March 28, 2024

McCann, Patton named INA all-staters

Clarke senior Kylar McCann and Murray junior Kate Patton both earned third-team all-state honors from the Iowa Newspaper Association, as announced Tuesday.

Each all-state team consists of three front line players, three backcourt players and two utility players, with three teams for each class.

McCann

McCann, a 5-9 senior, played an important role on a Clarke girls team that won a share of the South Central Conference championship, marking the third straight year the team has won at least a share of the title.

She led the team in scoring at 13.8 points per game, pulled down 4.3 rebounds per game and finished tied for the team lead with 50 assists and with a team-high 83 steals.

McCann finished in the top 12 in the state for Class 3A with her 83 steals.

“I’m very happy for Kylar and what she did for us this season,” head coach Eric Zoske said. “She was really the backbone of our team. We had some other sickness and injuries, but she never missed a practice, never missed a film session. She always showed up and played her best game. It’s good to see her rewarded for her effort this year.”

McCann was a part of a three-headed attack that also consisted of seniors Kacey Klemesrud and Sarah Pate. The three seniors each averaged more than10 points per game, making them the only team in Class 3A with three players averaging more than 10 points per game.

“We don’t need a girl to score 24 points per game. We don’t need a girl to get 14 rebounds per game,” Zoske said. “As far as I’ve seen, there’s not been another team in Class 3A with three girls over 10 points per game.”

Klemesrud and Pate both earned nominations for the all-state teams.

McCann set three individual records this season for the Lady Indians.

She finished with the best free throw percentage in one season in school history at 74.8 percent, topping the previous record of 74 percent by Billie Smith in 1993-94.

Despite not having blocked shot statistics recorded during her freshman season, McCann broke the school’s career record for blocks with 64, needing only three seasons to top Jen McElvogue’s record of 59.

McCann and Pate each tied McElvogue’s 1995-96 single game record for blocked shots, as they each blocked three shots in one game.

The Lady Indians also broke three school records during the season — best 3-point percentage in one game at 75 percent vs. Carlisle, most 3-pointers made in one game with 10 vs. Winterset and best field goal percentage in one game at 57.8 percent vs. Winterset.

Zoske said part of what made McCann so successful this season was her conditioning.

“She brought us effort, energy and a lot of minutes,” Zoske said. “There weren’t a lot of games she sat out. She’s one of those girls who rarely gets tired. She’s a little Energizer bunny.”

Zoske, who was in his first year as head coach for the Lady Indians, said McCann made his job as head coach a lot easier.

“She sure does make me look a little bit better than I actually was this year,” he said. “Anyone in the state would have been happy to get Kylar McCann on their team, and I was certainly happy to have her on my team in my first year.”

Patton

Murray junior guard Kate Patton also earned third-team honors in Class 1A.

At just 5-5 in height, Patton used her quickness to get open on the offensive end and to cause turnovers on the defensive end.

Patton led the Mustangs with 17.3 points per game and 136 steals, while also finishing second on the team with 63 assists.

She ranked fourth in Class 1A with her 136 steals.

“I think she was very deserving of it,” Murray head coach Jerry Shields said. “She put on a heck of a year for us. She led us in steals, second in assists. It’s a real privilege for her and her teammates for her to be able to make that.”

Shields said Patton ranks as one of the quickest girls he’s ever coached.

“She’s one of the quickest girls I’ve had,” he said. “She’s got good hands. She’s probably been one of the best penetrators I’ve had to penetrate the lane and get the shot or pass to a teammate. Probably one of the best I’ve had.”

With Patton leading the team at 17.3 points per game, and the next leading scorer at 6.7 points per game, Shields said other teams attempted to take Patton out of the game offensively, but she still ended up getting her points.

“I’m sure that was their number one thing, was to take her out of the ballgame,” Shields said. “We had quite a few box-and-ones played against her. With her still being able to score that many points, it says a lot about how she was able to move without the ball.”

Patton put together an impressive junior campaign, scoring the second most points in a single season in school history with 380 and collecting the second most steals in a single season in school history.

She currently sits at 911 career points, putting her in prime position to eclipse the 1,000-point mark in her senior season, which would make her just the third girl to do that under coach Shields.

Shields also noted she stands a chance of breaking the school record for career steals with a senior campaign similar to her junior season.

And losing just one starter from a team that lost just five regular season games by a total of 16 points, Shields said he’s excited about next season with Patton coming back to lead the Mustangs.

“It’s tough getting to the top of the mountain,” Shields said. “Hopefully with most of our girls coming back, and with Kate coming back to lead us, we can do that next year. We just need to get in the gym this summer.”