DETROIT (AP) — Ruby Whitehorn headlines The Associated Press all-state team as the Division 2 player of the year in voting by a panel of sportswriters throughout the state.
The 6-foot senior handles the ball like a point guard, drives to the basket like a small forward, knocks down the 3 like a shooting guard and also scores in the post, reasons she earned the title of Miss Basketball in Michigan as well.
Whitehorn averaged 24 points, 12.2 rebounds, 4.5 steals and four assists to lead Detroit Edison to the state championship, scoring 28 points on 14-of-19 shooting while grabbing nine rebounds in a 73-55 win over Grand Rapids West Catholic.
“She doesn’t have to have the ball in her hand to be successful,” said Edison coach Monique Brown of Whitehorn, who will play next year at Clemson. “She plays defense. She gets steals. She blocks shots, so she can change the game in any way possible on the floor and that’s what makes her so special.”
Edison won three straight state championships from 2017-19, then had its chance for a fourth straight title end when COVID shut down the postseason in 2020. Edison also had its postseason run end in 2021 due to positive COVID cases within its program.
Whitehorn was the fourth straight Edison player to win Miss Basketball, joining Rickea Jackson (2019), Gabby Elliott (2020) and Damiya Hagemann last season.
“Ruby the last four years was able to learn from each and every last one of those players,” said Brown. “She’s a good slasher and Gabby Elliott was a good slasher. Rickea Jackson can score. Damiya Hagemann can pass the ball, so she’s blended all of those three young ladies and she can do a lot of different things on the court to help us be who we are.”
Whitehorn’s teammate, Edison forward Madisen Wardell (DePaul) also earned a spot on the first-team, as did Detroit Cody forward Aiyanna Tanksley.
Wardell was a force inside for Edison, averaging 13.5 points and six rebounds while Tanksley averaged 29.3 points, 14.5 rebounds and four assists, scoring 50 while grabbing 20 rebounds in a PSL quarterfinal win.
Michigan State-bound guard Abbey Kimball of Grand Rapids West Catholic was also a first-team selection, as was Ashley Bower of Portland, Jaxi Long of Newaygo, Macey Fegan of Standish-Sterling, Brook Simpson of Belding, Ellie Toney of Corunna and Mary Lengemann of Imlay City.
Kimball averaged 26 points, six steals and five rebounds, making 45% of her 3-pointers while Fegan averaged 29.6 points and 12.9 rebounds and is a Toledo commit, also owning an offer from Michigan.
Bower averaged 19.1 points, 3.3 steals and 3.2 assists while playing outstanding defense and Toney averaged 23.5 points, 10.3 rebounds and 4.4 assists while converting 86.4% of her free throws.
Long averaged 19.4 points and four steals, finishing her career with 1,348 points while Simpson averaged 26 points, seven rebounds and 4.2 steals, a reason she has offers from Pittsburgh, Western Michigan and Central Michigan.
Lengemann finished her career with 1,360 points, averaging 19 points, 5.5 rebounds and three steals during her senior season.
Joe Jacobs of Frankenmuth was voted Division 2 coach of the year after going unbeaten in the Tri-Valley Conference East Division while guiding his team to its first regional title in 26 years despite losing all-state guard Lexi Boyke to a torn ACL in the season opener.
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The 2022 Associated Press Division 2 girls’ basketball All-State team as selected by a panel of eight Michigan sportswriters:
Player of the Year: Ruby Whitehorn, Detroit Edison
Coach of the Year: Joe Jacobs, Frankenmuth
First Team All-State
Ruby Whitehorn, Detroit Edison, Sr.
Macey Fegan, Standish-Sterling, Jr.
Abbey Kimball, West Catholic, Sr.
Brook Simpson, Belding, Soph.
Ashley Bower, Portland, Sr.
Ellie Toney, Corunna, Sr.
Aiyanna Tanksley, Detroit Cody, Sr.
Madisen Wardell, Detroit Edison, Sr.
Jaxi Long, Newaygo, Sr.
Mary Lengemann, Imlay City, Sr.
Second Team All-State
(Nominees receiving two or more votes from the eight-member panel)
Shamya Reid, Redford Westfield Prep, Jr.
Alyssa Hill, Negaunee, Sr.
Mia McLaughlin, Frankenmuth, Soph.
Kamari Forrest, Saginaw, Jr.
Macey Laubach, Edwardsburg, Sr.
Cadence Dykstra, West Catholic, Jr.
Leila Wells, Chelsea, Soph.
Coach: Jon Pobuda, Edwardsburg
Honorable Mention
(Nominees receiving one or no votes from the eight-member panel)
Katelyn Baney, Paw Paw; Lauren Vanderstelt, Plainwell; Cali Miller, Otsego; Kaitlyn Payseno, Otsego; Anna Richards, Lansing Catholic; Caitlyn Walter, Ovid-Elsie; Gwen Rogozinski, Stockbridge; Sydnie Gillett, Corunna; Kenzie Bromley, Petoskey; Isis Musah-Johnson, Redford Westfield Prep; Rylie Haist, Big Rapids; Sydney Vis, South Christian; Hannah Schroeder, Allendale; Katelyn LaRue, Grand Rapids Christian; Ella Mondroski, Catholic Central; Bella Vallone, Sparta; Elisha Dykstra, West Catholic; Sydnie Gillett, Corunna; Riley Abney, Ortonville Brandon; Cola Sisk, Lake Fenton; Alexcis Parker, Flint Powers Catholic; Emily Bissett, Flint Powers Catholic; Kaitlyn Cain, Marysville; Jaidyn Elam, Detroit Country Day; Alli Zajac, Tecumseh; Hailey Freschcorn, Onsted; Sophia Hekkema, Reeths-Puffer; RyAnn Rohrer, Ludington; Ariel Walker, Reeths-Puffer; Ella Castelucci, Edwardsburg; Desrae Kyles, Benton Harbor; Rachel Resio, Saginaw Swan Valley; Emma Kerkau, Frankenmuth; Lauren Walker, Essexville Garber; Jordan Cleveland, Alma; Emmerson Goodin, Newaygo; Adi Sysum, Eaton Rapids; Avery Parker, Gaylord; Dakota Alston, Detroit Edison; NaKiya Bonner, Detroit Edison; Asia Cochran, Redford Westfield Prep; Devin Hagemann, Detroit Edison; Zoey Persails, Frankenmuth; Whitney Farrell, Freeland; Sofiah Coker, Clare; Andee Raphael, Shepherd; Kendall Osborne, Montague; Jennifer Judge, Spring Lake; Lauren Pitock, Carleton-Airport; Kaylei Smith, Onsted; Megan McCalla, Chelsea; Charlotte Miller, Ann Arbor Father Gabriel Richard.
Coaches: Ryan Cunningham, Ovid-Elsie; Ryan Rathje, Marysville.
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Voting panel: Bill Broderick, Battle Creek Enquirer; Brian Calloway, Lansing State Journal; David Goricki, The Detroit News; Marc Vieau, The Cadillac News; Brandon Watson, Sturgis Journal; James Cook, Traverse City Record-Eagle; Jason Juno, Ironwood Daily Globe; Doug Donnelly, Adrian Daily Telegram
