By Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

All season West High was led by its big three.

Seniors Connor McCaffery and Devontae Lane and sophomore Patrick McCaffery combined to account for better than 65 percent of the Trojans’ offensive output.

Last week the trio led West High to a Class 4A state title and on Tuesday all three were honored for their seasons.

Connor McCaffery and Lane were each named to the 4A all-state first team while Patrick McCaffery was a second-team selection when the Iowa Newspaper Associated released its postseason awards.

The trio helped West High to a 23-3 record and combined for 44 points in a 64-50 win over West Des Moines Valley in the 4A title game.

“It’s pretty nice when you have two first teamers and a second team player to build around,” West High coach Steve Bergman said. “Then it was putting the other pieces around those guys and when we finally got that figured out that’s when we put it together but it’s such a luxury to build around three elite players and that’s what they are.”

Connor McCaffery led West High in scoring and rebounding this season averaging 19.6 points and 4.8 rebounds per game on his way to being named to the 4A first team for the second straight season.

A three-time all-state selection, Connor McCaffery posted the best season of his career as a senior.

The 6-foot-6 point guard shot a career-high 52 percent from the field and 44 percent from 3-point range while ranking eighth in Class 4A with 19.6 points per game.

McCaffery ranked second on the team in both assists (3.7) and steals (1.8).

“I think Connor was still our most improved player,” Bergman said. “He probably was our most improved player every year because every year he added something to his game.”

Lane received first-team honors for the first time after being selected to the 4A second-team last season.

The 6-foot-2 senior averaged 14.9 points and ranked ninth in 4A with 4.1 assists per game this season.

Lane shot 51 percent from the floor and 78 percent from the free throw line and led West High with 3.1 steals per game.

He averaged 15.3 points per game in three state tournament wins.

“It’s pretty obvious if you watched them play the last couple of years that they are two of the best players in the state,” Bergman said of Lane and Connor McCaffery. “They’ve played like all-state players and they were recognized as such.”

Patrick McCaffery earned all-state honors for the first time after a sophomore season in which he averaged 13.8 points and 4.3 rebounds per game.

The 6-foot-8 McCaffery shot 61 percent from the floor and led West High with 1.8 blocks and was third with 2.2 assists per game.

“If Connor wasn’t our most improved player this season it was Patrick,” Bergman said. “Those two spend more time in the gym than anybody we have so that is another testament to them. They are already all-state caliber players and they still work as hard as anyone.”

Iowa Newspaper Association All-State Teams

Class 1A

First Team

Front line – Nicholas Ruden, 6-4, Jr., Remsen St. Mary’s; Riley Van Wyhe, 6-3, Sr., Central Lyon; Brady Gavin, 6-7, Jr., Martensale-St. Mary’s; Back court – Joe Smoldt, 6-1, Sr., Gladbrook-Reinbeck; Jake Hilmer, 5-11, Soph., North Linn; Grant DeMeulenaere, 6-0, Jr., Grand View Christian; Utility – Jovonte Squiers, 6-1, Sr., Lone Tree; Jesse Van Wyk, 6-3, Jr., Lynnville-Sully.

Second Team

Front line – Seth Weiland, 6-7, Sr., West Hancock; Nathan Karsjens, 6-7, Sr., AGWSR; Seth Mieller, 6-3, Sr., Prince of Peace Prep; Back court – Christian Kyles, 6-0, Jr., Siouxland Christian; Mason Porter, 6-2, Soph., New London; Dakota Strong, 6-1, Sr., Montezuma; Utility – Kaleb Anderson, 5-9, Sr., Lenox; Zach Martinek, 6-4, Soph., West Fork.

Third Team

Front line –  Colby Seuntjens, 6-3, Jr., Maple Valley-Anthon-Oto; Jarod Nichols, 6-4, Jr., Colfax-Mingo; Niko Gosnell, 6-8, Sr., Lone Tree; Back court – Paul Rundquist, 5-10, Soph., Wapsie Valley; Ryan Miller, 5-10, Jr., North Linn; Dylan Eckels, 6-0, Sr., West Hancock; Utility – Brett Kelting, 6-3, Sr., Calamus-Wheatland; Stephen Glenn, 6-2, Sr., Grand View Christian.

Class 2A

First Team

Front line – Colin Hill, 6-6, Jr., South Hamilton; Matt Dentlinger, 6-7, Sr., Kuemper Catholic; Cooper Kabela, 6-4, Sr., West Branch; Back court – Ethan Wyant, 6-0, Sr., Jesup; Levi Jungling, 5-11, Sr., Pella Christian; Ben Gesink, 6-3, Sr., Western Christian; Utility – Jesse Jansma, 6-3, Sr., Western Christian; Jay Small, 6-3, Sr., Hinton.

Second Team

Front line – Austin Roetman, 6-7, Sr., Pocahontas Area; Dylan Hundley, 6-4, Sr., Camanche; Isaiah Humphrey, 6-2, Sr., Underwood; Back court – Ben Juhl, 6-1, Sr., Des Moines Christian; Dakota Soenksen, 6-3, Sr., Camanche; Trenton Massner, 6-1, Jr., Wapello; Utility – Ben Latusek, 6-4, Sr., Dike-New Hartford; Riley LeGrand, 6-3, Sr., Dyersville Beckman.

Third Team

Front line – Zane Johnson, 6-4, Jr., East Marshall; David Kacmarynski, 6-3, Sr., Pella Christian; James Betz, 6-7, Soph., Garner-Hayfield-Ventura; Back court – Drew Olson, 6-2, Jr., Osage; RJ Harris, 6-2, Jr., AHSTW; Gannon O’Brien, 6-0, Jr., Cascade; Utility – Marco Balderas, 5-7, Jr., South Hamilton; Isaac Heyer, 6-3, Sr., West Lyon.

Class 3A

First Team

Front line – Ryan Van Wyk, 6-5, Sr., Pella; Garrett Franken, 6-7, Sr., Atlantic; Austin Phyfe, 6-10, Sr., Waverly-Shell Rock; Back court – Brady Sartorius, 6-0, Jr., Mount Pleasant; Elijah Hazekamp, 6-5, Jr., Sioux City Heelan; Luke Vaske, 6-1, Jr., Norwalk; Utility – Matt Mims, 6-0, Jr., Cedar Rapids Xavier; Chris Kroll, 6-1, Sr., Sergeant Bluff-Luton.

Second Team

Front line – Cade McKnight, 6-9, Sr., Grinnell; Sam Snyder, 6-5, Jr., Forest City; Derek Krogmann, 6-7, Soph., West Delaware; Back court – Nate Mohr, 6-1, Jr., Glenwood; Trenton Hilbrands, 6-0, Jr., LeMars; Trey Tucker, 6-0, Sr., Greene County; Utility – Sam Allen, 6-3, Sr., Grinnell; Austin Ash, 6-2, Sr., Mount Vernon.

Third Team

Front line – Trevor Grove, 6-6, Sr., Dallas Center-Grimes; Andrew Blum, 6-4, Jr., Glenwood; Jackson Wright, 6-5, Sr., Sergeant Bluff-Luton; Back court – Jack Molstead, 5-9, Soph., Charles City; Trenton Wallace, 6-1, Sr., Davenport Assumption; Tajen Ross, 6-3, Sr., ADM; Utility – Lim Choul, 6-3, Sr., Chariton; John Nagel, 6-6, Sr., West Delaware.

Class 4A

First Team

Front line – Joe Wieskamp, 6-6, Jr., Muscatine; Van Rees, 6-6, Jr., Sioux City East; Douglas Wilson, 6-6, Sr., Des Moines Hoover; Back court – AJ Green, 6-2, Jr., Cedar Falls; Tyreke Locure, 5-10, Soph., Des Moines North; Devontae Lane, 6-2, Sr., West High; Utility – Connor McCaffery, 6-6, Sr., West High; Garrett Sturtz, 6-2, Jr., Newton.  

Second Team

Front line – Jacob Rau, 6-7, Sr., Waukee; Noah Carter, 6-5, Soph., Dubuque Senior; Patrick McCaffery, 6-8, Soph., West High; Back court – Sam Ingoli, 6-3, Jr., West Des Moines Dowling; Ray Miller, 6-0, Sr., Davenport Central; Kyle Lang, 6-0, Sr., Mason City; Utility – Drew Maschoff, 6-3, Sr., Ankeny; Bailey Basala, 6-5, Sr., North Scott.

Third Team

Front line – Quinton Curry, 6-6, Sr., West Des Moines Valley; Joe Evans, 6-3, Jr., Ames; Jal Bijiek, 6-7, Sr., Des Moines North; Back court – Max Smith Drahos, 6-1, Sr., Cedar Rapids Prairie; Aidan Vanderloo, 6-1, Soph., Sioux City East; Connor Gholson, 6-3, Sr., Newton; Utility – Connor Kasperbauer, 6-3, Sr., Ankeny Centennial; Chad Moran, 6-4, Sr., Lewis Central.