Youth is served on girls’ Class ‘A’ All-State team
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE MILLER PRESS
Kadye Fernholz of the Miller Rustlers is sandwiched between a pair of Todd County Lady Falcons during a game in February in Miller. On Wednesday, Fernholz was named to the State Class “A” All-State third team for the 2018-19 season.
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James D. Cimburek/Yankton P&D
Todd County senior Raven Cournoyer was not happy as the 2018-19 girls’ basketball season began. And her opponents on the court paid the price.
Cournoyer, a 5-4 senior guard, averaged 23.7 points a game in leading the Falcons to their first state tournament appearance in 14 years and the consolation championship in that tournament. Her efforts were rewarded with a first-team All-State selection and the Class A girls’ Player of the Year, as selected by the South Dakota Basketball Coaches Association.
Cournoyer is joined on the first team by juniors Madysen Vlastuin of Lennox and Hannah Parsley of Flandreau, and sophomores Haleigh Timmer of St. Thomas More, Lexi Unruh of Sioux Falls Christian and Lexi Plitzuweit of Vermillion. Vlastuin is the lone repeat first-team selection.
The 2018-19 season began with people doubting if Todd County would be able to improve on last year’s solid season after losing one of its top players just before the season. Cournoyer was having none of it.
“She came in with a chip on her shoulder,” said Falcons head coach Bob Boyd, Jr. “She led us throughout the season, and we probably had the best season in Todd County history.”
That season included the tournament title in the Lakota Nations Invitational in December and the program’s first state tournament berth since 2005. It was also the program’s first-ever consolation title at state.
The guard worked to add outside shooting to her game, finishing with 32 made three-pointers on 38 percent shooting, and also was among the team leaders in rebounds (5.0 rpg), assists (6.1 apg) and steals (4.2 spg).
“She was really unstoppable, both inside and out,” Boyd said. “Everyone looked at her as a scorer, but she’s a team player. She doesn’t look at the numbers.”
Cournoyer’s leadership off the court was evident as well, rewarded with the “Spirit of Su” Award.
“She’s made a tremendous impact in our community. She sparked a lot of energy in our community,” Boyd said. “Every game we played there were little girls all over that wanted her autograph or to take a picture with her.”
At this time, Cournoyer is undecided on a college destination, but she has received more attention since earning all-tournament team at state, Boyd said.
Of the five underclassmen on the first team, three play in the Dakota XII Conference: Vlastuin, Unruh and Plitzuweit. Ironically, state runner-up West Central — also out of the Dakota XII — did not have a player on first or second team. (State champion Winner had two players on second team.)
“Our conference as a whole was pretty young,” said Lennox head coach Adam Quail. “The Dakota XII is going to continue to be a battle. It makes it fun, but also stressful.”
Vlastuin, who has started since her eighth grade season, averaged 16.3 points and 6.0 rebounds per game for Lennox this past season. While Vlastuin has the outside game as part of her arsenal — she hit 24 three-pointers on the season — her 6-1 frame landed her inside more this season, according to Quail.
“This year she rounded out her skill set and spent more time on the blocks,” he said. “Her offensive set is unique. She can score at all levels.”
Plitzuweit averaged 17.3 points, 6.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game for Vermillion this season. The 5-8 guard recorded 63 steals and made 40 three-pointers on the season.
After starting with four seniors a year ago, Plitzuweit “took on a bigger role” for the Tanagers this season. The third-year varsity player became a threat on the court, including a Vermillion-record 44 points in a victory over Dakota Valley. In that school-record performance, she scored 23 points in the two overtime periods.
“This year we saw her offensive game grow, and a lot of it was confidence,” said Vermillion head coach Jon Brooks. “She has a tremendous skill set for a sophomore.”
The daughter of University of South Dakota women’s basketball coach Dawn Plitzuweit, Lexi showed the “high basketball IQ” often associated with coaches’ kids, Brooks said.
“She sees the floor well, anticipates well,” he said. “She understands when she needs to score and when to get other kids involved.”
Unruh, a 5-11 guard, averaged 16.7 points, 3.3 rebounds and 2.1 steals per game this past season, and recorded 85 steals.
“She’s become a better scorer in the half-court, a better shooter,” said Sioux Falls Christian head coach Andrea Begeman. “What I like most is that she was good as an eighth grader, and she keeps getting better.”
Unruh is also developing into a leader for the squad, Begeman noted.
“She leads by example,” Begeman said. “She’s a great leader by the way she plays and practices.”
Parsley, a 5-9 guard and forward, averaged 18.5 points and 10.2 rebounds per game, as well as 5.0 assists and 4.8 steals per game.
For Parsley, the jump to first-team all-state began at the end of her sophomore season, according to Fliers head coach Megan Severtson.
“What got the ball rolling was a post-season talk to her about what she needed to do,” Severtson said. “Her competitive nature is second to none and, because of that, she really filled up the stat sheet this year.”
Despite being only 5-9, Parsley averaged more rebounds per game than all but one of the 17 other players between the three all-state teams.
“She has a nose for the ball,” Severtson said. “She’s on the floor the entire game, which helped that.”
Timmer, a 5-9 forward, was thrust into a bigger role this season after a season-ending injury to St. Thomas More senior Alex Kandolin. She responded, averaging 20.7 points, 6.8 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 2.1 steals per game. She scored five points a game at the free throw line, making 109 free throws at an 88 percent clip.
“It forced her into a couple of things,” Cavaliers head coach Brandon Kandolin said. “She had to produce some points.”
Timmer shows the potential to be the next Division I standout from St. Thomas More — following the likes of the Duffy sisters at USD and Utah standout Dru Gylten.
“If she continues to grow at the level she has been, she will be able to follow in the footsteps of some of the great players we’ve had here.”
The second team includes Winner’s Bella Swedlund (Fr.) and Morgan Hammerbeck (Jr.), Todd County’s Kelsie Herman (Jr.), Dell Rapids’ Jayda Knuppe (Sr.), Lennox’s Rianna Fillipi (Jr.) and Aberdeen Roncalli’s Mariah Winegar (Jr.). Hammerbeck moved up from third team a year ago.
The third team includes West Central’s Kali Nelson (Sr.), Chamberlain’s Mady Handel (Sr.), Miller’s Kadye Fernholz (Jr.), Hamlin’s Cami Stevenson (Jr.), Deuel’s Britney Lovre (Jr.0 and McCook Central-Montrose’s Madisen Koepsell (So.). Fernholz was a second-team pick a season ago.
S.D. CLASS A GIRLS’ ALL-STATE
As selected by the South Dakota Basketball Coaches Association
FIRST TEAM
Madysen Vlastuin, Lennox — Jr., 6-1, F; 16.3 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 2.2 apg, 83.6% FT, 24 made three-pointers
