By Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

IOWA CITY – The statistics for Ashley Joens the last three seasons have been impressive.

Joens has rolled up nearly 1,400 points and more than 600 rebounds in her first three seasons at City High.

The most remarkable element when it comes to the statistics for Joens is that the numbers never seem to stop improving.

Joens put up career bests in scoring and rebounding for the third straight season as a junior on her way to being named to the Class 5A All-State first team released by the Iowa Newspaper Association on Tuesday.

This is the third straight season that Joens has earned all-state honors from the INA and second straight season she has been a first-team selection.

Joens was a second-team pick as a freshman in 2015.

“She just keeps getting better,” City High coach Bill McTaggart said. “She always wants to keep getting better too, her goal next year is to increase her assists and stay out of foul trouble.”

Joens averaged 21.1 points and 10.3 rebounds per game this season, ranking second in Class 5A in both categories.

The 5-foot-11 guard shot a career-best 51 percent from the field and 73 percent from the free throw line while leading 5A in both free throw attempts and made free throws.

Joens improved her scoring average by nearly two points from last season and averaged close to 1.5 more rebounds per game as a junior.

She also led City High to its best season during her career as the Little Hawks finished 22-2 and advanced to the state tournament for the first time since 2014.

“She works extremely hard at it,” McTaggart said. “That’s a big part of her success is how hard she works at it. She’s always trying to get better.”

Joens scored in double figures in 23 of 24 games this season and has now reached double figures in 68 of her 70 career games.

She had a career-high 12 double-doubles this season after posting eight last year.

Joens had a career-best 15 games with more than 20 points, including a career-high 33 in a regional semifinal win over Burlington.

With a 22-point, nine-rebound performance in a Class 5A state tournament loss to Cedar Falls the Iowa State commit set a new single-season rebounding record at City High with 246 rebounds.

“She is one of the best rebounders I have ever coached and she is not as tall as a lot of kids I’ve coached,” McTaggart said. “She really has a knack for the ball.”

Class 1A

First Team

Front line – Mikayla Nachazel, 5-11, Jr., Springville; Marissa Schroeder, 6-1, Sr., Bellevue Marquette; Sophia Peppers, 5-10, Jr., Exira-EHL. Back court – Rylee Menster, 5-6, Jr., Springville; Shelby Reicks, 5-11, Sr., Turkey Valley; Kelly Leerar, 5-7, Jr., West Hancock. Utility – Victoria Hazard, 5-10, Sr., Janesville.

Second Team

Front line – Addison Hirschman, 6-2, Jr., Kingsley-Pierson; Julia Fleecs, 6-2, Sr., Glidden-Ralston; Carah Drees, 6-1, Soph., Westwood. Back court – Erin Gerke, 5-7, Sr., Newell-Fonda; Johanna Myers, 6-0, Sr., Burlington Notre Dame; Jenna Boelter, 5-6, Jr., Algona Bishop Garrigan. Utility – Morgan Kuennen, 5-11, Sr., Turkey Valley.

Third Team

Front line – Brenna Lanser, 5-9, Sr., Lynnville-Sully; Maddi Brandt, 5-11, Sr., AGWSR; Alyssa Jaeger, 5-11, Jr., Springville. Back court – Megan Stubbs, 5-7, Sr., Grand View Christian; Ashley Funk, 5-7, Sr., Central Elkader; Madison Forbes, 5-6, Sr., Lone Tree. Utility – Blaire Sonderleiter, 6-0, Sr., GMG.

Class 2A

First Team

Front line – Ashtyn Verbeek, 6-2, Jr., Western Christian; Gracey Griglione, 6-1, Sr., Interstate-35; Kelcie Shields, 6-1, Sr., Mount Ayr; Back court – Mary Crompton, 5-8, Jr., Regina; Kelsey Hora, 5-1, Sr., Highland; Mackenzie Rogers, 5-8, Jr., Mediapolis. Utility – Brianna Mensen, 5-11, Sr., Maquoketa Valley.

Second Team

Front line – Ashley Tull, 5-11, Jr., North Linn; Madelyn Deitchler, 5-10, Jr., Treynor; Ali Masters, 5-10, Soph., Central Decatur. Back court – Mackenzie Roberts, 5-9, Sr., Van Meter; Kaylee Parks, 5-6, Jr., Central Springs; Konnor Sudmann, 5-9, Soph., Treynor. Utility – Sarah Lehman, 5-10, Sr., Regina.

Third Team

Front line – Erika Feenstra, 6-1, Sr., Western Christian; Maci Gambell, 5-10, Jr., Pekin; Emma Atwood, 5-10, Soph., Central Decatur. Back court – Taylor Rodenburg, 5-8, Jr., West Sioux; Kenzie Cunard, 5-7, Jr., Emma Staudt, 5-9, Sr., Rockford. Utility – Alex Wiese, 6-0, Soph., Regina.

Class 3A

First Team

Front line – Lexi Toering, 5-10, Jr., Sioux Center; Jasmine Harris, 5-10, Sr., Davenport Assumption; Grace Meyer, 5-9, Sr., Pocahontas Area. Back court – Elle Ruffridge, 5-3, Sr., Pocahontas Area; Payton Slaughter, 5-5, Soph., Cherokee; Ellie Friesen, 5-3, Jr., Crestwood. Utility – Emily Snelling, 5-6, Sr., Clear Lake.

Second Team

Front line – Maddie Miller, 5-10, Jr., Algona; Allison Wooldridge, 6-1, Jr., Center Point-Urbana; Kaitlyn Volesky, 5-10, Sr., Mount Vernon. Back court – Isabelle Gradwell, 6-0, Jr., West Marshall; Faith Meyer, 5-8, Sr., Pocahontas Area; Paityn Hagberg, 5-4, Jr., Cherokee. Utility – Hannah Anderson, 5-7, Jr., Forest City.

Third Team

Front line – Shannon Pisney, 5-9, Jr., Crestwood; Courtney Schnoor, 6-1, Sr., Camanche; Jessica Musgrave, 5-9, Soph., South Tama. Back court – Regan Freland, 5-9, Fr., PCM; Jordyn Van Maanen, 5-6, Jr., Sioux Center; Anna Brown, 5-10, Soph., Spirit Lake. Utility – Logan Ehlers, 6-1, Sr., Shenandoah.

Class 4A

First Team

Front line – Megan Holt, 5-11, Jr., Council Bluffs Lewis Central; Lexi Noonan, 5-9, Sr., Cedar Rapids Xavier; Lexy Koudelka, 6-2, Jr., Nevada. Back court – Katie Vander Molen, 5-9, Sr., Pella; Chloe Rice, 5-10, Jr., Marion; Karli Rucker, 5-6, Sr., North Scott. Utility – Agatha Beier, 5-9, Sr., Carlisle.

Second Team

Front line – Alexis Westercamp, 5-10, Sr., Oskaloosa; Madison Drickman, 6-0, Soph., LeMars; Claire Sandvig, 6-3, Jr., Boone. Back court – Kayba Laube, 5-8, Fr., Marion; Nichole Buch, 5-9, Jr., Fairfield; Megan Meyer, 5-8, Soph., Mason City. Utility – Morgan Pitz, 5-10, Sr., Western Dubuque.   

Third Team

Front line – Sienna Durr, 6-0, Jr., Grinnell; Kiara Bradley, 5-11, Sr., Pella; Keely Petzenhauser, 5-10, Jr., Spencer. Back court – Abby Wisecup, 5-8, Soph., Sergeant Bluff-Luton; Madison Wilkins, 5-6, Sr., Grinnell; Grace Marburger, 5-4, Sr., Perry. Utility – Katie Harken, 5-11, Sr., Waverly-Shell Rock.

Class 5A

First Team

Front line – Grace Berg, 6-0, Jr., Indianola; Logan Cook, 6-1, Jr., West High; Taryn Knuth, 6-4, Sr., Johnston. Back court – Hannah Fuller, 5-8, Sr., West Des Moines Valley; Ashley Joens, 5-11, Jr., City High; Carlie Littlefield, 5-9, Sr., Waukee. Utility – Jinaya Houston, 6-1, Sr., Davenport North.

Second Team

Front line – Kiana Barney, 6-1, Jr., Cedar Falls; Paige Bradford, 6-0, Jr., Davenport North; Kennedy Dighton, 6-1, Sr., Cedar Rapids Jefferson. Back court – Ellie Spelhaug, 5-10, Jr., Pleasant Valley; Maggie McGraw, 5-11, Soph., Indianola; Sierra Mitchell, 5-5, Sr., Southeast Polk. Utility – Ryan Weiss, 5-9, Sr., Ames.

Third Team

Front line – Megan Groneau, 6-4, Sr., Dubuque Hempstead; Cynthia Wolf, 6-3, Jr., Cedar Falls; Zoe Young, 5-10, Soph., West Des Moines Valley. Back court – Caitlyn Clark, 5-11, Fr., West Des Moines Dowling; Kylie Coleman, 5-9, Sr., Waukee; Emily Ivory, 5-5, Jr., Bettendorf. Utility – Rachael Saunders, 5-8, Jr., West High.