The Minnewaska Area girls basketball team held its season-ending awards banquet last Monday night at which time the team announced the team awards for the highly-successful 2023-24 season.

The Lakers went 20-9 overall this winter, including a 10-2 mark in the WCC to place second behind Sauk Centre.  Minnewaska Area was coached again by Sidney Barker, who was assisted by Emily Roering, Makenzie Larsen and Josh Greene.

Megan Thorfinnson, a junior guard, was named the Team Most Valuable Player for the Lakers this winter.  She averaged 11.2 points, 3 rebounds, 2.5 steals and 2.5 assists per game while directing the Laker offense.

Earning the Offensive MVP honor was junior Sydney Dahl, while sophomore Lauryn Ankeny was named the Defensive MVP.

Dahl led the Lakers with 374 points this year, averaging 12.9 points and about 5.5 rebounds per game while also leading Minnewaska with 43 blocks.  Ankeny averaged 6.8 points and 4 rebounds per game and led the Lakers with 92 steals.

Earning the Laker Award was senior Avery Fier, the only senior on the Laker team this winter, while winning the Hustle Award were junior Addy Kath and sophomore Alia Randt.

•  Earning All-Conference for the Lakers this season were Megan Thorfinnson, Sydney Dahl and Addy Kath, while Lauryn Ankeny was named honorable mention.  

Dahl was also named the Outstanding Offensive Player of the WCC this winter, while Sauk Centre’s Cierra Kortan earned league MVP honors and BOLD’s Kenzie Visser was named the Outstanding Defensive Player for the second-straight season.

Overall, Sauk Centre and WCA both had four players named to the 17-member All-WCC team, while Minnewaska Area had three, Morris Area and BOLD both had two, and Montevideo and Melrose Area each had one.

•  In addition, Thorfinnson was named to the All-Area second team and Dahl was named to the All-Area third team.

Sauk Centre won this year’s WCC title with a 12-0 record, followed by Minnewaska Area (10-2), West Central area and BOLD (both 7-5), Morris Area-CA (4-8), Melrose Area (2-10) and Montevideo (0-12).

•  Avery Fier was named to the Academic All-State team for 2023-24, while 14 players were named Academic All-Conference — Avery Fier, Addyson Kath, Megan Thorfinnson, Lauren Stryhn, Amber Peabody, Alia Randt, Lauryn Ankeny, Olivia Danielson, Carly Jergenson, Jayda Kolstoe, Kendall Danielson, Phemie Oeltjen, Haillie Schulz and Eliana Marthaler.

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