Peebles’ Justice selected as Division IV District POY, OPSWA releases all-district teams

Derrick Webb, Staff Writer

ATHENS — The Ohio Prep Sports Writers Association released its 2019-20 All-Southeast District girls basketball list Friday morning and one name in SOSA’s coverage area stood out from the rest.

Peebles’ Jacey Justice has been named the Division IV District Player of the Year after averaging 26.5 points per game. Justice’s Indians won a second consecutive district championship this season.

Here’s a full look at the coverage area’s all-district selections:

DIVISION II

Unioto’s Emily Coleman and Miami Trace’s Shay McDonald led the area’s Division II selections with first-team honors. Coleman paced the Shermans with 11.3 points per game while McDonald, the Frontier Athletic Conference POY, averaged 17 points per night.

Second-team honors were earned by Unioto’s Amber Cottrill, Waverly’s Zoiee Smith, McClain’s Kyla Burchett, and Washington’s Shawna Conger while Jackson’s Katelyn Webb, Unioto’s Cree Stulley, Chillicothe’s Julia Hall, and McClain’s Emma Stegbauer appeared on the third-team list.

Special mention honors are as follows: Waverly’s Paige Carter and Carli Knight, Hillsboro’s Gracie Dean and Karleigh Hopkins, McClain’s Payton Pryor, Miami Trace’s Magarah Bloom and Delaney Eakins, and Washington’s Halli Wall.

The Division II Player of the Year is Circleville’s Kenzie McConnell while Circleville’s Steve Kalinoski, Warren’s Amy Colgrove and Sheridan’s J.D. Walters shared Coach of the Year honors.

DIVISION III

Multiple names led the area in Division III as Oak Hill’s Caitlyn Brisker, Southeastern’s Macie Graves, Huntington’s Allison Basye, North Adams’ Delaney Harper, Eastern Brown’s Camryn Pickerill and Rylee Leonard, Wheelersburg’s Kaylee Darnell, and Northwest’s Haidyn Wamsley all earned first-team all-district honors.

Second-team honors were earned by Southeastern’s Skylar Hice, Adena’s Hannah Stark, Lynchburg-Clay’s Zoe Fittro, Fairfield’s Emma Fouch, Eastern Brown’s Mackenzie Gloff, West’s Morgan Rigsby, Northwest’s Keirah Potts and Wheelersburg’s Alaina Keeney.

Oak Hill’s Olivia Clarkson, Southeastern’s Cidney Huff, Adena’s Jadyn Smith, Westfall’s Marcy Dudgeon, North Adams’ Wylie Shipley, Fairfield’s Madison Bronner, Valley’s Bre Call, Minford’s Maddie Slusher, Northwest’s Valerie Copas, and Wheelersburg’s Ellie Kallner are all third-team honorees.

Special mention honors were earned by Oak Hill’s Chloe Chambers, Zane Trace’s Lauren Lane, Westfall’s Gabby Patete, Piketon’s Bailey Vulgamore and Haleigh Risner, North Adams’ Braylie Jones and Karissa Buttelwerth, Lynchburg-Clay’s Logan Binkley, West Union’s Alexa Rowe, Valley’s Karsyn Conaway, Minford’s Hannah Tolle and Livi Shonkwiler, and West’s Charlie Jo Howard.

The Division III Player of the Year is Ironton’s Lexie Arden while Eastern Brown’s Kevin Pickerill has been named the division’s Coach of the Year.

DIVISION IV

Joining Justice with first-team honors in Division IV is Notre Dame’s Ava Hassel, Ironton St. Joe’s Bella Whaley, Eastern’s Abby Cochenour, Manchester’s Brooke Kennedy, South Webster’s Bri Claxon, New Boston’s Lexus Oiler and Green’s Kasey Kimbler.

Peebles’ Lilly Gray, Clay’s Jaelyn Warnock, New Boston’s Sammy Oiler, Greens’ Kame Sweeney and Notre Dame’s Taylor Schimdt are included on the second-team list while Paint Valley’s Olivia Smith, Ironton St. Joe’s Emma Whaley, Symmes Valley’s Rachael Hayes, Peebles’ Tatum Arey, South Webster’s Baylee Cox and Notre Dame’s Clarie Dettwiller are all third-team honorees.

Special mention honors were earned by Eastern’s Andee Lester, Western’s Kenzie Ferneau, Whiteoak’s Cylee Bratton, Manchester’s Hannah Hobbs and McKenzie Morrison, Clay’s Shaley Munion, South Webster’s Faith Maloney, New Boston’s Kenzie Whitley, Green’s Anna Knapp, Notre Dame’s Olivia Smith, East’s Grace Smith, Ironton St. Joe’s Faith Mahlmeister.

Notre Dame’s J.D. McKenzie and Trimble’s Joe Richards share Coach of the Year honors.