All-Union small school girls basketball

The 2022-23 small school basketball season was no doubt a competitive one.

Winfield-Mt. Union proved to be the squad to stay alive the longest, as the areas sole girls’ team to make the state tournament after gritty wins over Southeast Iowa Super Conference (SEISC) South’s Burlington Notre Dame and a tough North Mahaska team.

On the 2022-23 All-Union small school girls basketball list, the Wolves lead the way with a pair of players selected to the list, along with the head coach selection.

WACO takes a hold of the captain spot after coming up just short in the regional semifinal round, while Highland, Van Buren County and Mid-Prairie all earn distinctions as well.

COACH: Mendy McCreight, Winfield-Mt. Union

Getting to the state tournament is a tough task to complete.

In her first year at the helm, that’s just what head coach Mendy McCreight did.

McCreight helped the Wolves to 22-2 overall record, which included an 16-0 SEISC North record, good enough for the district title.

The trip to state was the Wolves’ first in 25 years.

CAPTAIN: Ellah Kissell, senior, WACO

When it comes to putting the ball in the basket, it doesn’t get much better than Ellah Kissell.

For the past four years, Kissell has been one of the top scorers across the SEISC and this year it was once again the same.

Kissell led the area 1A scorers with 22.2 points per game in her senior season.

Along with her prowess in the score book, Kissell also tallied 3.7 steals per game, a SEISC North second-best, 3.2 assists and 1.1 blocked shots per game, all of which led the Warriors. As a guard, she brought down 6.9 rebounds per game as well.

Bradie Buffington, senior, Winfield-Mt. Union

Buffington played a key role in helping the Wolves get back to the state tournament.

The senior forward was a force down low and had one of the best midrange games in the area.

She finished the season averaging 14 points per game. Along with pulling down 8.2 rebounds per game, she also blocked 2.3 shots per game, an SEISC North second-best, and collected 2.1 assists and 1.1 steals per game.

Melina Oepping, senior, Winfield-Mt. Union

Oepping was yet another integral piece for a touted Wolves squad.

Oepping did a little bit of everything for WMU and was terrific in the postseason.

She finishing second in points per game at 13.2, while shooting 53.7% from the field, an SEISC North best. She also led the Wolves in rebounds at 9.0 a contest, which was second-best in the league. She averaged three steals a night as well.

Sarah Burton, junior, Highland

One of two juniors on this years list, Burton was a jack of all trades for the Huskies and posted some big stat lines throughout the season.

Burton averaged a double on the year, tallying 16.4 points a night, third best in the North, while grabbing a conference-best 12.3 rebounds.

She also averaged 3.8 steals and 2.5 blocks a game, both of which topped the league. She posted a 53.1% field goal percentage as well, second-best in the conference.

Ivy Davidson, junior, Van Buren County

Davidson is the lone SEISC South pick on the 2022-23 list.

Davidson was one of the best at finishing around the rim in the South Division and led the Warriors night in and night out.

On the season she averaged 13.9 points, fifth most in the SEISC South, 8.2 rebounds, three assists and 1.5 blocks a game. She will lead the ship once again as a senior.

Amara Jones, senior, Mid-Prairie

The lone selection to not be in the SEISC is Mid-Prairie guard Amara Jones.

Jones was one of the top guards in the River Valley South Conference.

An undoubted leader to the Golden Hawks, Jones finished the year averaging 10.4 points, second-best for Mid-Prairie, along with team highs in assists at 4.4 and steals 4.2. Both ranked first in the conference. She also pulled down 4.0 rebounds a night as well.