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All-State: Wollschlager, Johnson repeat on all-state team
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FarkSIOUX FALLS — Vanessa Johnson, who led West Central to its first state girls basketball title since 1999, heads a talented and versatile group of players named to the Class A All-State first team.
Johnson is joined on the first team by Maggie Malloy of Parkston, Amber Wollschlager of Milbank, Valerie Kleinjan of Sioux Valley and Whitney Lickteig of Dell Rapids.
Johnson and Wollschlager are repeaters on the first team, while Malloy was on the second team and Kleinjan and Lickteig on the third team last year.
Wollschlager and Malloy were both on the second team in 2006, and Wollschlager was a Class B second-teamer in 2005.
A 5-foot-9 guard for the Trojans (23-3 overall), Johnson was nearly unstoppable when slashing her way to the basket, which she did often.
The South Dakota State recruit averaged 19.2 points a game while shooting 43.4 percent from the field. She also averaged 5.3 rebounds, 4.7 assists and 4.2 steals.
Johnson was the spark plug of the team, according to coach Joe Caffrey.
“Vanessa has had many big games for us over the last four years, and they have been in games where it really meant something,” Caffrey said.
Parkston’s Malloy, a 5-9 guard-forward, staged an epic battle with Johnson during the Region 5A title game, when both girls matched each other nearly point-for-point.
In the 72-65 West Central victory, Johnson had 33 points and eight rebounds, while Malloy had 32 points and 15 rebounds.
A five-time all-conference selection, Malloy averaged 23.7 points, seven rebounds, four assists and three steals a game in 2007-08.
The Dakota Wesleyan recruit ended her career as the all-time scoring leader at Parkston, with 1,975 points.
The 6-foot Wollschlager, headed for NCAA Division I Drake University, was a dominating player.
Wollschlager led the Bulldogs to a 63-10 record the past three years while scoring 1,379 points.
She also tallied 1,108 points during three seasons at Grant-Deuel.
She helped Milbank to three conference titles, three district titles, two region titles and a pair of third-place finishes in the state tournament.
Kleinjan, a 5-8 guard at Sioux Valley, was the glue that held the Cossacks together.
She averaged 19.3 points while leading the Cossacks to a 22-4 record and a third-place finish in the state tourney.
A four-year all-conference performer, Kleinjan started every game for the Cossacks since her freshman year (91 straight).
She shot 41.3 percent from the field, including 34.8 from 3-point range, and ended her career with 1,546 points.
Lickteig, who could hit the outside shot and was a creative scorer inside, averaged 12.9 points and seven rebounds for the well-balanced Quarriers.
Stanley County’s Sam Osterello made the second team. Osterello, a 6-2 junior, scored 21.4 points per game, grabbed 12 rebounds per game and averaged 2.4 assists a contest for the Buffaloes (19-7).
Keely Krolikowski of Bennett County and Marque Lunderman of Red Cloud were third-team selections. Krolikowski averaged 20 points, 6 rebounds and 3 assists as Bennett County finished the season 20-4.
Lunderman averaged 22.1 points, 7.2 rebounds and 2 assists to help lead the 18-8 Crusaders to the state tournament last month.
Class A girls All-State basketball team
First Team
Vanessa Johnson, West Central, 5-9, sr., (19.2 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 4.7 apg, 4.2 spg).
Maggie Malloy, Parkston, 5-9, sr., (22.3 ppg, 7 rpg, 4 apg, 3 spg).
Amber Wollschlager, Milbank, 6-0, sr., (19.9 ppg, 9.7 rpg, 2.0 spg).
Valerie Kleinjan, Sioux Valley, 5-8, sr., (19.3 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 2.9 apg, 2.2 spg).
Whitney Lickteig, Dell Rapids, 5-11, sr., (12.9 ppg, 7 rpg)
Second Team
Alicia Brown, Vermillion, 5-8, sr., (17.6 ppg).
Sam Ostarello, Stanley County, 6-2, jr., (21.4 ppg).
Teri VerSteeg, Platte-Geddes, 6-0, sr., (20 ppg).
Mikayla Barondeau, Leola-Frederick, 6-0, sr., (22.5 ppg).
Cori Bonte, Beresford, 5-6, sr., (14.7).
Third Team
Marque Lunderman, Red Cloud, 5-8, jr., (22.1 ppg).
Keely Krolikowski, Bennett County, 5-8, sr., (20 ppg).
Jamey Hofer, West Central, 6-0, sr., (15.9 ppg).
Emily Goedert, Britton-Hecla, 5-10, sr., (22.8).
Taylor Forsch, Baltic, 5-7, jr., (20.6 ppg)
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