Porter Ihnen is selfless — even after a broken collarbone. 

The Lennox High School senior student-athlete suffered a broken collarbone during his final high school football game on Nov. 3. 

The all-state wide receiver laid out for a pass and was landed on by a defender, breaking his left collarbone. He knew immediately it was broken, but that didn’t stop his team-first mentality. 

“I knew something was wrong, but I think the best part was I stayed pretty positive,” Ihnen said. “I kept cheering on my teammates, which was important to me.”

The broken collarbone derailed the start of Ihnen’s senior basketball season. A 6-foot-6 all-state guard, Ihnen was forced to miss the first nine games and instead watched from the sidelines. 

“It was a big mental challenge,” Ihnen said. “But I think it helped the team out because the team learned how to play without me and they got better and I could help coach them on the sideline.”

While Lennox was learning to play without him, Ihnen also continued to improve during his long and tiresome wait back to action. 

“It’s not fun,” Ihnen said. “It’s a good mental challenge, but just knowing that you get better every single time you do it and you are one day closer each day. It’s a process, but it’s a good one.”

On Jan. 25, Ihnen bolstered Lennox’s lineup after making his season debut against Parkston. He’s played in six games this season and Lennox has gone 5-1 with him back in the lineup. 

“It was really fun, even though I got real touchy minutes,” Ihnen said about making his season debut. “It was still great to be out there. Obviously nobody wants to watch. It’s always more fun to play.”

He’s coming off a 24-point performance against Viborg-Hurley on Feb. 3 at the Heritage Classic in Sioux Falls. He tossed in 31 points against Elk Point-Jefferson on Jan. 30.

Lennox's Porter Ihnen attacks the basket against Viborg-Hurley on Feb. 3 at the Sanford Pentagon. (Ryan Deal / 605 Sports)

Lennox coach Chris Buckmiller said the Orioles grew and developed without Ihnen in the lineup. But his return only strengthened the already-stout Lennox Orioles (11-4). 

“Obviously adding your best piece always helps out,” Buckmiller said. “So we are better with him. We are still figuring things out a little bit. It’s always different when you add such an elite player to what you do. But him being such a great teammate, it makes that adjustment a little bit easier.”

Buckmiller took over as Lennox’s coach during Ihnen’s sophomore season, when he earned Class A all-state third-team honors. He averaged 19.3 points, 9.6 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game as a sophomore.

Ihnen garnered Class A all-state first-team honors as a junior, averaging 22 points, seven rebounds and four assists per game.

But Buckmiller initially harped on Ihnen about honing in on defense and using his 6-foot-6 frame to his advantage. 

“He has really come a long way defensively,” Buckmiller said. “That was kind of a Day 1 conversation we talked about as far as your best player should be your best defender and he really owned that. Every day he got a lot better as a sophomore, junior year he was really good and this year I think he’s really come a long way.”

Offensively, scoring has never been an issue for Ihnen. A four-year starter, Ihnen has scored more than 1,000 career points and holds the Lennox program record for most points scored in a game (45).

But he’s more content with dishing and setting up teammates for a better shot. 

“I am just trying to facilitate,” Ihnen said. “If there’s an open shot for me I will take it, but if there’s not, then I will move the ball and I will find my teammates. … I hate if people think I am a selfish player or think it’s all about me. I like to get my teammates involved, especially because it’s a five-man game.”

Ihnen’s unselfish play, size and length made him an intriguing college basketball prospect during the recruiting process. He landed offers from in-state Division I schools the University of South Dakota and South Dakota State University. 

He picked the ‘Yotes, citing his relationship with head coach Eric Peterson and plans to bring his same team-first mentality to Vermillion. 

“Whatever they need,” Ihnen said. “I will help lead the team. I will help be a leader and if they need me at the 1, 2 or 3 I will do it and help them win.”

MVP’s Emilee Fox reaches 2,000-point milestone

Mount Vernon/Plankinton’s Emilee Fox scored her 2,000th career point on Feb. 2.

The senior guard hit the milestone a 60-41 win over Chamberlain. She finished with 18 points for the Titans.

Fox, who is the all-time leading scorer in Mount Vernon/Plankinton girls basketball history, is the 36th player in South Dakota girls basketball history to eclipse 2,000 career points. Fox will play college basketball at South Dakota State University. 

Sawyer Stoebner joins Mitchell’s 1,000-point club 

Senior Sawyer Stoebner joined the 1,000-point club for the Mitchell Kernels girls basketball program over the weekend.

The 5-foot-9 guard logged 17 points and surpassed 1,000 career points, joining other Kernel greats to reach the milestone. She joins other Kernel girls basketball players to eclipse 1,000 career points like Macy Miller (1,921), Kerri Young (1,760), Jeana Hoffman (1,565) and Jenna Hoffman (1,497).