Three Lakers named to All-Area girls team
Sports | Published on April 7, 2025 at 12:40pm CDT
Three members of the Minnewaska Area girls basketball team were recently named to the 15-member All-Area girls basketball team for 2024-25.
The Lakers were one of four schools earning multiple selections on the list, joining MACCRAY, NLS and KMS.
In all, seven seniors, seven juniors and one sophomore represent the All-Area team. In addition, 12 of the 15 players are repeat selections.
Minnewaska Area led all the schools with three selections as Sydney Dahl was selected first team All-Area, Megan Thorfinnson earned placement on the second team and Lauryn Ankeny was selected for the third team.
Last year, Thorfinnson was also selected to the All-Area second team and Dahl earned third team recognition.
NLS, MACCRAY and KMS all had two players earn selection, while ACGC, BOLD, Prinsburg, Willmar, BBE and Montevideo each had one.
The paper wrote this about Dahl: “Sydney Dahl was instrumental down low for the Lakers. The NCAA Division II Minnesota State University-Moorhead recruit recorded 15.8 points, 8.3 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game. She was a Class AA All-Tournament team member and an All-WCC selection.”
“Sydney’s a great teammate and a very good player,” said her coach Nick Danielson. “She helped make everyone feel comfortable and took advantage of every opportunity she had this year.”
Other first-team selections were BOLD senior guard Lainey Braulick, NLS senior forward Ava Carlson, Prinsburg sophomore guard Sienna Duininck and MACCRAY junior guard-forward Brielle Janssen.
Joining Thorfinnson on the second team were BBE junior forward Kacey Fischer, KMS junior guard Acelynn Hacker, Willmar junior guard Telilie Lange and NLS senior guard Dakota Rich.
Of Thorfinnson, the paper wrote, “Thorfinnson was an exceptional floor general for the Lakers. She contributed 11.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 2.4 steals and 1.1 blocks per contest. Thorfinnson earned All-WCC honors this winter and was also selected for the All-Area second team for a second-consecutive season.”
“Our practices were always competitive and hard — I think that’s how you can get to be a really good team is by having good practices — and Megan was a big part of that,” coach Danielson said. “She’s a great leader and a lot of girls look up to her.”
Ankeny also had a great season for the Lakers. She was joined on the third team by Montevideo senior guard Teagan Epema, Atwater-CGC junior center Ruby Klinger, KMS senior forward Maddie Luft and MACCRAY junior center Emma Thein.
Of Ankeny, the paper wrote: “Lauryn Ankeny has stamped herself as one of the state’s top defenders for the Lakers. She averaged 10.1 points, 5.4 rebounds, 3.2 steals and 2.4 assists per game. Ankeny, an All-WCC pick this season, was also named the WCC’s Defensive MVP.”
“I would take 12 Lauryn’s on a team. Her motor just never stops,” coach Danielson said. “I could talk for hours on how good she is defensively.”
Another nine players earned All-Area honorable mention, including two from Belgrade-BE and one each from New London-Spicer, Benson, RCW, Lac qui Parle Valley, Willmar, YME and Paynesville.
