City High’s Ashley Joens, West High’s Logan Cook Named MVC Divisional Players of the Year
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The Iowa City schools swept the regular season titles in the Mississippi Valley Conference with City High and West High both winning divisional crowns.
City High and West High nearly had a clean sweep of the league’s top postseason honors when the conference announced its all-divisional awards on Wednesday.
City High senior Ashley Joens and West High senior Logan Cook were each named player of the year in their respective divisions while West High coach BJ Mayer and City High’s Bill McTaggart both earned coach of the year honors.
Joens was named MVC divisional player of the year for the fourth straight season after leading the state in scoring at 31 points per game while leading top-ranked City High to a 23-0 record and Valley Division title.
The 6-foot-0 senior averages a double-double with 11.8 rebounds and also averages 3.3 steals, 3.1 assists and 1.8 blocks per game.
McTaggart was named Valley Division coach of the year after directing City High to its first unbeaten conference season since 2013-2014 and its sixth consecutive divisional title.
Cook earned Mississippi Division athlete of the year honors after averaging team-highs of 14.5 points and 7.1 rebounds.
The 6-foot-1 senior forward averaged 2 assists and 1.7 steals per game.
Mayer earned Mississippi Division coach of the year honors after directing West High to an 11-2 conference mark and divisional title.
Both City High and West High put a pair of players on the first team in their respective divisions.
City High sophomore Rose Nkumu joined Joens as a unanimous first-team pick in the Valley Division.
Nkumu averaged 13.6 points, 3.3 steals and 3.2 assists per game.
Sophomore guards Aubrey Joens and Paige Rocca were both second team picks for City High.
Joens averaged 13.4 points per game while Rocca averaged 9.2 for the Little Hawks.
West High senior Rachael Saunders was a first-team pick in the Mississippi Division while juniors Lauren Zacharias, Emma Cook and Cailyn Morgan were all named to the second team.
Saunders averaged 10.8 points per game after returning in January from knee surgery.
Koch averaged 9.8 points and 6.3 rebounds while Zacharias averaged 9.5 points and Morgan 9.2 points per game
Mississippi Valley Conference Girls Basketball All-Division Selections
Valley Division
Athlete of the Year – Ashley Joens, Sr., City High
Coach of the Year – Bill McTaggart, City High; Greg Groen, Cedar Falls; Josh Bentley, Cedar Rapids Prairie
First Team – *Ashley Joens, Sr., City High; *Rose Nkumu, Soph., City High; *Emerson Green, Soph., Cedar Falls; *Hailey Dolphin, Sr., Cedar Rapids Kennedy; Mallory McDermott, Soph., Cedar Rapids Prairie; Sarah Schmitt, Jr., Cedar Rapids Prairie; Cynthia Wolf, Sr., Cedar Falls; Kamryn Finley, Sr., Cedar Falls.
Second Team – Paige Rocca, Soph., City High; Kiana Barney, Sr., Cedar Falls; Madison Fleckenstein, Jr., Dubuque Hempstead; Sammy Mia, Jr., Cedar Rapids Washington; Aubrey Joens, Soph., City High; Anaya Barney, Fr., Cedar Falls; Sidney McCrea, Soph., Cedar Rapids Prairie; Morgan Krug, Sr., Dubuque Hempstead.
Honorable Mention – McKenna Gleason, Jr., Cedar Falls; Grace Burken, Sr., Cedar Falls; Olivia Hellweg, Sr., Cedar Rapids Kennedy; Auddie Alepra, Jr., Cedar Rapids Kennedy; Rachael Kilpatrick, Jr., Cedar Rapids Prairie; Halle Person, Jr., Cedar Rapids Prairie; Jayla Johnson, Sr., Cedar Rapids Washington; Vanessa Eniola, Sr., Cedar Rapids Washington; Riley Kay, Soph., Dubuque Hempstead; Kaylie Springer, Soph., Dubuque Hempstead; Alli Udelhofen, Jr., Dubuque Senior; Sachi Biehl, Sr., Dubuque Senior; Samantha Greving, Soph., City High; Ella Cook, Fr., City High.
All-academic (Area Athletes only) – Ashley Joens, Sr., City High; Virginia Muturi, Jr., City High.
Mississippi Division
Athlete of the Year – Logan Cook, Sr., West High
Coach of the Year – BJ Mayer, West High
First Team – *Logan Cook, Sr., West High; *Caitlynn Daniels, Soph., Cedar Rapids Xavier; *Na’Tracia Ceasar, Jr., Waterloo West; Rachael Saunders, Sr., West High; Erica Oler, Sr., Cedar Rapids Jefferson; Krystal Tranel, Sr., Dubuque Wahlert; Kerris Roberts, Jr., Waterloo East
Second Team – Cailyn Morgan, Jr., West High; Emma Koch, Jr., West High; Lauren Zacharias, Jr., West High; Emily Jasper, Jr., Cedar Rapids Xavier; Amelia Ivester, Sr., Cedar Rapids Xavier; Lauren Conrey, Soph., Waterloo West; Megan Murphy, Sr., Linn-Mar.
Honorable Mention – Jenna Griffith, Soph., Cedar Rapids Jefferson; Kaylee Donner, Jr., Cedar Rapids Jefferson; Libby Arnold, Soph., Cedar Rapids Xavier; Maria Steffen, Sr., Cedar Rapids Xavier; Paige Beckner, Sr., West High; Audrey Koch, Fr., West High; Ally Johnson, Sr., Linn-Mar; Macey Miller, Jr., Linn-Mar; Alli Kutsch, Fr., Dubuque Wahlert; Maria Klein, Jr., Dubuque Wahlert; Amanee Clark, Jr., Waterloo East; DeNae Nash, Sr., Waterloo East; Jada Draine, Jr., Waterloo West; Aleah Cook, Sr., Waterloo West.
All-academic (Area Athletes only) – Logan Cook, Sr., West High; Rachael Saunders, Sr., West High.