Lopreato earns captain honors

Another girls basketball season has come and gone, and the Southeast Conference went through another thrilling year, as parody reigned supreme again in 2021-22.

Although Keokuk was able to outdo the Union area’s SEC squads this season, the conference slate saw thriller after thriller. Fairfield, Mt. Pleasant and Washington finished third, fourth and fifth respectively in the conference.

This year’s All-Union girls basketball team for the area’s big schools is upperclassman dominated, as five seniors and two juniors fill the team. Fairfield leads the way with a head coach and three players.

COACH

Pat Pacha, Fairfield

The Trojans were a senior-dominated team in 2021-22, and that meant big expectations for Pat Pacha’s group. Fairfield went 13-9 overall this year and finished 6-4 in conference play.

The Trojans were in every almost every single ballgame this season. Out of the Trojans’ nine losses, only one of them was double-digits. Every SEC loss came by nine points or less.

Fairfield showed out in the postseason, beating Oskaloosa 37-24 on the Indians’ own home court. The Trojans nearly upset No. 4 Indianola in the Class 4A Substate 5 regional semifinals, falling in a nail-biter, 44-40.

CAPTAIN

Andrea Lopreato, junior, Mt. Pleasant

Mt. Pleasant’s Lopreato has made strides every single year of her varsity career, and she hit a new level in the 2021-22 season.

Lorpeato was Top-15 in Class 4A in all five major statistical categories. She was fourth in the class with 21.3 points per game, second in rebounds per game with 9.9, and tied for second with 4.3 assists per game.

Defensively, she ended the year with 3.9 steals per game, sixth-best in Class 4A, and finished tied for 13th in blocks per game, with 1.3.

Lopreato promises to be a force to be reckoned with when her senior season rolls around next season.

Danielle Breen, senior, Fairfield

A lot was expected out of one of the Trojans’ twin stars as she entered her senior year, and Breen delivered with another strong season.

Fairfield’s leading scorer put up 14.4 points per game this season, and yanked down 3.8 rebounds per game from the guard position.

Breen led the team with 2.1 assists per game on The year. She finished third in steals, with 1.8.

Delaney Breen, senior, Fairfield

Fairfield’s other twin star was neck-and-neck with her sister all year on the scoring charts. Delaney scored 13.9 points per game, helped out by a team-high of 49 3-pointers made, almost half of Fairfield’s 99 long balls on the year.

She ended the season with 2.9 steals per game, 2.5 rebounds per game and 1.4 assists per game, a solid end to her stellar career.

Fairfield’s basketball program will have a tough time replacing both Breens when the winter rolls back around in 2022-23.

Kenna Lamm, senior, Mt. Pleasant

Mt. Pleasant’s Lamm turned into the team’s sharpshooter in 2022-23. The senior guard scored 11.9 points per game, helped out by 36 made 3-point baskets.

Lamm was tough all around, finishing second on the team with 2.2 steals per game and third with 1.8 assists.

It’s going to be tough for the Panther girls to replace what Lamm does on the basketball court next season.

Jadan Brumbaugh, senior, Mt. Pleasant

A one-year player for the Mt. Pleasant basketball program, Brumbaugh made the most of her only season shooting hoops.

Brumbaugh burst on to the scene and became a double-double threat immediately. She finished the year with 7.2 points per games and eight rebounds a game for the Panthers.

Brumbaugh changed the dynamic of the Panthers in 2021-22, and earns a spot on the All-Union squad in her only season.

Alex Murphy, junior Washington

Washington’s lone representative on the All-Union squad is the Demons’ junior leader.

Murphy battled all year for a young Demon team and ended up leading the squad in multiple categories. She put up 6.7 points per game and 7.6 rebounds per game, both team highs.

Murphy and the Demons will be a team to watch in 2022-23, as Washington graduates just one player from the team this year.

Mallory Lyon, senior, Fairfield

Fairfield’s top inside scorer is their third player on the 2022 All-Union list. Lyon was the Trojans’ third-leading scorer, putting up 5.8 points per game.

Lyon filled the stat sheets in other ways as well for the Trojans. She brought down 5.7 rebounds per game, second best on the team, and finished the year with 1.2 steals per game as well.

Lyon is one of seven Fairfield seniors who will be sorely missed next winter.