Four Ely girls all-conference

LaTourell, Penke, Perry, Visser selected to Arrowhead team

by Tom Coombe

A record-setting winter on the hardcourt resulted in record-setting recognition for Ely’s high school girls basketball program.

For the first time in program history, four different Timberwolves were named to the All-Arrowhead Conference Team.

Junior Grace LaTourell was a repeat selection and made the All-Arrowhead first-team, as picked by league coaches.

Ely senior Madeline Perry gained third-team honors and was recognized for a second consecutive winter, while Wolves juniors Hannah Penke and Sarah Visser were first-time honorees.

Penke was picked to the All-Arrowhead second team and Visser joined Perry with third-team recognition.

The honors came on the heels of a season in which the Wolves won a program record 23 games, and reached the final four of Section 7A for a second straight year.

LaTourell, who amassed 1,339 points thus far in her prep basketball career, led the Ely All-Arrowhead quartet with a spot on the five-member first team.

During her junior campaign, she scored 473 total points and averaged nearly 17 points per contest. Included were 58 three-point baskets, and the guard also collected over six rebounds per game and had 79 total steals.

Penke made an immediate impact in the Ely lineup this season, joining the team after transferring from the state of Washington.

She scored 380 points, third-most on the team, and set a state record by hitting eight consecutive three-point baskets in a late-season win over South Ridge.

Visser gained a spot on the All-Arrowhead third team after setting two season and two program records this winter.

The guard was one of the best all-around players in the section, and set single-season marks in Ely for steals (136) and assists (113).

Visser also had career-best Ely totals for steals (382) and charges taken (16), and averaged nearly 10 rebounds per contest.

Perry closed out a dynamic prep career with All-Arrowhead honors for a second straight season. She scored 382 points, pulled down 85 rebounds and dished out 77 assists.

She finished with 944 career points.

Conference champion Mt. Iron-Buhl, which captured its first Class A state title last weekend, dominated the All-Arrowhead first team with three selections - Jordan Zubich, Sage Ganyo and Hali Savela.

Ely, however, was the only team to get four All-Arrowhead selections.