Carlow-Blount, Sisseton senior center Krista Langager, Vermillion freshman guard Taylor Reuvers and Hamlin junior guard Addison Neuendorf. Along with Koupal, Langager and Neuendorf were both first-team selections last season, too.
The 6-foot-2 Langager's 23 points per game were the most of any all-state first-team honoree. She also averaged a double-double, adding 12 rebounds and she recorded 50 blocks on the season. However, Sisseton fell just short of the state tournament, losing to Hamlin in the SoDak 16.
At 6-foot, Carlow-Blount's 19.3 points, 7.8 rebounds, 5.6 assists per game and 116 steals led Mahpiya Luta to a Class A title game appearance, narrowly falling to Sioux Falls Christian on a buzzer-beater.
The 5-foot-6 Neuendorf spearheaded Hamlin's Class A third-place finish, averaging 14.1 points, 3.9 rebounds and 4.9 assists per game. She also collected 61 steals.
Rounding out the first team, the 5-foot-5 Reuvers was the lone underclassman and only one of four freshmen to earn all-state honors. She averaged 17.2 points, 5.6 rebounds, 4.5 assists per game and collected 82 steals as the Tanagers fell in the SoDak 16 to Dakota Valley.
The Class A all-state second team included Dakota Valley senior Cameryn Sommervold (15.1 ppg, 8.3 rpg, 35 blocks) and freshman Ella Otten (16.4 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 3.5 apg). Vermillion senior Brooke Jensen (15.5 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 43 steals), Canton senior Jenna VandeWeerd (19.8 ppg, 12.2 rpg, 71 blocks), Mahpiya Luta senior Jodene Big Crow-Hunter (17.5 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 85 steals) and Hamlin senior Addie Steffensen (16.9 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 46 steals) rounded out the second team honorees.
Sioux Valley sophomore Kailey Cradduck (14.1 ppg, 7.6 rpg, 3.7 apg, 71 steals), senior Keyra Kruse (11.4 ppg, 8.2 rpg, 2.8 apg), Lakota Tech junior Shania Ferguson (19.7 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 5.1 apg, 96 steals), Mobridge-Pollock junior Blake Thompson (17.1 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 2.2 apg), Belle Fourche senior Lily Nore (21 ppg, 8 rpg, 40 blocks) and Sioux Falls Christian senior Maya Nelson (10 ppg, 2.0 rpg, 3.1 apg) made up the third team.
Honorable mentions include Sioux Valley junior Talya Vincent (13.6 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 3.5 apg), Flandreau freshman Morgan Sheppard (16.2 ppg, 7.7 rpg, 2.9 apg), Aberdeen Roncalli senior Ava Hanson, Dakota Valley freshman Aubree Worden (12.4 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 2 apg), Cheyenne-Eagle Butte sophomore Suni Bowman (17.8 ppg, 11.3 rpg) and Milbank senior Isabella Anderson (14.5 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 48 steals).
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