40 players named to the 34th Annual Free Press All-State Girls Basketball Team
For the 34th consecutive year, the Free Press sports department has once again scoured the state for its premier high school girls basketball players, contacting coaches and media from one end of Vermont to the other to craft what we hope is a squad representing the best the state has to offer.
And as always, the task in whittling the list down to first and second teams, plus a batch of honorable mentions, never gets any easier. At the end of the day it remains a subjective process, but one we undertake with great pride and care.
Congratulations to the 40 players listed below, headlined by Champlain Valley's Elise Berger, who was named Miss Basketball on Wednesday.
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THE FIRST TEAM
Elise Berger, Champlain Valley Union High School
Senior, guard
• The player: This year's Miss Basketball recipient grew into a full-fledged leader, on and off the court, and developed a 3-point shot to refine the 5-foot-11 guard's overall game. Berger was also an elite passer and her defensive presence anchored CVU's system for the stretch run to seize back-to-back Division I crowns. She averaged averaged 8.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 3.2 steals per game this winter.
• Coach Ute Otley on Berger: "I know our team felt the best about itself when she was out there. Her intangibles cannot be measured by just stats. She was so impactful and critical to us."
Sabine Brueck, North Country Union High School
Junior, guard
• The player: Voted the co-VBCA player of the year, the dynamic and quick Brueck guided North Country to the D-II title game. A repeat BFP first-team selection, Brueck averaged 17.7 points, 6.6 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 5.5 steals and 1.2 blocks per game. She was also the Capital Division's POY.
• Coach Sarah Roy on Brueck: "She just contributes in so many ways to our success. This year, she was the central focus of every team’s defensive scheme each game, and she still produced on both ends of the floor."
Caitlyn Davison, Hazen Union High School
Senior, guard
• The player: The Mountain Division's player of the year averaged 17.2 points, 7.0 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 5.0 steals per game while finishing with 1,173 career points. In the D-III title game, Davison dropped 26 of her 34 points in the second half to push the Wildcats to their first state crown in 33 years.
• Coach Randy Lumsden on Davison: "Everybody sees the offense, but I think she is probably better defensively. She can change the game with her physicality. Offensively, she can get what she wants."
Anna Moser, Rutland High School
Sophomore, guard
• The player: The co-VBCA player of the year and Gatorade award winner was one of the state's best pure shooters. She made 40% of her 3-point attempts, 52% of her two-point field goal tries and averaged 16.8 points, 2.1 assists and 2.6 steals a game to pace Rutland's run to the D-I Final Four.
• Coach Nate Bellomo on Moser: "This year, it fell on her shoulders and she took it on. It was her turn to lead the team and she did a great job."
Hayden Wilkins, St. Johnsbury Academy
Senior, guard
• The player: The All-Metro first-team guard involved teammates, locked up defensively and still had a knack for taking and making the big shots. She averaged 8.6 points, 2.7 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 2.5 steals per game while knocking down 36% of her 3s. Her 19-point effort in the D-I semifinals carried SJA back to the title game.
• Coach Jade Huntington on Wilkins: "She was maybe not as prolific a scorer as last year, but she distributed the ball, increased her defensive abilities and was such a well-rounded player on both ends of the floor who made a world of difference for us."
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THE SECOND TEAM
Peyton Guay, West Rutland High School
Junior, guard
• The player: Guay returned ahead of schedule from knee surgery and didn't miss a game in West Rutland's surge to a D-IV three-peat. Guay averaged 21.1 points, 6.5 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 4.5 steals per game and has 1,788 career points. She also made last year's BFP all-state second team.
• Coach Carl Serrani on Guay: "It was phenomenal to see the work she put in. She really improved her ability to see the floor. She has everything you need to be a great player."
Charlotte Jasmin, Hartford High School
Sophomore, guard/forward
• The player: With good size, dogged work ethic and the ability to stretch the floor shooting-wise, Jasmin averaged 22.8 points, 13.4 rebounds, 8.0 assists, 6.4 steals and 2.3 blocks per game. Jasmin's biggest asset as a shooter is her quick release on long jumpers.
• Coach Steve Landon on Jasmin: "She only has one speed and she doesn't slow down. She gets after it defensively and she embraced becoming more of an all-around scorer.
Bree McDonald, Burlington High School
Junior, guard
• The player: The Metro Division player of the year molded herself into more of a complete point guard and defender, steering the Seahorses to the D-I Final Four. McDonald averaged 14 points, 4.0 rebounds, 8.0 assists and 3.0 steals per game this winter.
• Coach Bev Robertson on McDonald: "Her leadership stood out to me. Her floor presence, running the offense like a guard should do. She can score when she wanted to or had to. She can take over a game if she really wanted to, she’s that type of player."
Sydney Perry, Windsor High School
Senior, forward
• The player: A returning BFP all-state second-team selection, Perry averaged 14.9 points, 12.1 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 2.7 steals and 1.1 blocks per game to help the Yellow Jackets reach their third straight D-III championship game. Perry remained a force on the offensive glass and was key to Windsor's transition offense.
• Coach Kabray Rockwood on Perry: "Her impact was needed to get us to where we got. She was a double-double machine, she ran the floor and she had a lot to do in the post. She played really well in the playoffs."
Brooke'lyn Robinson, Lyndon Institute
Senior, guard
• The player: Robinson became the school's all-time leading scorer (1,325 points) thanks to memorable senior campaign that saw her total 74 3-pointers and produce four games of at least 30 points. Robinson's speciality was a step-back triple, and she averaged 21.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 4.1 steals per game for the Vikings this winter.
• Coach Eric Berry on Robinson: "She was the focus of every team’s defensive game plan and still found a way to be awesome every game. She had a special year and one that is probably generational."
HONORABLE MENTIONS
Jordan Alley, Blue Mountain, senior, forward
Kaia Anderson, St. Johnsbury, senior, guard/forward
Samara Ashooh, Champlain Valley, senior, forward
Marlie Bushey, Milton, sophomore, guard
Brianna Brownell, Mount Mansfield, senior, forward
Isabelle Cole, Fair Haven, junior, guard
Reese Croutworst, Brattleboro, sophomore, guard
Ruby Dasaro, BFA-St. Albans, senior, guard
Kyrielle Deuso, Richford, junior, guard
Tanner Drury, White River Valley, senior, guard
Jasmine Evans, Rutland, senior, forward
Kate Hadwen, Fair Haven, junior, guard
Merrill Jacobs, Champlain Valley, senior, guard
Cassidy Kittredge, St. Johnsbury, junior, guard
Eloise Lilley, Harwood, junior, guard
Zoey McNabb, Champlain Valley, sophomore, guard
Nylah Mitchell, Burlington, junior, forward
Breya Montague, Essex, senior, guard
Quinn Nelson, Harwood, senior, forward
Nicole Norton, Colchester, senior, guard
Abby Nystrom, Bellows Falls, freshman, guard
Evie Pirie, Lamoille, junior, guard
Alexa Rabidoux, Essex, junior, guard
Lilly Robtoy, Enosburg, senior, guard
Kelsie Rivard, Hazen, freshman, forward
Sophia Rockwood, Windsor, junior, guard
Audrey Rupp, Windsor, junior, guard
Macie Stagner, Springfield, junior, guard
Meghan Thompson, Mount Mansfield, junior, guard
Bianca Williams, Essex, senior, forward
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Contact Abrami at aabrami@freepressmedia.com. Follow him on Twitter: @aabrami5
This article originally appeared on Burlington Free Press: Vermont H.S. girls basketball: Free Press All-State Girls Basketball
