The 2012 Daily Globe All-Area girls' basketball team

WHS's Gerber — Mackenzie Gerber 5-8 senior forward Worthington

By Daily Globe News

March 30, 2012 at 9:50 PM

ALL-AREA FIRST TEAM

Mackenzie Gerber

5-8 senior forward

Worthington

A trip to the state tournament for the Worthington girls' basketball team this year probably wouldn't have happened without the talent and leadership from senior Mackenzie Gerber.

Gerber became the Trojans' go-to player this year, leading her team to a 20-8 record.

The forward could be found anywhere the ball was. Offensively, Gerber seemed to always find the open shot, while defensively, she was continuously breaking up plays and forcing turnovers.

"Mackenzie was probably our most consistent player," WHS coach Eric Lindner said. "Wherever the ball was, she was. She has a great instinct for the ball."

Gerber led the Trojans in just about every aspect of the game.

She averaged 17.8 points and nine rebounds per game. Overall, she finished the season with 499 points and 251 rebounds.

Gerber also had 140 steals -- a single-season school record -- as well as 144 assists and a free-throw percentage of 66 percent.

She helped her team out in just about every way imagineable.

"Where can you even begin with a player like Mackenzie," Lindner said. "She basically did everything for us. She was a leader both offensively and defensively and was just a nice player to have on your team."

Whitney Burmeister

5-9 senior forward Jackson County Central

There doesn't seem to be anything Whitney Burmesiter can't do.

The senior for Jackson County Central is not only an ace in the classroom -- she has a 3.9 GPA -- but she also tears things up on the basketball court.

Burmeister set 18 school records for the Huskies -- 11 for her career and seven for a single season -- this year.

"Whitney is the calmest competitor I have ever coached," JCC coach Tom Schuller said. "She is a very versatile player. She was a great scorer, rebounder and ball handler for the Huskies. She was able to score down the low block as well from the outside."

During her final year on the team -- Burmeister played varisty basketball since eighth grade, and got a starting role as a freshman -- the senior averaged 19.9 points, 12.8 rebounds, five steals and 3.4 blocks per game. She had 22 double-doubles and two triple-doubles this year, each setting school records.

Burmeister finished her career with 1,841 points, 1,245 rebounds, 69 double-doubles and a school-best 95-36 record.

At JCC she won't be forgotten for what she brought to the basketball court during her career.

"She has pretty much re-written the JCC basketball record book," Schuller said. "We are extremely proud of Whitney's accomplishments as a student-athlete at JCC. She will be greatly missed."

Megan DeRuyter

5-10 senior guard

Southwest Christian

Megan DeRuyter was a key factor on a Southwest Christian squad that played in the section championship this season. And she has been a staple on the team each year she has participated.

DeRuyter is leaving SWC as one of the school's all-time greats. Not only did she become an 1,000-point scorer for the school, but she also leads SWC as the top 3-point scorer in school history

"Megan is such a wonderful athlete and person," SWC coach Denise Nerem said. "She is so deserving of all that she has accomplished during her time at SWC."

In her senior season, DeRuyter averaged 17.2 points, 5.5 rebouns, 3.2 steals and two assists per game. The senior also shot a remarkable 78 percent from the free-throw line.

She was often double-teamed by opponents and was the go-to girl on the floor for the Eagles.

DeRuyter played with poise and never let her emotions get the best of her. She showed a true passion for the game each time she stepped on the court, and that will certainly be missed by SWC once she graduates.

DeRuyter's basketball career is nowhere near over, however. The guard will continue playing basketball as a freshman at Southwest Minnesota State University in Marshall next fall. And there is no doubt she will be successful at the collegiate level as well.

Courtney Hulstein

5-7 senior guard

Fulda

Fulda's Courtney Hulstein is no stranger to success.

She is leaving Fulda as one of the all-time great Raider girls' basketball players and her contributions to the team won't be forgotten anytime soon.

Hulstein finished her career with a school-record 2,072 points, she is second all-time with 618 assists, second all-time with 335 steals, has the school record with 373 3-pointers and finishes sixth all-time with 694 rebounds.

"Courtney is a leader on and off the court," Fulda coach Gregg Slaathaug said. "She put in so much extra time to be continuously improving her game, and that hard work paid off."

Hulstein's senior season, alone, was nothing short of remarkable.

Hulstein set five individual season records for Fulda as well this year. Her 713 points, 24.6 points per game average, 118 steals -- 4.1 per game -- and 79.7 free-throw percentage are all school records.

Her 119 3-pointers in the 2011-12 season is not only a school record, but a record for all of Minnesota as well.

Hulstein finished second all-time with 179 assists and third all-time with 110 free throws made this season.

Although Fulda has plenty of great athletes ready to step up, Hulstein is the kind of player that simply cannot be replaced.

"It's going to be very different not to have her on the team next year," Slaathaug said. "She played varsity for five years for us. It's going to be tough losing her. She's a great kid and she will be missed very much."

Kristen Andersen

5-10 senior center

Worthington

Early on in the season many people figured out that Mackenzie Gerber was a force to be reckoned with on the Trojans' squad. But one player that quickly made her name was Kristen Andersen.

Andersen and Gerber became a dynamic duo for Worthington this season, with each player contributing differently to the team's success.

Andersen averaged 6.4 rebounds per game. She had 154 total rebounds and 55 steals.

Her defensive contributions were valued by her team and were a big reason the Trojans advanced to the state tournament this season.

"Kristen is a good rebounder and plays great half-court defense," WHS coach Eric Lindner said. "She could take people off the dribble, while still isolating the post."

Offensively, Andersen's biggest contributions came from beyond the 3-point line. The senior was an aggressive perimeter shooter and seemed to be the go-to player when the Trojans' were down.

She made several key baskets throughout the season, including the game-winner against Fairmont to advance to the section championship.

But Andersen's skills offensively went beyond just 3-point shooting.

"Kristen could go both inside and outside offensively, which caused a lot of matchup problems," Lindner said. "She shot 31 percent from beyond the arc, and 30 percent is considered normal, so she was key there. She just gave us a lot of options offensively."

ALL-AREA SECOND TEAM

Tiffany Gehl 5-11 senior forward Fulda

As Fulda's valedictorian who achieved a 4.0 GPA during high school, it wouldn't seem as though Tiffany Gehl would have time for much else.

But Gehl acted as a key contributor to the Fulda girls' basketball team's success this season.

Coach Gregg Slaathaug said the senior spent a lot of extra time in the gym and the weight room working to improve her game. And the extra time she put in paid off.

Gehl averaged 11 points and seven rebounds per game this year. She also had 70 blocks and 99 assists for the Raiders this season.

"Tiffany did an outstanding job for us," Slaathaug said. "She was a versatile player for us who could play a number of positions on both offense and defense. Her versatility will certainly be missed. We're graduating a great kid in Tiffany."

Kaitlin Wohnoutka 5-4 junior guard Luverne

She may not be the tallest or fastest player on the court, but there was no one more reliable as Kaitlin Wohnoutka was for Luverne this season.

The junior point guard averaged 11.5 points, 3.2 rebounds, 4.2 steals and 2.5 assists per game for the Cardinals this season.

However, her biggest contri-butions came in Luverne's last four games of the season. The Cardinals faced Worthington, Fairmont, Redwood Valley and Windom in those games -- all quality teams, three of which made runs late into section tournaments -- and Wohnoutka averaged 19 points in that span.

And that end of the year success came after the junior had missed several games prior to that span while she was recovering from mononucleosis.

But regardless of illness, Wohnoutka contributed in every game she played.

"She plays as hard as anyone, her motor never stops," Luverne coach Corey Nelson said. "She does everything she possibly can to help the team win."

Nichole Loosbrock 5-7 senior forward Adrian

On a quality Adrian girls' basketball team, a team that finished the season 19-6, it's hard to pick one standout player.

But senior Nichole Loosbrock's leadership on and off the court was enough to get her some recognition.

Loosbrock averaged 10 points per game and led Adrian with 102 assists and a 34.4 perimeter shooting percentage.

The point guard also had a 65.3 free-throw percentage and shot 41 percent from the field.

"Nichole is a take control type player that does a lot of little things that made everything go," Adrian coach Randy Strand said. "She didn't always score a lot of points, but she had a lot to do with us scoring points.

"I believe Nichole would be able to start for any team in the area and contribute to that team's success."

Lindsey Drooger 5-11 senior forward Edgerton

For the past two seasons, Lindsey Drooger has been a staple on the Edgerton girls' basketball team.

In her senior season, Drooger averaged 16 points and nine rebounds per game. She finished the season with 385 total points and 224 total rebounds.

The numbers are a huge im-provement -- especially shooting-wise -- from her junior year when Drooger averaged 13 points and nine rebounds per game.

Her contributions will surely be missed by the Flying Dutchmen next season.

Amber Pater 5-11 junior forward Southwest Christian

On a Southwest Christian team that played in the section championship, Amber Pater was a big key to the Eagles' success

Pater averaged 13.4 points and 4.8 rebounds per game for the Eagles this season. She also shot 48 percent from the field.

But her biggest contributions came in her ability to formulate plays and get the ball to the right people.

"Amber is a great athlete that brings a lot of presence to the floor with how well she runs the floor and how much of a threat she is both inside and out," SWC coach Denise Nerem said.

ALL-AREA THIRD TEAM

Megan Juber 5-6 senior forward Worthington

While teams double-teamed Mackenzie Gerber and Kristen Andersen when playing Worthington, those teams forgot about another Trojan threat: Megan Juber.

Juber could sink a 3-pointer with ease and acted as a quick, versatile player on defense as well.

Juber averaged 8.2 points per game for the Trojans. She finished the year with 229 points, 61 rebounds, 49 steals and 34 assists.

"Megan's biggest contribu-tion was her outside shooting," WHS coach Eric Lindner said. "When our opponents packed it in on Mackenzie Gerber and Kristen Andersen, she gave us a third option to go to. She helped make things happen for us."

Sydne Springman 5-9 senior guard Adrian

Sydne Springman has been a valuable asset to the Adrian girls' basketball team throughout her career.

This year, Springman aver-aged 11 points and 7.5 rebounds per game. She shot 42 percent from the field and had 41 steals and 74 assists this season.

The senior was a three-year letter winner and three-year starter for the Dragons.

"Sydne is a versatile player that could not only play inside, but could also step out and be effective," Adrian coach Randy Strand said.

Melissa Gehl 5-8 sophomore forward Fulda

With older sister Tiffany and teammate Courtney Hulstein graduating, taking two superb players away from Fulda's lineup, the Raiders have plenty of youngsters waiting to step up, including sophomore Melissa Gehl.

In her first two seasons on the Raider squad, Gehl has already proven her worth.

This year, Gehl averaged 12.6 points and 5.7 rebounds per game. And she's expected to only get better.

"Melissa has improved every year," Fulda coach Gregg Slaathaug said. "I expect her to pick up her scoring and rebounding next year. I can't wait because you ain't seen nothing yet from this girl. She has a lot left to show everyone."

Connor DeWall 6-0 senior forward Southwest Star Concept

Connor DeWall was one of the go-to players this season for Southwest Star Concept.

She was a friendly competitor who was praised for her attitude on and off the court.

DeWall averaged 8.1 points and 10.1 rebounds per game throughout the season. However, she did best during conference play, averaging 9.9 points and 11.6 rebounds per game during the Red Rock Conference schedule.

Janessa Peters 6-0 senior center Mt. Lake/Butterfield-Odin

Despite missing several games because of an ankle injury and playing limited minutes in other games for foul trouble, Mountain Lake/Butterfield-Odin's Janessa Peters led the way for the Wolverines.

Peters had 313 total points this season, snagged 201 rebounds, had 38 steals, forced 39 turnovers and blocked 83 shots for ML/B-O.

"Every team we played focused on stopping Janessa," ML/B-O coach Tim Sheehan said. "Whenever she was in the game we had a good chance to score and stop the other team from scoring."

HONORABLE MENTION

Austyn Their, Adrian

Sarah Post, Edgerton

Abby Drenth, Ellsworth

Bridget Kramer, Ellsworth

Rachel Cheadle, Fulda

Katlyn Sandbulte, H-BC

Meghan Leuthold, H-BC

Kaylee Burmeister, JCC

Kirsten Olson, Luverne

Jenna Ness, MCC

Crystal Van Iperen, MCC