Messenger photo by Britt Kudla: Elle Ruffridge, a 2017 Pocahontas Area graduate, is the all-time five-player girls state basketball leader in scoring and assists.

They’re both considered generational talents, if not all-time greats.

In our area, though, we were lucky enough to catch lightning in a bottle twice during a span of less than a decade.

Elle Ruffridge. Audi Crooks. The former was a dynamic, diminutive ball of fire from Pocahontas Area. The latter towered above the rest of Class 1A’s mere mortals on her way to becoming an iconic post presence at Bishop Garrigan.

Their respective games couldn’t have been more different, but the end result was the same: domination. The Indians went 100-7 overall during Ruffridge’s four seasons at the varsity level, with three championships-game appearances and a pair of 3A titles. The Golden Bears were 101-8 with Crooks on the court, with four berths in the finals and two 1A crowns.

Statistically speaking, Ruffridge — a 5-foot-3 guard — and Crooks — a 6-3 center — rank as the first- and third-most prolific scorers in Iowa high school girls basketball five-player history. Between the two of them, we witnessed nearly 6,000 points scored in a wide variety of ways; Ruffridge swishing a state-record 466 three-point baskets, and Crooks making 1,195 total shots at a 72-plus percent clip.

Messenger photo by Britt Kudla: Audi Crooks of Bishop Garrigan gives Eloise Kruger of West Des Moines, age 9, a hug at the girls state tournament in Des Moines.

They share state tournament space on paper, with Crooks breaking Ruffridge’s single-game scoring record by a single point (49 to 48) in the 1A finale last week, and Crooks also eclipsing Ruffridge’s all-time tourney scoring mark in the process of Garrigan’s repeat at Wells Fargo Arena.

There are more parallels than just team records and achievements, though. No one recognized that quicker than Ruffridge herself, who actually sat courtside as the television color commentator for Garrigan’s quarterfinal game last week in Des Moines.

“I could just see how strong their team chemistry was. It was easy to identify that right away,” said the 24-year-old Ruffridge, a 2017 PAC graduate who is now a teacher and assistant coach in Spirit Lake. “It would be completely different if Audi was a selfish player who let her own stats or ego get in the way of what they were trying to accomplish. But that isn’t the case at all. That speaks to what she’s like as a teammate and as a person.

“I know a lot of people who are close to (the Golden Bears) and have been around the program a lot, and they all say the same thing: Audi sets the tone by treating people well both on and off the court. She does it the right way.”

Sound familiar? Six years ago, Ruffridge was the main attraction for a Pocahontas Area team that captured both the attention and the hearts of fans from across the state. The Indians had just clinched their second consecutive championship, with Ruffridge shattering nearly every record in the book while solidifying her legendary reputation.

Ruffridge was always the center of attention at PAC, but she was anything but a one-player show. She shared the wealth of her own fame with the accuracy of a perfect half-court pass, consistently delivering the message that the Indians were victorious because of the sum of their parts.

Like Bishop Garrigan’s tried and true mantra over the last four seasons, every teammate served a purpose; every player was invaluable in their own way.

“Our connection (at Pocahontas Area) was real, and it went way back,” said Ruffridge, who is also the state’s all-time leader for assists. “It’s not like we were a manufactured team with players who were just (pooled together). We had a special bond. We’d been together since we were little. We were friends off the court, and are still incredibly close to this day. None of us cared about (the individual attention). We had the same goal: to win it all.

“That trust and understanding is built through work and time. And again, I’m sure if you talked to Audi, Molly (Joyce) and their other (Golden Bear) players, they’d tell you the same thing. There were no shortcuts for us or for them, which makes it all the more rewarding. What you see is what you get.”

Ruffridge, like Crooks, also embraced the spotlight for all the right reasons. It wasn’t about building a personal brand or securing awards, but rather, growing the game for future generations.

“When I was a little kid, I remembered how much it meant to me when older players went out of their way to talk to me or show me things,” Ruffridge said. “That really stuck with me. So when I got to high school, I kept in mind that little eyes and ears are always watching and listening. We always wanted to do things the right way, and hoped other kids would follow in our footsteps. We didn’t want to see it end with our team, and I know Audi has talked about leaving a similar (legacy at Garrigan).

“There are plenty of great players out there, but how do you separate yourself as a person, deal with the hype once you find some success, and in what ways are you going to give back?”

Ruffridge developed into a deft shooter and crafty veteran at Missouri State University. The Division I Bears twice reached the Sweet 16 during her time in Springfield, Mo.

The road wasn’t always smooth during her collegiate journey, though. Ruffridge admitted the inner struggle of trying to meet — or exceed — expectations after being a high school star weighed heavily in the early stages of her time at MSU.

“You definitely feel pressure (to perform), and you face a lot of adversity and failure for the first time because you’re at such a high level,” Ruffridge said. “It’s tough physically and it’s tough mentally.”

If Ruffridge had a chance to sit down with Crooks — who has signed with Bill Fennelly’s Iowa State Cyclones — she would tell her to “trust the process and buy into the long-term vision the coaching staff has for you.”

“It’s a huge adjustment, so when you’re going through it, you need to surround yourself with people you can open up to and communicate with, whether it’s family, friends, current teammates or former teammates. Ignore the outside noise and stay true to who you are as a player and as a person.

“There are times where you need to find distractions to keep yourself balanced. For me, it was always school as an outlet to ‘get away,’ so to speak. But it could be as simple as going to the movies or reading a good book…whatever it takes to clear your head. She’s close enough to home (Algona to Ames) and I know she has a strong family support system – that will be big for her. It was invaluable for me.”

Elle Ruffridge and Audi Crooks come from different corners of our area. Their “bond” is shared more with our readers and in the sports pages of the Messenger than in reality.

I’m confident in saying Elle and Audi would be fast friends, though. They’re kindred basketball spirits who have loved the game unconditionally, but find more meaning in how the sport makes them feel and the joy they’re able to spread because of it.

The idea of superstardom was never enough. Ruffridge and Crooks treated their respective teammates, programs and communities with reverence. Both Pocahontas and Algona were better, kinder places because they chose to be true leaders and ambassadors in ways that transcended their performances on the hardwood.

Our area was fortunate to be home base during their high school days. They taught younger players how to work hard, never settle, and leave a legacy extending far beyond basketball.

Because of this, the stories of Elle Ruffridge and Audi Crooks didn’t end with the conclusion of their respective high school careers. Truth be told, in the game of life, they’re both just getting started.

Eric Pratt is Sports Editor at The Messenger. Contact him via email at sports@messengernews.net, or on Twitter @ByEricPratt