The Iowa high school girls basketball season is underway. Here's 5 things we learned so far.

A couple weeks of the Iowa high school girls basketball season have already come and gone, and this week came with its own set of lessons learned.

From central Des Moines to the northern and eastern borders of the state, there were performances of note from all over Iowa.

Here are five things we learned since the beginning of the high school girls basketball season.

Stats and averages are based on what was input to GoBound as of Saturday, Dec. 2 at 7 a.m.

1. Johnston girls basketball already looks the part of a state title contender

The Dragons possess an undefeated record, beating Prairie, Waukee Northwest and Ankeny, all by double-digits. Johnston’s game against the Wolves was the closest thus far, but once the Dragons put the pieces together in the second half, they cruised.

The Dragons understand how to control the pace of the game, emphasize defense and have the shooting skills to back up everything else. Aili Tanke is averaging 18.7 points per game, shooting 72.4% from the field and 66.7% from beyond the arc.

2. Speaking of solid percentages, one group of sharpshooters has helped Valley to a 4-0 record in Class 5A

Elise Jaeger picked up where she left off last season, averaging 16 points and 9.3 rebounds per game. She’s gone 60% from the field and 46.2% from deep, and she isn’t the only player putting up major points on the scoreboard.

It was expected that seniors Elan Litt, Kendall McDaniel and Jayci Loecke would back up Jaeger’s skills. But maybe the biggest addition to the Tigers’ roster is freshman Tylee Weite. She’s second on the team in scoring, with 11.7 points per game, and has made 51.7% of her attempts.

The group effort — led by Jaeger and Weite — pushed Valley past Cedar Rapids Washington, Cedar Rapids Kennedy, Dowling and Waukee Northwest.

3. What is working for Norwalk in its 5-0 start to the season?

One or two big-name players don’t guarantee wins, and the Warriors have proven that they can win without star power. Norwalk didn’t have any players listed in the Register’s top 50 preseason list. Still, the Warriors started 5-0, with wins against Urbandale, ADM, Bondurant-Farrar, Ballard and Pella.

The answer to that question: Bailey Birmingham. She wasn’t on our preseason list, but she is on our radar. The junior leads the state with 122 points, averaging 30.5 per game. She’s the only player on Norwalk’s roster averaging double-digits in each matchup. Birmingham might need to carry the Warriors — who have only one senior on the roster — this year, and she’s off to a solid start.

4. Davenport’s dynamic duo is among the best performers in Iowa’s largest class

Journey Houston averaged 24.3 points, 10.7 rebounds, four assists and 3.3 steals through the Wildcats' first three games. She shot 87.5% from the field and 60% from 3-point range in that stretch.

Just behind her is teammate Divine Bourrage, who averaged 22 points, 6.7 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.7 steals in the opening three contests. She’s gone 69.4% overall and 60% from beyond the arc. There are other contributors on Davenport North’s 1-2 squad, but none have the individual impact that these two players possess. Houston is second and Bourrage is fifth in scoring in 5A.

5. Haylee Stokes is already a problem for opponents

It shouldn’t come as a surprise that the Estherville-Lincoln Central player, who scored 515 points as a sophomore, is among the best in the state so far this season. It's a small sample size, but she’s on pace to be well over that 515-point mark this year.

She has 106 total points — the second-most statewide — through four games. She averaged 26.5 points, six rebounds and 5.5 steals per game in that stretch, and best yet, she helps her teammates get on the board, as well. Stokes averaged 7.3 assists in the first four matchups.

Alyssa Hertel is the college sports recruiting reporter for the Des Moines Register. Contact Alyssa at ahertel@dmreg.com or on Twitter @AlyssaHertel.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: 5 things we learned from the start of the Iowa girls basketball season