Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

West Branch was the clear class of the River Valley Conference this season winning its second consecutive South Division title while posting a 17-1 conference mark.

That command of the conference was clear when the league released its postseason honors on Wednesday.

West Branch had five players earn all-conference honors, including a pair of Elite Team honorees and Jarod Tylee was named South Division coach of the year for the second consecutive season after directing West Branch to its second straight RVC title.

Senior point guard Sasha Koenig and junior center Delaynie Luneckas were both Elite Team picks for West Branch.

Senior guards Taya Young and Rylan Druecker were named to the South Division squad and senior Lexie Peak was an honorable mention pick after West Branch went unbeaten against South Division competition and won its second straight conference title after going without a conference crown for nearly 40 years before last season.

Koenig was named to the 10-member Elite Team that honors the top players from both the North and South Divisions for the third consecutive season.

The 5-foot-5 Koenig leads all River Valley Conference players in scoring 20.9 points per game and assists with 5.5 per game and also averages 4.7 rebounds and 3.1 steals per game.

Luneckas was a first-team Elite Team selection following a breakthrough junior season in which she averaged 12.2 points, 9.2 rebounds and 2.7 blocked shots per game.

Young is averaging 10.1 points, 4.8 rebounds and 2.3 steals per game while Druecker averages 10.7 points, 4.9 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game.

Regina had three players earn all-conference honors led by senior Annie Gahan who was named to the Elite Team for the first time.

A South Division team pick a year ago, Gahan had the best season of her career as a senior leading Regina with 15.4 points per game to go with 4.9 rebounds, 3.1 steals and 2.4 assists.

Sophomore point guard Grace Gaarde was named to the South Division squad after averaging 9.5 points, a team-high 3.7 assists and 3 steals per game while helping the Regals to a 10-7 regular season record.

Senior Abby Clark was an honorable mention selection for Regina.

River Valley Conference Girls Basketball Teams 

Elite Team – *Teresa Paulsen, Sr., Bellevue; *Kelsey Drake, Jr., Wilton; Ally Hoffman, Jr., Cascade; Delaynie Luneckas, Jr., West Branch; Sasha Koenig, Sr., West Branch; Gabrielle Guilford, Sr., Monticello; Macy Daufeldt, Jr., West Liberty; Finley Hall, Soph., West Liberty; Maddie Nonnenmann, Jr., Mid-Prairie; Annie Gahan, Sr., Regina

South Team – Ella Caffery, Jr., Wilton; Grace Gaarde, Soph., Regina; Taya Young, Sr., West Branch; Rylan Druecker, Sr., West Branch; Janey Gingerich, Sr., West Liberty; Sailor Hall, Jr., West Liberty; Ally Happ, Jr., Durant; Rachel Bierman, Sr., Tipton; Myah Lugar, Sr., Mid-Prairie; Phelan Hostetler, Sr., Mid-Prairie

South Division Coach of the Year – Jarod Tylee, West Branch

North Team – Emma Fowler, Sr., Northeast; Jenna Syring, Sr., North Cedar; Kalesia DeShaw, Soph., Bellevue; Audrey Wedeking, Sr., Bellevue; Tori McDonald, Sr., Monticello; Becca Prull, Sr., Monticello; Alyssa Lux, Soph., Cascade; Ellie Rickertsen, Jr., Northeast; Maddie Heims, Sr., Anamosa, Aubrye Carstensen, Jr., Camanche

North Division Coach of the Year – Rick Reeg, Bellevue

Honorable Mention – Maddie Michels, Sr., Camanche; Joslin Banowetz, Soph., Anamosa; Julia Penniston, Sr., Bellevue; Karli Recker, Sr., Monticello; Sam Koth, Sr., North Cedar; Alexis Ehlers, Sr., Northeast; Faith Bower, Sr., Cascade; Amara Jones, Soph., Mid-Prairie; Abby Clark, Sr., Regina; Lexie Peak, Sr., West Branch; Averi Goodale, Sr., West Liberty; Peyton Souhrada, Jr., Wilton; Halle Collier, Sr., Durant; Alex Hoffman, Sr., Tipton

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