As Carlisle senior Macy Comito walked off the floor at the Casey’s Center following her team’s win in the Class 4A Iowa high school girls basketball state title game on Saturday, March 7, she was greeted by a group of familiar faces.
Waiting in the first row of seats above a tunnel leading to the floor was Billy Fennelly, the assistant coach and general manager of Iowa State women’s basketball, his mom, Deb Fennelly and Cyclones assistant coach Emily Hatfield.
“Talk to you soon,” Billy Fennelly said as he congratulated Comito on the title.
The Cyclones will be seeing Comito very soon. The Wildcats star closed out her high school career with another big performance, scoring a game-high 17 points, handing out five assists and grabbing three rebounds as Carlisle secured its first girls state basketball title with a 38-36 victory over Dallas Center-Grimes.
Next up: College and playing for the Cyclones.
“We’re ecstatic,” said Iowa State coach Bill Fennelly, who was also on hand for the title game. “She’s one of those kind of kids that’s been the heart and soul of our program.”
The 5-foot-9 guard has been a high school star, guiding the Wildcats to a 26-1 record this season en route to a title. Comito entered the tournament averaging a team-high 20.8 points per game to go along with 3.3 assists and 3.1 rebounds per game.
The regular season, though, was just a preview of what Comito could do. The tournament is where she really shined, helping the 5-seed Wildcats take down 4-seed Clear Creek-Amana in the quarterfinals by scoring 13 points, grabbing five rebounds and handing out five assists. That wasn’t even her best performance of the week, though.
Comito then turned in a historic performance in the semifinals.
During a 73-60 win over previously unbeaten Sioux City Bishop Heelan, the Iowa State signee poured in a Class 4A single game tournament record 42 points. She made 12-of-22 shots, including 5-of-9 from 3-point range, while sinking all 13 of her free throw attempts to send her team to the title game.
“She’s not afraid to try and make a play, take a tough shot or take the ball to the rim,” Fennelly said.
“The kid’s a winner.”
That was evident during Carlisle’s state championship game. Comito was a bright spot in an afternoon full of offensive struggles for both teams. She had her own issues, too, missing her first five shots of the game. But Comito followed that up with a hot stretch, making her next five.
She helped Carlisle overcome a nine-point deficit with her shooting, passing and defense. Her turnaround jumper brought Carlisle to within three in the third quarter. The team cut the lead to one when she grabbed a steal, drove into the lane and found teammate Ella Smith for an easy layup. Another nice pass from a drive to the layup set up an easy basket for Alyvia Freeman that gave Carlisle the lead in the third quarter.
“I’m just here to do whatever I can to make my team win,” Comito said.
Comito showed she can do it all― hit shots, attack the lane or find open teammates. The passing has been especially impressive to Carlisle coach Justin Flaws, who said Comito has had to hobble through the second half of the season after suffering an ankle injury during the team’s first game back from the holiday break. It didn’t slow her down, though.
“The best player I’ve ever seen,” Flaws said when asked what type of player Iowa State was getting. “A steal. I don’t know. They’re so lucky to have her. She’s going to go on and be remarkable in the Big 12 because she can shoot, because she can handle better than literally anybody I’ve ever seen. And her passing is pinpoint.”
That special skillset isn’t the only thing that drew Iowa State to her. Bill Fennelly said he was impressed by Comito’s leadership skills during Saturday’s title game. He watched as she took charge midway through the contest and consoled a teammate after several missed free throws.
Comito also grew up an avid Iowa State fan. Her mother, Alyssa Comito, was roommates with former ISU women’s basketball star Eric Junod during their time in Ames. Macy Comito routinely attended Cyclone athletic events as a little kid.
Bill Fennelly compared her to current Iowa State guard Arianna Jackson, another longtime Cyclone supporter who has become a fan-favorite. Bill Fennelly, who was joined at Saturday’s game by center Audi Crooks, said fans continually came up to him to rave about Comito.
“I bet you I had two people at least say, ‘She’s the sweetest girl in Carlisle—you’re getting a great one coach,’” Fennelly said.
Comito could have a big impact on the Cyclones. Bill Fennelly said she can play on and off the ball as a combo guard. She also gives Iowa State some size and some length at the spot, something it desperately needs. Comito said she’s willing to do anything. At Carlisle, that meant doing a little bit of everything. It’s why she was named the Class 4A All-tournament team captain and the player of the championship game.
“I hope I can coach somebody like her again,” Flaws said. “But…”
But players like Comito don’t come around often. So, Bill Fennelly and his staff relished their new player’s win and helped cheer her on during one of the biggest victories of her career.
“It means a lot,” Comito said. “The fact that they can take time out of their busy schedule to come down here and support me shows exactly the reason why I want to go there.”
Tommy Birch, the Register’s sports enterprise and features reporter, has been working at the newspaper since 2008. He’s the 2018, 2020, 2023 and 2025 Iowa Sportswriter of the Year. Reach him at tbirch@dmreg.com or 515-284-8468.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Why Iowa State women’s basketball is excited to have Carlisle star Macy Comito
Reporting by Tommy Birch, Des Moines Register / Des Moines Register
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
