The chase pack behind Collins-Maxwell in the Iowa Star Conference’s South Division was led this year by the BCLUW girls’ basketball team, and the Comets’ pursuit of the Spartans used an inside-out strategy.

At the center of it all was Comet sophomore Grace Farnsworth.

Farnsworth finished as the conference’s fourth-leading scorer and top rebounder in helping BCLUW earn second place in the team’s second season in the Iowa Star South, one game behind Collins-Maxwell.

Farnsworth was one of three Marshalltown-area players named to the ISC South’s all-conference first team, joined by Meskwaki senior guard Sia Bear and GMG senior forward Jocee Mason.

Farnsworth was promoted from second-team selection a year ago, while Bear was a second-team pick two winters ago. Mason moved up from honorable mention selection last season.

Farnsworth, a 5-foot-10 post presence, finished the conference season averaging a double-double of 13.4 points and 11.1 rebounds per game. She led the league with 5.9 offensive rebounds per game and shot a league-best 57.1 percent from the field.

Bear, whose team was the only one to beat Collins-Maxwell in ISC South play, finished with strong numbers across the board. She ranked ninth in scoring average (9.8 points), 12th in rebounding (5.6), third in assists (4.0) and second in steals (5.0). She shot a league-leading 50 percent from 3-point range (12-for-24) during conference play.

Mason led GMG during conference play in scoring (10.8) and rebounding (9.8), ranking seventh and fifth in respective categories.

Conference Player of the Year Erica Houge, a seniof guard from Collins-Maxwell, led the South Division in scoring (20.0), ranked second in assists (4.5), and third in both rebounding (10.3) and steals (4.4). The Spartans, led by Coach of the Year Aaron Hill, won the division title with an 11-1 record.

BCLUW’s offense featured the interior play of Farnsworth and the outside shooting of guards Sydney Anderson and Klayre Gallentine. Both named to the ISC South’s second team, Anderson ranked third with 30 3-pointers during conference play, while Gallentine was sixth with 18. Anderson, a senior, was a first-team pick a year ago, while the junior Gallentine received all-conference honors for the first time.

Fellow second-teamer Ava Breakenridge, a junior from North Tama, ranked fifth with 19 3-pointers in league games. She averaged a team-leading 13.3 points to go with 6.3 boards, 2.9 steals and 2.5 assists during divisional play.

Meskwaki freshman guard Dorothy Bear earned all-conference second-team selection after leading the Warriors in scoring (12.4) and rebounding (6.6) during conference play.

GMG senior forward Reese Dieleman, like Breakenridge, was a second-team honoree for the second year in a row. Dieleman averaged 9.9 points, 4.5 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game for the Wolverines.

Local honorable mention selection went to BCLUW senior guard Callie Swanson, GMG senior forward Maecyn Lewis, North Tama sophomore forward Rylee Ridout, and Meskwaki freshman wing Sade Kapayou.

All-Iowa Star Conference South Division Girls Basketball Teams

Player of the Year — Erica Houge, sr., Collins-Maxwell.

Coach of the Year — Aaron Hill, Collins-Maxwell.

FIRST TEAM

Erica Houge, sr., G, Collins-Maxwell

Chloe Wierson, sr., F, Collins-Maxwell

Grace Farnsworth, so., F, BCLUW

Sia Bear, sr., G, Meskwaki

Jocee Mason, sr., F, GMG

Emie Tuhn, jr., G, Baxter

SECOND TEAM

Sydney Anderson, sr., G, BCLUW

Klayre Gallentine, sr., F, BCLUW

Dorothy Bear, fr., G, Meskwaki

Reese Dieleman, sr., F, GMG

Ava Breakenridge, jr., G, North Tama

Gemma Bower, sr., G, Colo-NESCO

HONORABLE MENTION

Vivian Kahler, sr., F, Collins-Maxwell

Callie Swanson, sr., G, BCLUW

Sade Kapayou, fr., G/F, Meskwaki

Maecyn Lewis, sr., F, GMG

Rylee Ridout, so., F, North Tama

Jadyn Niemeyer, jr., F, Colo-NESCO

Final Conference Standings

Collins-Maxwell 11-1

BCLUW 10-2

Meskwaki 7-5

GMG 6-6

North Tama 5-7

Baxter 2-10

Colo-NESCO 1-11