Highland’s Burton named SEISC North Player of the Year

No one stuffed the stat sheet quite like Highland forward Sarah Burton this season.

The senior was top five in nearly every statistical category through the Southeast Iowa Super Conference North. That played a major factor in why she was named this years SEISC North Player of the Year with the release of the 2024 SEISC All-Conference Teams.

Burton is joined by four other Huskies, marking the second most selections through the North division. Columbus joins the Huskies with five player picks, but the Wildcats’ also bring back some coaching hardware as Kasey Keltner is the North’s Coach of the Year.

Lone Tree leads the way with six total player selections.

WACO finished with four as well as Hillcrest Academy. Winfield-Mt. Union and Pekin both end with three distinctions.

In the South Division, New London and Van Buren County both earned three all-conference selections.

Holy Trinity, Notre Dame, Mediapolis and Danville all finished with five selections.

The Crusaders’ Mary Kate Bendlage is this year’s Player of the Year. Todd Borrison of Mediapolis and Tony Johnson of Holy Trinity were both named Coaches of the Year.

Players were picked for both first and second team all-conference, while an additional two from each SEISC team were selected to the honorable mention lists.

Beginning with the Player of the Year, in Highland’s Sarah Burton. Burton was once again one of the North’s premiere players, earning a first-team selection once again. She once again took her game to new heights, leading the league in points per game, rebounds, blocks, field goals made, field goal percentage and free throws made.

She was also top five in assists, steals and free throw percentage

Burton was one of four players to average a double double. Through 21 games, she averaged 16.2 points per game, 14.2 rebounds, 2.5 blocks, while connecting on 130 shots with a 53.7% clip. From the foul line, Burton dropped in 79 shots, 15 more than second in that category.

Her 14.2 rebounds also ranked fourth in the entire state.

A 68.7% mark from the stripe was good enough for third in the conference. Her 79 steals and 59 assists were the fourth most in the league.

Joining Burton on the first-team list is Stella Slaymaker.

Slaymaker took strides in 2024. The senior stepped into a bigger role for the Huskies, finishing with a team second best 6.2 rebounds a game.

She also averaged 5.5 points a night, while shooting 35.0% from the field.

Representing the Huskies on the second-team is junior Katie Herrig.

Herrig made a jump in all categories for the Huskies through the 2023-24 season. She finished second in scoring, averaging 5.9 points a night. She was also Highland’s top outside threat, knocking down 28 threes. Herrig pulled down 4.4 rebounds a game as well.

The two Highland honorable mentions selections were seniors Kerra Longbine and Kelsi Cerny.

Highland finished 11-3 in conference play, good enough for third. The Huskies ended 14-6 overall.

Headlining Columbus on the 2023-24 All-Conference list is junior Lily Coil.

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Coil was nothing short of stellar in her third campaign. While a devastating injury cut the guards season to just 14 games, she was still one of the top players in the league when all was said and done.

Coil was both an offensive and defensive threat on the hardwood.

Through the games she played, Coil averaged 14.9 points a game, that ranked fifth in the North when the season ended. Coil also ranked in the upper echelon in rebounds, assists, steals, field goals made and free throws attempted.

The third year averaged 10.3 rebounds to average a double double, along with 3.2 assists. Both ranked third in the conference. Defensively, Coil led the North averaging an outstanding 5.7 steals per game. That mark was also ninth in the state as a whole.

She also got to the foul line quite a bit, ranking third in free throws attempted, 5.6 per game, and second in free throws made with 3.5 per game. Her 5.3 field goals made per game ranked fifth as well.

The Columbus backcourt in going to be in good hands in 2024-25. The second Wildcat to be named to the first team list is junior Ariana Vergara.

Vergara was second on the Wildcats in scoring, tallying 12.5 points per game. Along with her scoring, Vergara averaged 5.6 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 4.0 steals per game through all 22 games played. Her steals average was good enough for third in the division.

She ranked first for Columbus in total points, assists and steals.

The lone Wildcat on second team is yet another junior in Aracely Garza.

Garza was third for the Wildcats in scoring, averaging 6.3 points a game. She also pulled down 6.9 boards, good enough for second on the team. In all she pulled down a team high 152 rebounds. Garza play in all 22 games and was the Wildcats top three point scorer, finishing with 30 made three balls.

Rounding out the Wildcats on the honorable mention list is junior Frannie Sosa and sophomore Isabel Rendon.

The Wildcats finished the year with a second-place finish in the North standings, closing with a conference record of 12-2 and an overall record of 14-5.

For WACO, senior Emma Wagler led the way with a first team selection. Wagler put together a fantastic final campaign, taking over as the Warriors leading scorer in 2023-24.

Wagler averaged a cool 12.7 points per game, which was good enough for seventh in the conference. Where she shined though was cleaning the glass. Wagler was one of the top rebounders this season, pulling down a league second best 12.1 boards a game.

She was particularly great at creating second chances, averaging a conference high 5.5 offensive boards a night, grabbing 120 total. Wagler was the only player to reach triple digits in that category.

Getting to the foul line was a common occurrence. Her 5.9 free throw attempts per game topped the league as well.

For the Warriors on second team, freshman Brenna Graber earns the honor. Graber is the only freshman on either first or second team. Rightfully so, as the first year player made quite an impact.

Graber was second on the Warriors in scoring averaging 9.4 points a game. Along with her scoring, she averaged 3.5 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 2.7 steals (team second best). She also knocked down 31 threes, which was the second most for WACO.

Graber has a bright future with WACO.

The pair of players named to honorable mention for WACO are senior Naomi Egli and junior Ella Huisenga.

WACO finished the season with a conference record of 11-5 and an overall record of 11-9.

Hillcrest Academy, is represented on first team by one of three sophomores on the first team list.

That is none other than Claire Withrow.

Withrow was one of the top outside shooters in the league this season. Through 21 games, she connected on 66 balls from beyond the arc. That ranked 14th in the state, regardless of class.

Her 3.1 made three pointers per game topped the conference. She wasn’t only just pulling up from deep, but hitting them as well. With a 35.3% three point percentage, she ranked second in the league. Withrow was fifth in free throw percentage as well, sitting at 64.7%.

The second year player has a bright future.

Representing the Ravens on second team is Malia Yoder. Yoder got better in every statistical category this season.

The junior finished with a team second best 12.5 points per game. She also carded 6.1 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 3.5 steals. Her steals numbers ranked fifth in the conference and assists eighth.

Yoder is a big piece of the Ravens squad that loses no one heading into next season.

On honorable mention for Hillcrest Academy are juniors Delaney Shaw and Lydia Beachy.

The Ravens ended the season with a record of 3-13 and 6-14 overall.

For Winfield-Mt. Union, Madisen Kellogg was the of the top new faces to sky rocket to the top of the stat boards. Kellogg earns a first team honor in her first season as a starter.

Kellogg led the Wolves in both points and rebounds. The sophomore averaged a North second best 15.8 points per game, along with 9.1 rebounds which was the fifth most.

The underclassman averaged a second best 5.8 field goals made per game, while shooting 41.4% from the field. That was good enough for sixth in the conference.

Kellogg is going to be one of the players to look out for in the SEISC North for years to come.

While WMU doesn’t have anyone on second team, junior Pacey Schlee and freshman Suttyn Schlee were both named to honorable mention.

In all, the Wolves closed the year with a 2-13 conference record and a record of 4-14 overall.

Pekin closes out the North division with a second team selection. That honor goes to none other than Pekin sophomore center Anna Hadley.

After averaging just 1.9 points in 2022-23, Hadley made a big leap this season. The second year player averaged a double double, scoring 12.4 points a game and grabbing 10 rebounds, which was fourth in the league.

Hadley will look to lead the Panthers once again next season as they will stay goodbye to just one player.

The two Panthers named to honorable mention are senior Alex Parsons and sophomore Chloe Glosser.

Pekin finished the season with a records of 6-9, 6-13.

In the SEISC South, the Union area is represented by just two players on second team.

First for Van Buren County it’s senior forward Ivy Davison. Davison has been a premier player for the Warriors for four years now.

She once again led VBC averaging 11.5 points per game and grabbing 7.0 rebounds, which ranked 11th and fifth in the South division. Davison also averaged 1.5 blocks a game, which was third best in the league.

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VBC will look a little different next season with Davison not at the helm.

Junior Callie Kracht and sophomore Sophia Jirak were both honorable mention picks for the Warriors.

The Warriors ended the season with a record of 4-10 in conference play and 7-16 overall.

New London was led by junior Mylee Miller, who earned a second team selection. Miller has been one of the top post players in the South since starting as a freshman.

This season, Miller was the lone Tigers to hit double figures in points per game, averaging 10.1 points. Miller also excelled on the glass, pulling down a conference fourth best 7.2 rebounds. She was also a force in the paint defensively. Miller averaged 1.9 blocks. That lead the conference.

In her senior season, the Tigers will look for Miller to continue to score and dominate the glass and paint.

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The Tigers two honorable mention picks are senior Sophie Malott and junior Morgan Jones.

New London finished the season with a conference record of 1-14 and an overall record of 1-20.

SEISC North

First Team All-Conference

Finley Jacque LT So

Vivian Zaruba LT Jr

Lily Coil Col Jr

Ariana Vergara Col Jr

Sarah Burton Highland Sr

Stella Slaymaker Highland Sr

Emma Wagler WACO Sr

Tatum Wolford Wapello Sr

Claire Withrow Hillcrest So

Madisen Kellogg WMU So

Player of the Year: Sarah Burton Highland Sr

Coach of the Year: Kasey Keltner Columbus

Second Team All-Conference

Brenna Graber WACO Fr

Malia Yoder Hillcrest Jr

Ava Christofferson LT So

Alyson Ford LT So

Aracely Garza Col Jr

Katie Herrig Highland Jr

Anna Hadley Pekin So

Jacie Hoeg Wapello Sr

Hannah Kissell L&M So

Bailey Runnells L&M Jr

Honorable Mention

Rylee Shield LT Jr

Avery Lisk LT Sr

Frannie Sosa Col Jr

Isabel Rendon Col So

Kerra Longbine Highland Sr

Kelsi Cerny Highland Sr

Naomi Egli WACO Sr

Ella Huisenga WACO Jr

Alex Parsons Pekin Sr

Chloe Glosser Pekin So

Mya Wagner Wapello Fr

Rachel Hoeg Wapello Jr

Morgan Stecher LM Sr

Kyley Wagler LM Sr

Delaney Shaw Hillcrest Jr

Lydia Beachy Hillcrest Jr

Pacey Schlee WMU Jr

Suttyn Schlee WMU Fr

SEISC South

First Team All-Conference

Mary Kate Bendlage Holy Trinity Sr

Lauren Krieger Notre Dame Sr

Jaeda Molle Danville Sr

Grace Holsteen Mediapolis So

Haley Steffener Mediapolis Sr

Natalie Randolph Holy Trinity Sr

Rylee Morris Danville Sr

Hanna Wagenbach Mediapolis Sr

Taryn Stephens Notre Dame Sr

Player of the Year: Mary Kate Bendlage, Holy Trinity, Sr

Coach of the Year: Todd Borrison, Mediapolis; Tony Johnson, Holy Trinity

Second Team All-Conference

Kenna Furnald Danville Sr

Ivy Davison Van Buren County Sr

Lizzy Mason Central Lee Fr

Taryn Havener West Burlington Sr

Anna Engberg Notre Dame Sr

Teagan Snaadt Holy Trinity Jr

Jaydon Wirt Mediapolis Sr

Kenna Sandavol Central Lee So

Mylee Miller New London Jr

Honorable Mention

Taylor Jones Central Lee So

Jayden Mueller Central Lee So

Alexis Dietsch Danville Sr

Alaina Gourley Danville So

Anna Bendlage HTC Jr

Reagan Holvoet HTC Sr

Josie Hutcheson Mediapolis So

Bryn Wright Mediapolis So

Sophie Malott New London Sr

Morgan Jones New London Jr

Nadiya Jones Notre Dame Sr

Aviana West Notre Dame Sr

Callie Kracht Van Buren Jr

Sophia Jirak Van Buren So

Isabella Blaufuss West Burlington Sr

Kyleigh Applegate West Burlington So