ALL-STATE BIOS
BEATRICE CULLITON, ST. THOMAS AQUINAS
6-foot-3 senior center
2021-22
- 363 points (14.5 ppg), 247 rebounds (9.9 rpg)
Career
- 1,227 points (13.1 ppg), 730 rebounds (7.8)
Worth Noting
Led St. Thomas Aquinas to its sixth straight Class 5A state championship this year, averaging 17 points and 13.7 rebounds per game in the tourney. … Had 18 points and 17 rebounds in 52-38 win over undefeated Salina Central in championship game. … Was starter on Saints' last three title teams. … Saints posted 82-12 record in her career, including 18-0 postseason record. … Was named Eastern Kansas League MVP this year and is DiRenna Award finalist for top player in the Kansas City Metro area. … Culliton ranks No. 1 on Saints' career rebounding list and is fifth on the all-time scoring list. … Shot 58.3% from the floor this year and finished career as a school-record 60.5% shooter. … A four-time All-EKL selection and was a consensus All-State and All-Class 5A selection last year. … Has signed with the University of Oklahoma.
Coach's comment
"As a 6'3" post Beatrice has the ability to run the floor and score in traffic," Aquinas coach Rick Hetzel said. "Always the focus of the other team's defense, Beatrice found herself normally double or triple-teamed each trip down the floor. Beyond her basketball skills Beatrice excelled as a teammate and in the classroom with a 100.42 grade average on a 100 scale."
BRITTANY HARSHAW, ANDOVER CENTRAL
6-foot-1 senior guard
2021-22
- 458 points (18.3 ppg), 162 rebounds (6.5 rpg)
Career
- 1,598 points (17 ppg), 529 rebounds (5.6 rpg)
Worth Noting
Led Andover Central to third-place finish at Class 5A state tournament this season and a 19-6 season overall. … Led 5A state tourney in scoring with 19.3 points per game, including 26 in semifinal loss to eventual state champion St. Thomas Aquinas. … Also led Jaguars to runner-up finish in Class 5A in 2021 and a Forever Four appearance in 2020 with Jaguars a combined 46-2 in those seasons. … Averaged at least 14 points per game all four years, including just over 18 each of last two seasons. … Had 12 games of 20 or more this season with a high of 28. … Also posted 252 career assists (2.7 apg) and 221 steals (2.4 spg). … Led Jaguars in scoring, rebounding and assists this season. … Made 199 career 3-pointers and shot 35% beyond the arc in her career. … Was named the Ark Valley Chisholm Trail League Division II player of the year as senior and is four-time first-team all-league selection. … Has signed with Creighton.
Coach's comment
"Brittany has not only been an incredible player to coach for the last four years, but an incredible kid with a huge amount of energy," Andover Central coach Stana Jefferson said. "She is extremely athletic and her passion for the game always brought a competitive, positive vibe to every practice and game."
AVA JONES, NICKERSON
6-foot-2 junior center/forward
2021-22
- 500 points (20.8 ppg), 370 rebounds (15.4 rpg)
Career
- 1,336 points (19.3 ppg), 822 rebounds (11.9 rpg)
Worth Noting
Led Nickerson to 23-3 record and fourth-place finish in Class 3A this season. … Also led Panthers to fourth-place finish in Class 4A as a sophomore and Forever Four showing in 4A as freshman. … Averaged 20 points and 14.7 rebounds per game at state tourney this season. … Led state in rebounding this season. … Shot 59% from the floor and 79% from free throw line this season. … Is a three-time All-Central Kansas League first-team selection and was consensus first-team All-Class 4A selection last season. … Is a three-sport standout and was a second-team All-Class 3A selection in volleyball in the fall and was Class 4A state high jump champion in track last spring. … Originally was committed to Arizona State, but has re-opened her recruitment.
Coach's comment
"Ava has been a dominant presence for us the last two seasons," Nickerson coach Jon McLean said. "She has good shooting skills which makes her a tough person to guard. She is constantly facing double teams every game. She has a high motor and that's why she gets so many rebounds. She puts a lot of time in being in the gym to improve her skills."
AUBRIE KIERSCHT, SALINA CENTRAL
5-foot-6 senior guard
2021-22
- 517 points (20.7 ppg), 113 3-pointers
Career
- 1,685 points (18.3 ppg), 318 3-pointers
Worth Noting
Led Central to runner-up finish in Class 5A this season with Mustangs' only loss in a 24-1 season a 52-38 decision to St. Thomas Aquinas in the state championship game, scoring team-high 17 points in title game. … Also led Mustangs to a third-place state finish in 2021. … Is all-time leading scorer in program history as well as career leader in 3-pointers made. … Her 517 points and 113 3-pointers this season are also school single-season records. … Tied a state record with 12 3-pointers made in a school-record 40-point outing against Valley Center this year. … Shot 52% from 3-point range this year and 89% from free-throw line. … Scored 20 or more points in 12 of 25 games. … Made at least 60 3-pointers all four seasons and averaged at least 14.5 points per game each season. … Also had 159 career steals and 121 career assists. … Is a three-time first-team All-Ark Valley Chisholm Trail League selection, including Division I player of the year as a sophomore, and was consensus first-team All-Class 5A pick last year. … Has signed with Navy.
Coach's comment
"Aubrie had an incredible season for us and an outstanding career at Salina Central," Central coach Chris Fear said. "She has an amazing work ethic and has made herself into one of the best players in the state of Kansas. She was never satisfied with anything. She always thought there was room for improvement."
TARYN SIDES, PHILLIPSBURG
5-foot-6, junior point guard
2021-22
- 640 points (27.8 ppg), 239 rebounds (10.4 rpg)
Career
- 1,555 points (22.2 ppg), 545 rebounds (7.8 rpg)
Worth Noting
Led the state in scoring this season, posting six games of 30 or more and twice went for 40. … Also averaged 5 steals and 3.6 assists per game this season and is averaging 3.8 assists and 5.2 steals per game in her career. … Shot 46% from 3-point range this season and 58% from field overall. … Is first Phillipsburg girls' player to score 1,000 points in career. … Holds every school scoring record (game, season and career) and also set school records for 3-pointers in a game (7), season (75) and career (63), assists in a season (115) and career (264) and steals in a season (141) and career (363). … Led Panthers to Class 3A state tournament in 2020 and 2021 and to sub-state finals this season, falling to eventual state champion Goodland. … Was consensus first-team All-Class 3A selection last year and is three-time first-team All-Mid-Continent League selection. … Has committed to Kansas State.
Coach's comment
"Taryn is an amazing basketball player," Phillipsburg coach Rachel Miller said. "She has the skills, the knowledge and the leadership it takes to be a premier point guard. Taryn is a tremendous leader on and off the floor. Taryn has a high motor, her competitiveness is elite. She is an outstanding person and a special player."
JILL ROWLAND, STERLING
Coach of the year
2021-22
- 26-0, Class 2A state champion
Career
Worth Noting
Has led Sterling to back-to-back Class 2A state championships – the first titles in program history. … Black Bears were lone undefeated team in the state this year, beating Garden Plain 47-38 in title game to cap 26-0 season. … Sterling handed Class 1A Division II state champion Central Plains its only loss. … Is 247-81 in 14 seasons as coach at Sterling. … Has led Black Bears to state tournament six times in last 10 years, including past four, with five trips to state semifinals. … Sterling took second in 2A in 2019, third in 2A in 2013 and fourth in 3A in 2016. ... Has led Sterling to five consecutive Heart of America League titles. ... Also coached two years at Concordia after playing collegiately at Sterling College.
Coach's comment
"They're all hard to win so the both mean so much," Rowland said of the back-to-back titles. "I thought we handled the pressure all year. And we had a lot of pressure. People just expected us to come right back and it would be easy, and it wasn't. This team was so incredibly balanced and I think that is what makes this team special. I was able to depend on a number of kids to step up each night It is a difficult thing to be able to go to state, even harder to win it. So we are so grateful and blessed to be able to achieve this goal two years in a row."