Pocahontas Area ends dream run with Ruffridge's records

Elle Ruffridge will have to find something new to dream about.

The Pocahontas Area senior scored 22 points to lead her team to a 61-38 win over Sioux Center in the school's second consecutive Class 3A state girls' basketball championship Saturday at Wells Fargo Arena.

"Ever since this basketball season started, I have had nonstop dreams about winning a state title," Ruffridge said.

After taking the title and finishing her career as the state leader in points (2,951), assists (802) and 3-pointers (466), perhaps she'll refocus the subject of her dreams.

Second-ranked Pocahontas Area finished the season at 27-1. Payton Hjerleid scored 12 points and Faith Meyer added 11. Ruffridge, who was named captain of the 3A all-tournament team, ended her career with a five-player record 250 points in 19 state tournament games. Teammate Grace Meyer also was named all-tournament.

Top-ranked Sioux Center (26-1) equaled its best finish in school history, matching the 1927 team that was the state runner-up. Jessica Harald scored nine points. Lexi Toering added a game-high eight points. Both were all-tournament selections.

"Our coach told us it was the first time in 90 years that we got to this game," Toering said. "I couldn't have been any prouder of my team."

Pocahontas Area sank 12 of 27 3-point attempts, with Ruffridge making six. The winners held a 20-19 lead at the end of the first quarter before going on a 14-2 run in the second period.

The senior players had attended the state tournament when they were in middle school and envisioned themselves on the court.

"We were like, 'We want to be down here one day and we want to win it,'" Faith Meyer said.

Pocahontas Area lost to Nevada during the season, a defeat that helped motivate the team.

"It wasn't necessarily fire, it was focus," coach Robert Maske said. "The one thing that's never wavered was their focus."

Ruffridge became the state's all-time five-player scoring leader late in the season. (Lynne Lorenzen of Ventura set the state and national six-player scoring record of 6,736 in 1987.)

With that mark, as well as the 3-point and assist career records in hand, there may be talk about whether she's the greatest in Iowa high school history.

"That's one discussion I don't want to be part of," Maske said, "but in my experience, she's been the best player I've ever been associated with."

For Ruffridge, a Missouri State recruit, reality has equaled her dreams.

So what's next when she sleeps?

"I'll probably dream about it all over again," Ruffridge said.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Pocahontas Area (61)—F.Mayer 11, Hjerleid 12, Ruffridge 22, G.Meyer 4, Ahlers 4, Weidauer 8. Also played—Berte, Johnson, Neumann, Vainreb, Aljets, Vonnahme, Shivers, Ricke, Sullivan. Totals 21 7-8.

Sioux Center (38)—Harald 9, Dykshorn 5, Van Maanen 4, Post 8, Toering 4, Rensink 8. Also played—Sandbulte, Fritz, Verburg, Winterfeld, Bomgaars, Harshbarger, Cleveringa. Totals 15 3-6.

Pocahontas Area…20 18 17 6—61

Sioux Center…19 5 14 0—38

3-point goals—P 12 (F.Meyer, Hjerleid 2, Ruffridge 6, G.Meyer, Weidauer 2), S 5 (Dykshorn, Post 2, Rensink 2). Fouls—P 12, S 13.

ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM: CLASS 3A

Grace Meyer, Pocahontas Area

Jessica Harald, Sioux Center

Allison Wooldridge, Center Point-Urbana

Paityn Hagberg, Cherokee

Lexi Toering, Sioux Center

Elle Ruffridge, Pocahontas Area (Captain)

Elle Ruffridge state records: 

2,951 points

802 assists

466 3-pointers

All state records.