Vote now: Who should be SBLive’s Iowa high school athlete of the week? (Jan. 30-Feb. 5)

Here are the candidates for SBLive’s Iowa high school athlete of the week for Jan. 30 – Feb. 5

By Chris Short  

Here are the candidates for SBLive’s Iowa high school athlete of the week for Jan. 30 – Feb. 5. 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.

Kora Alesch, MMCRU girls basketball

Alesch tossed in 29 points to go along with five rebounds and three steals, in the Royals’ 58-26 victory over South O’Brien. Five of Alesch’s 10 baskets were 3-pointers.

Molly Allen, Riverside girls wrestling

The top-ranked Allen pinned Molly Sek of Sioux City North to claim 115 state title.

Mackenzi Arends, Nevada girls wrestling

The Cubs’ senior edged West Lyon’s Jana TerWee 1-0 to claim the 190-pound state championship.

Carver Blietz-Bentien, MFL MarMac boys basketball

The junior had a double-double with 25 points and 15 rebounds in the Bulldogs’ 72-49 win over Clayton Ridge. Seven of his rebounds were on the offensive glass.

Katie Biscoglia, Raccoon River/Northwest girls wrestling

The freshman from Waukee Northwest defeated Gable Hemann of Osage 5-2 at 100 to become the first-ever IGHSAU state champion.

Carter Boettcher, Sioux Central boys basketball

The senior tallied 30 points, nine rebounds and three assists as the undefeated Rebels topped Estherville-Lincoln Central 60-51. Owen Larson of E-LC, the state’s leading scorer, had 33 points.

Sarah Burton, Highland girls basketball

The junior matched her scoring output of 17 points with 17 rebounds in the Huskies’ 59-40 win over Columbus. Burton also had three steals and two blocked shots.

Trovary Cavil, Des Moines Lincoln boys basketball

The junior registered 27 points and 10 rebounds in the Railsplitters’ 76-70 win over Waterloo East. Cavil was 14-for-14 from the free throw line.

Mackenzie Childers, Cedar Rapids Prairie girls wrestling

The Hawks’ senior rolled through the 125-pounds class undefeated to claim a state title.

TreVon Coney, Davenport North boys basketball

The junior tossed in 27 points on 11 of 15 shooting, leading the Wildcats to their third straight win, 83-52 over Clinton. Coney tacked on three assists.

Audi Crooks, Algona Garrigan girls basketball

As her brilliant high school career nears its conclusion, Crooks seems to be at her best. The Iowa State recruit exploded for 50 points and 24 rebounds in an 86-30 win over West Hancock for the Class 1A top-ranked and defending state champion Golden Bears.

Izzy Curtis, Lenox girls basketball

The sophomore was 9 of 10 from the field, scoring 20 points in a 65-41 victory over Lamoni. Curtis completed a double-double with 10 rebounds and also handed out four assists.

Sydney Doeschoet, Kingsley-Pierson girls basketball

The freshman tallied 26 points, five steals and four rebounds in a 73-62 win over West Monona in the semifinals of the Western Valley Conference tournament. Doeschoet then scored 21 points as the Panthers beat Westwood 38-31 for the tourney title.

Kiara Djoumessi, Waverly-Shell Rock girls wrestling

The 140-pound championship went to the third-seeded Go-Hawk junior, who pinned No. 1 Mahri Manz of Lewis Central in 1:07. That pin clinched the team title for the Go-Hawks

Mealey Elsbury, South Tama girls wrestling

Seeded third, Elsbury upset returning champion and No. 1 seed Alexis Ross 2-0 to win the state crown at 135 pounds.

Audrie Helmrichs, Edgewood-Colesburg girls basketball

The junior missed just four times in 18 shots, scoring 29 points and pulling down a whopping 19 rebounds in the Vikings’ one-sided win over winless Starmont.

Olivia Huckfelt, Spencer girls wrestling

The Tigers’ senior – seeded first – pinned her way through the competition, capped with a pin over Madison Hinrichs of Waverly-Shell Rock in 3:26 to win the 235-pound state title.

Arianna Jackson, Des Moines Roosevelt girls basketball

The senior scored 25 points and grabbed nine rebounds as the Roughriders turned back Mason City 63-58. Jackson, an Iowa State recruit, made 9 of 13 shots.

Evan Kearney, Iowa Valley boys basketball

Kearney charted a double-double with 27 points and 11 rebounds in the Trojans’ 64-46 win over Belle Plaine. The senior grabbed eight offensive rebounds and added four steals.

Caden Kirkman, Wilton boys basketball

Kirkman, an Augustana (S.D.) recruit, finished with 29 points, 10 rebounds, seven steals and three assists in the Beavers’ 61-56 triumph over West Liberty. He leads the state in scoring at 27.9 ppg.

Jasmine Luedtke, Ottumwa girls wrestling

The No. 2 seed defeated Bree Swenson of Vinton-Shellsburg 4-1 to claim the 110-pound state crown.

Lilly Luft, Charles City girls wrestling

The senior celebrated her third straight state title, winning the 130-pound division, finishing the season with a perfect 40-0 record. The future Iowa Hawkeye rolled through the weight class with two pins and three major decisions, oustscoring her five opponents 30-1, capped by a 9-0 championship victory.

Emmy McComas, Iowa City High girls basketball

The sophomore hit for a double-double with 21 points and 17 rebounds in the Little Hawks’ 50-39 win over Dubuque Hempstead.

Jerra Merchant, Spencer girls basketball

Merchant, a senior, fired in 30 points for the 14-3 Tigers in a 62-47 victory over Storm Lake. Merchant nailed seven 3-pointers in eight tries.

Abigail Meyrer, Pleasant Valley girls wrestling

In a battle of the state’s top two wrestlers at 125, the Spartans’ freshmen upset top-ranked Layla Ewing of Moravia 2-0.

Ethan Patterson, Washington boys basketball

The senior exploded for 40 points in the Demons’ 75-53 victory over Mid-Prairie. Patterson rained in nine 3-pointers and handed out four assists.

Emma Peach, Iowa Valley girls wrestling

The No. 1 seed Peach pinned Waverly-Shell Rock’s Haidyn Snyder in 3:58 to claim the 145-pound state title. She was one of three grapplers to pin her way through the competition.

Blaise Porter, New London boys basketball

The senior averaged 26.3 points and snared 11.3 rebounds in three games last week.

Ty Pflughaupt, North Linn boys basketball

Pflughaupt scored 23 points as the Class 1A second-ranked Lynx came from behind to beat sixth-ranked Dunkerton 60-46. Pflughaupt hit five 3-pointers, helping the Lynx hand Dunkerton its first loss.

Katy Ryerson, West Marshall girls basketball

The senior had yet another double-double with 21 points and 14 rebounds as the Trojans won their 10th straight, 67-35 over PCM. Ryerson is one of the top all-around talents in the state.

Pryce Sandfort, Waukee Northwest boys basketball

Sandfort, a University of Iowa recruit, had 34 points and seven rebounds for the Wolves in an 87-49 victory over Sioux City West. The senior splashed seven 3-pointers in 13 attempts.

Ella Sharar, Iowa Falls-Alden girls basketball

Sharar, a junior, poured in 39 points for the Cadets in a 70-38 win over Fort Dodge St. Edmond. Sharar, who also had nine rebounds and five steals, made 14 of 16 free throws.

Carter Sievers, Newell-Fonda boys basketball

The senior threw in 29 points, making 11 of 16 field goals, in the Mustangs’ 88-50 win over Cherokee. Sievers ranks second in the state with a 28.6 points per game average.

Naomi Simon, Decorah girls wrestling

The Vikings’ senior pinned Mount Vernon’s Libby Dix in 1:35 in the 170-pound state championship match.

Skylar Slade, Southeast Polk girls wrestling

The top-seeded Slade pinned Jannell Avila of Iowa City West in 2:54 to win the 155-pound state championship as a freshman. She pinned all of her opponents.

Haylee Stokes, Estherville-Lincoln Central girls basketball

Stokes scored 25 points and dished out six assists as the top-ranked and defending state champions prepped for defense of their title with a 55-43 victory over Spirit Lake.

Doug Taylor, Mason City Newman boys basketball

Taylor, who will play baseball at the University of Iowa, hit for a double-double with 35 points and 16 rebounds in an 84-53 win over Central Springs. Taylor added four assists and four blocked shots.

Bria Wasmund, Sibley-Ocheyedan girls basketball

The senior had 21 points and 12 assists for the Generals in a 91-41 rout of Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn. Wasmund also had four rebounds and three steals.

Caden Wilkins, Bettendorf boys basketball

The junior rang up 34 points to go along with six rebounds as the Bulldogs topped Davenport Central 73-61. Wilkins made 4 of 8 3-point shots.

Jillian Worthen, Union girls wrestling

The sophomore won a major decision over Layla Phillips of Mason City 10-1 at 110 pounds. She pinned her first four opponents on her way to her second state championship.