Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

IOWA CITY – From the time she started showing up to open gym workouts before her freshman season at City High Andie Westlake has been surrounded by some of the best players in the state.

Her first two prep seasons Westlake studied the likes of current Division I players Aubrey Joens, Rose Nkumu and Paige Rocca.

The past two seasons Westlake has lined up alongside all-staters and future Division I talents like Eviyon Richardson and Kelsey Joens.

“I’ve just been surrounded by really great players for as long as I can remember,” Westlake said. “I’ve gone to open gyms with these girls since I was little and I’ve played with them for so long, I’ve learned a lot.”

After a couple of years of learning from her teammates as a role player and one season of getting up to speed as a varsity starter Westlake is ready for her own breakthrough season.

The 5-foot-10 senior guard is off to a strong start averaging a 15 points per game for fourth-ranked City High (2-0) after pouring in a career-high 23 points in a season-opening win at Cedar Rapids Jefferson.

“She is a stronger leader this year,” City High coach Bill McTaggart said. “She has been a lot more aggressive on the offensive end and that’s what we’ve asked of her.”

Unlike some of her standout teammates who stepped into key roles immediately Westlake has had to wait her turn.

She saw court time early in her career largely as a reserve on teams led by Nkumu, Rocca and Aubrey Joens that advanced to back-to-back state tournaments in 2019 and 2020.

While Westlake was biding her time as a back-up she tried to soak in everything she could from her older teammates.

“You learn all of the stuff that coaches don’t tell you by watching older people play,” Westlake said. “All of the right stuff that they do that kind of goes unnoticed you try to pick up on what they do. Rose, Paige and Aubrey were three of the greatest leaders I’ve ever seen. Picking up on what they did, watching what they do in practice and in games all the little stuff, when we go to stadium cleanup or go to a boys game all the stuff that goes unnoticed they always did an outstanding job and I tried to pick up on that.”

Westlake averaged 2.2 points per game as a freshman and 2 points per game as a sophomore on City High teams that posted a combined 42-5 mark during that span.

In her first season as a starter a year ago Westlake averaged 6.7 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.8 assist per game in a Covid-shortened season.

“It’s definitely gotten easier as time has gone on, when I was a freshman I really had no idea what I was supposed to be doing just because I was surrounded by so many good people I didn’t know where I was going to fit in,” Westlake said. “Over time you learn all the stuff that is lacking and try to pick up on that.”

Westlake is poised to blow those numbers away this season.

She is shooting 50 percent from 3-point range (7-of-15) through two games and is averaging a team-high 5 assists per game to go with 3 rebounds.

“I’ve tried to shoot more just because I know that I’ve always been further down the line as a scoring option as I was younger but now that I’m a senior I’m going to try to take more shots,” Westlake said. “People aren’t usually expecting that from me just because I’ve played and not done that stuff.”

Westlake has become more of an offensive weapon but it is her ability to fit into any role that helps City High the most.

“I think she has learned to adapt to the players that she is with,” McTaggart said. “You can put her in with just about anybody and Andie will do well. She understands the strengths of all of our players and she does a good thing of playing to the strength of her teammates.”

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