Iowa Class 3A Mid-Season Title Favorites: Storm Lake

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Kicking off a series of at least three schools per class that have the best chance at winning the state title. We begin with Iowa's largest schools, Class 3A.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><a href="https://prephoops.com/2026/02/iowa-class-3a-mid-season-title-favorites-ballard/">Iowa Class 3A Mid-Season Title Favorites: Ballard</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><a href="https://prephoops.com/2026/02/iowa-class-3a-mid-season-title-favorites-clear-lake/">Iowa Class 3A Mid-Season Title Favorites: Clear Lake</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><a href="https://prephoops.com/2026/02/iowa-class-3a-mid-season-title-favorites-pella/">Iowa Class 3A Mid-Season Title Favorites: Pella</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><a href="https://prephoops.com/2026/02/iowa-class-3a-mid-season-title-favorites-solon/">Iowa Class 3A Mid-Season Title Favorites: Solon</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>The Case for the Tornadoes</strong>:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Similar to Ballard, who we just covered, Storm Lake recently took their first loss against an Iowa-based team within the last week, falling to 2A juggernaut, Carroll Kuemper. Frankly, though, one game doesn't determine how good the Tornadoes are, and a loss just over two weeks from the start of the playoffs could be good for Storm Lake who was upset in the first round of last year's state tournament in a clash with ADM. So, with their second overall loss so far this season, why are the Tornadoes just as much of a threat to take the 3A title as before? </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Of course, the conversation around Storm Lake starts and ends with their star and the No. 2 player in the class of 2026, [player_tooltip player_id='1765515' first='Jaidyn' last='Coon']. One of the top scorers, defenders and athletes in the state and the class, the Creighton commit was heavily-coveted by a slew of high-major programs for a good reason. A nasty dunker that can swat away shots at the rim and launch from deep, Coon's playmaking ability against 3A competition is some of the best the state has to offer. Scoring 24 points per game -- the fourth-most in 3A -- while adding 9.5 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.9 steals and 1.1 blocks per contest, Coon is the primary reason the Tornadoes are as good as they are. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Don't forget his playmaking co-hort at point guard, tho. Fellow senior[player_tooltip player_id='1765508' first='Cameron' last='Boyd'] has taken his game to the next level as one of the more overlooked scorers in the state. The Briar Cliff commit is complementing Coon's scoring and rebounding by putting up 17.9 points per contest while shooting 38-of-78 (48.7%) from the three-point line this year, providing extra spacing for Coon to get down hill. Boyd can create space for himself to get shots off, and he's just another score opposing teams have to account for, taking significant load off Coon's shoulders to score. He also contributes 4.1 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 2.3 steals per game. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Along with Coon and Boyd, 6-foot-4 forwards like [player_tooltip player_id='2420795' first='Timothy' last='Yanga'] and [player_tooltip player_id='2833525' first='Garbieno' last='Weno'] provide some added size in the front court for the Tornadoes, adding a bit of an edge and a willingness to do the dirty work. Yanga contributes 10.5 points and 4.4 boards, while Weno, who shoots 59.8% from the field, adds 9.1 points and 7.5 boards per contest. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Juniors [player_tooltip player_id='2420801' first='Trey' last='Boettcher'] and [player_tooltip player_id='2419850' first='David' last='William'] are key, too, as they combine to contribute 16.1 points and 6.4 rebounds per contest. William, a Division I football recruit at wide receiver, uses his length and athleticism on the defensive side of the floor, too. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><br></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->