North's Worden completes All-Metro sweep
By Barry Poe Journal sports writer | Posted: Tuesday, March 27, 2007
Tanaeya Worden, one half of a talented backcourt tandem that helped North claim the Iowa Class 4A state championship, has landed on the All-Metro girls basketball team for the fourth straight season.
The 5-foot-5 Worden, who will play at NCAA Division I Southern Illinois University, finished her career as the third-leading scorer in Sioux City girls five-player history with 1,236 points. The lightning-quick guard averaged 15 points during the regular season and scored 44 more in the state tournament.
North defeated Des Moines Roosevelt 71-57 in the 4A state championship game, capping a 25-2 season.
Worden's running mate in the Stars' backcourt, 5-7 senior Jacqui Kalin, was named to the All-Metro team for the third straight season. Kalin, headed to the University of Northern Iowa, averaged 15.5 points per game this season and tallied 58 in the state tournament, finishing as the fourth-leading scorer in metro girls five-player history with 1,143 points.
Worden and Kalin were each named to the Iowa Newspaper Association all-state first team while teammate Likeisha Dotson, another All-Metro selection, was on the third team. Dotson, a 5-10 senior, contributed 9.6 points per game and was North's defensive specialist.
The three North seniors were catalysts for teams that won 45 of 49 games over the past two seasons, earning back-to-back state tournament berths.
Like Worden, the three remaining first-team All-Metro performers are on track to become four-time honorees.
Michelle Lund, a high-scoring junior guard from Bishop Heelan, is on the team for the third consecutive season. The 5-6 Lund, the city's top scorer with a 19.3 average, helped the Crusaders reach the Class 3A state five-player tournament for the first time in school history.
Lund, who has verbally committed to Bradley University, poured in 444 points this season, moving into second place on the all-time metro five-player list with 1,333 points. Lund trails only North's Erin Dohrmann, who wound up with 1,499 points.
Heelan put together a 19-4 season, the most wins in five-player school history. The Crusaders lost an opening-round state tournament game to Spirit Lake, 49-38, but with Lund and freshman Millie Niggeling, another All-Metro honoree, returning next season, chances are they will make another strong run at a state tournament berth.
South Sioux City's McKayla Knudson, a 6-1 sophomore, made the All-Metro team for the second time. Knudson averaged 16.3 points for a Cardinal squad that finished 14-9 and lost a first-round Nebraska Class B district game to Omaha Roncalli. That ended a streak of 12 straight Class B state tournament berths.
Heelan's Niggeling, a 6-foot freshman, burst onto the scene with averages of 13.7 points and 7.5 rebounds in her first high school campaign. Niggeling, also an adept shot blocker, was named to the third-team Iowa Newspaper Association Class 3A all-state team.
Katie Vondrak, a 6-1 senior from Heelan, was an honorable mention selection after making the first team a year ago. East's Courtney McCarthy, a 5-10 junior, and Wendy Hofmeyer, a 5-9 senior, were also honorable mention along with Rachel Heeney, one of just two seniors on the South Sioux City roster.
Hofmeyer set East's single-game five-player scoring record with 34 points in a game against West on Feb. 1.
The All-Metro teams are selected by the five head coaches from the Sioux City and South Sioux City teams.
The 5-foot-5 Worden, who will play at NCAA Division I Southern Illinois University, finished her career as the third-leading scorer in Sioux City girls five-player history with 1,236 points. The lightning-quick guard averaged 15 points during the regular season and scored 44 more in the state tournament.
North defeated Des Moines Roosevelt 71-57 in the 4A state championship game, capping a 25-2 season.
Worden's running mate in the Stars' backcourt, 5-7 senior Jacqui Kalin, was named to the All-Metro team for the third straight season. Kalin, headed to the University of Northern Iowa, averaged 15.5 points per game this season and tallied 58 in the state tournament, finishing as the fourth-leading scorer in metro girls five-player history with 1,143 points.
Worden and Kalin were each named to the Iowa Newspaper Association all-state first team while teammate Likeisha Dotson, another All-Metro selection, was on the third team. Dotson, a 5-10 senior, contributed 9.6 points per game and was North's defensive specialist.
The three North seniors were catalysts for teams that won 45 of 49 games over the past two seasons, earning back-to-back state tournament berths.
Like Worden, the three remaining first-team All-Metro performers are on track to become four-time honorees.
Michelle Lund, a high-scoring junior guard from Bishop Heelan, is on the team for the third consecutive season. The 5-6 Lund, the city's top scorer with a 19.3 average, helped the Crusaders reach the Class 3A state five-player tournament for the first time in school history.
Lund, who has verbally committed to Bradley University, poured in 444 points this season, moving into second place on the all-time metro five-player list with 1,333 points. Lund trails only North's Erin Dohrmann, who wound up with 1,499 points.
Heelan put together a 19-4 season, the most wins in five-player school history. The Crusaders lost an opening-round state tournament game to Spirit Lake, 49-38, but with Lund and freshman Millie Niggeling, another All-Metro honoree, returning next season, chances are they will make another strong run at a state tournament berth.
South Sioux City's McKayla Knudson, a 6-1 sophomore, made the All-Metro team for the second time. Knudson averaged 16.3 points for a Cardinal squad that finished 14-9 and lost a first-round Nebraska Class B district game to Omaha Roncalli. That ended a streak of 12 straight Class B state tournament berths.
Heelan's Niggeling, a 6-foot freshman, burst onto the scene with averages of 13.7 points and 7.5 rebounds in her first high school campaign. Niggeling, also an adept shot blocker, was named to the third-team Iowa Newspaper Association Class 3A all-state team.
Katie Vondrak, a 6-1 senior from Heelan, was an honorable mention selection after making the first team a year ago. East's Courtney McCarthy, a 5-10 junior, and Wendy Hofmeyer, a 5-9 senior, were also honorable mention along with Rachel Heeney, one of just two seniors on the South Sioux City roster.
Hofmeyer set East's single-game five-player scoring record with 34 points in a game against West on Feb. 1.
The All-Metro teams are selected by the five head coaches from the Sioux City and South Sioux City teams.
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