T-R PHOTO BY THORN COMPTON Marshalltown senior Luke Appel, behind, puts up a shot in a substate game against Urbandale during the Bobcats’ postseason run. Appel was named a unanimous CIML Iowa first-team all-conference selection after leading the conference in points per game this season.

Marshalltown senior Luke Appel has been named to the CIML Iowa All-Conference first team after his historic year for the Bobcats.

Appel, just the third Bobcat to reach the 1,000-point mark for his career, led the entire conference in both points per game (20.1) and total points (201) in CIML Iowa play this season. He shot 59 percent from the floor, tops among players with more than 25 shots in conference play, and he finished second in blocks and rebounds per game.

Appel also scored 31 points in a win over Mason City, tied for the best single-game mark in CIML Iowa this season along with fellow first-teamer Malcolm Clayton from Fort Dodge.

He also had an impressive 33-point, 23-rebound game in a win against Des Moines Lincoln in a game that kicked off a 3-2 finish for Marshalltown.

This is the third-straight year Appel has appeared on the all-conference list, as he was selected as an honorable mention in 2016 and finished as a second-teamer last season. He was one of four unanimous selections for the first team, along with Camden Vander Zwaag and Boston Grimes from Johnston, Sam Ingoli from Dowling Catholic and Clayton for the Dodgers.

Appel finished his career with 1,038 total points to place him third on the Bobcats’ all-time scoring list, and he was an all-substate selection this season after leading Marshalltown to its first postseason win in six years.

He finished sixth in Class 4A in scoring average this season at 22 points per game, and he ranked third in rebounding at 10.1 boards per game.

Joining Appel on this year’s all-conference team were senior Josh Melde and junior Jacob Smith, who were both selected as honorable mentions.

Melde, who earned his first all-conference honor, averaged 9.3 points per game during conference play, good enough for 11th place. He shot 43.2 percent from behind the 3-point line and hit 16 shots from deep, the fourth-best mark in the conference.

Smith also earned his first all-conference honor with his honorable mention. He came on strong towards the end of the season, scoring 10 points or more in four of the final eight games, including a season-high 17 in the regular-season finale against Class 4A No. 3 Des Moines North.

He averaged 7.3 points per game during conference play while shooting 44.1 percent from the floor.

T-R PHOTO BY THORN COMPTON
Marshalltown senior Luke Appel, behind, puts up a shot in a substate game against Urbandale during the Bobcats’ postseason run. Appel was named a unanimous CIML Iowa first-team all-conference selection after leading the conference in points per game this season.