This past girls' basketball season was another successful one for the Annawan High School squad.
Not only did the Bravettes repeat as regular-season champions in the Lincoln Trail Conference after enduring a three-year title drought, they brought home their first IHSA postseason hardware in five years.
Following up its 11-0 title run in the LTC, Annawan (25-8) reeled off three wins at the Class 1A Wethersfield Regional, capping that run with a 51-39 title-game win over defending 1A state champion Brimfield.
The Bravettes' postseason road ended with a 58-30 loss to eventual Elite Eight qualifier Havana in the Abingdon-Avon Sectional semifinals, but it was another step forward in their return to the program's glory days in the 2010s.
The entire Annawan starting lineup were rewarded when the LTC recently announced its all-conference team.
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The Bravettes had a pair of first-team All-LTC picks along with one second-teamer, one third-teamer and one honorable mention pick -- all but one being underclassmen.
Representing Annawan on the first team were sophomore point guard Bella VanOpdorp and junior guard Kaylee Celus. VanOpdorp was the team's top scorer at 15.8 points per game, while Celus was third with 8.6 points per outing.
Additionally, Celus supplied a team-best 7.4 rebounds, 3.6 steals and 2.7 assists per game, with VanOpdorp adding four rebounds, 3.6 steals and 3.3 assists per contest.
Landing on the second team was junior guard Olivia Goodley, the Bravettes' second-leading scorer at 9.9 points per game. Another junior guard, Lainy Manuel (7.2 points per game), was a second-team pick for Annawan.
The lone senior starter for the Bravettes, forward Jaydn Wise, was an honorable mention choice after averaging 4.5 points and 3.9 rebounds per game.
Wethersfield (20-13), which finished 8-3 to edge out Abingdon-Avon (20-14, 7-4) and Knoxville (17-14, 7-4) for third place behind Annawan and runner-up Princeville (24-10, 10-1), had three players earn all-conference honors.
Leading the Lady Geese' All-LTC trio is junior guard Kennady Anderson, who reached 1,000 career points this past postseason. Sophomore forward Lajaya Angel was named second team, with junior guard Paige Huffman an honorable mention pick.
Galva (14-17) had one first-team honoree in senior guard Lexi Stone, who like Anderson went over 1,000 career points this past winter. Teammates Ava Strom and Kali Yelm were both honorable mention.
Class 2A regional finalist Mercer County (13-18) had two second-teamers in the junior duo of Sydney Lamkin and Gabriella McPeek, with classmate Maddie Hofmann an honorable mention choice.
Ridgewood (8-22) had one all-conference pick in second-team junior guard Mya Brown. United (9-21) had two honorable mention choices in junior Reece Bertelsen and sophomore Katie Flynn.
