MID-PRAIRIE GIRLS BASKETBALL

Maddie Nonnenmann soars into senior season for Golden Hawks

6-foot forward welcomes leadership role in final year at Mid-Prairie

By Paul D. Bowker
Posted 12/2/21

When Maddie Nonnenmann stepped onto Mid-Prairie’s home court two nights before Thanksgiving, she was a starter in basketball for the 40 th  time.

And for the first time as a senior.

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MID-PRAIRIE GIRLS BASKETBALL

Maddie Nonnenmann soars into senior season for Golden Hawks

6-foot forward welcomes leadership role in final year at Mid-Prairie

Posted

When Maddie Nonnenmann stepped onto Mid-Prairie’s home court two nights before Thanksgiving, she was a starter in basketball for the 40th time.

And for the first time as a senior.

Over three years, Nonnenmann stacked up nearly 700 points and 347 rebounds. During that same time, she grew to a little over 6 feet tall. Her younger sister, Maya, joined the basketball and volleyball teams with Maddie. By the time the season ends, Maddie could top 900 points and 500 rebounds.

This year she clearly takes on a leadership role for the Golden Hawks.

Maddie smiled about that one day before practice.

“I’m really excited,” she said of her senior season. “I’m so excited to step into the leadership role for this year. I mean, it’s sad. It came faster than I thought it would come. But I’m ready for this year. I’m ready to guide our team.”

Nonnenmann’s influence on Golden Hawks basketball goes back to her freshman year in 2018-19, when she started two games and played in 22. She started 15 games a year later and all 22 last year when her 292 points and 147 rebounds led the team and ranked sixth in the River Valley South Conference.

Head coach Danny Hershberger realizes the coach he has on the court.

“She’s been starting varsity since a freshman. This is her final run for it,” Hershberger said. “I think she’s excited to be that senior leader, kind of be that one that everyone is looking up to. She’s done a great job of being a leader this year, whether it’s on the court with what we’re doing or off the court helping people out whenever she can.”

Maddie’s senior leadership certainly clicked into place during volleyball season, when she was the glue in a rapidly improving lineup along the front line that also featured juniors Ella Groenewold, Landry Pacha and Maya.

Maddie Nonnenmann and Groenewold combined for 149 blocks, the most of any duo in the River Valley South. The Nonnenmann sisters and Groenewold each ranked among the top 17 in kills. The Golden Hawks finished with 16 wins and a winning record for the first time since 2009.

And that might have been a warm-up act for what the Golden Hawks hope to do in girls basketball.

Maddie Nonnenmann is one of just two seniors on the team; volleyball teammate Cana Rediger is the other senior. The rest of the Golden Hawks starters consists – so far – of juniors Amara Jones, Kylie Reinier and Pacha, and sophomore Nora Pennington.

Maddie Nonnenmann will be the girl in the middle.

She’ll be the one with the rebounds.

She’ll be the one calling the shots.

She’ll be the encourager.

Nonnenmann led Mid-Prairie in scoring and rebounding last year, and ranked second behind 2021 graduate Myah Lugar in scoring (by one point) and rebounding two years ago when Maddie was just a sophomore.

In the Golden Hawks’ first two games against Durant and ninth-ranked West Liberty, she led the team in scoring and rebounding. In a season-opening 20-point win against Durant, Nonnenmann had 6 rebounds and scored 10 points despite missing most of the first half with a pair of early fouls. Even in adversity, she succeeded.

“I’m really proud of the way she’s stepped up so far this year and really helping our team along,” Hershberger said.

 

News columnist Paul Bowker can be reached at bowkerpaul1@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter: @bowkerpaul.

Mid-Prairie, girls basketball, Maddie Nonnenmann