PARKERSBURG -For the third time in as many years the top basketball team in the Little Kanawha Conference took up residence at St. Marys High School. However, the league's top player-Williamstown's Liz Flowers-became the first girl from her school to capture the coveted award since Samantha Badgley was named the Player of the Year during the 2002-03 season.
"It is a great honor for a young lady that has given her all to the sport," explained Williamstown head coach Fred Sauro. "She has been one of the hardest workers on our team since she walked onto the court as a freshman and we are going to miss her greatly."
Flowers, who has already signed to continue her playing career at West Liberty State University next season, led the conference in scoring (25.5 ppg) and finished second in both assists (6.0 pg) and steals (4.9 pg) while helping the Yellowjackets capture both the sectional and regional championship and helping the maroon and gold reach the semifinals of the Class A state tournament in Charleston last weekend.
Joining the Williamstown standout-a four-time selection to the LKC's honor squad-as repeat choices by the league's 14 coaches is Ravenswood's Hannah Murray, Clay County's Jacee Markle, Leah Hughes from Parkersburg Catholic and the St. Marys' duo of Dani Renner and Audra Clark. Markle and Renner as seniors while Murray, Hughes and Clark are juniors.
Murray averaged 13.9 points per game for a Ravenswood team that finished strong and reached the first round of the Class AA state tournament at the Civic Center while Markle's 20 points per contest helped Mary Ramsey's Panthers earn a spot in the Class AA tournament where they advanced to the semifinal round of games before seeing their season end.
Hughes, Renner and Clark were not so fortunate as each saw their postseasons end too soon as Hughes (12.7 ppg) and her Parkersburg Catholic teammates lost to Williamstown in the sectional tournament while Renner (13.3) and Clark (21.3) lost to the Yellowjackets in the sectional championship game then were eliminated in the regional round by eventual state runner-up Wheeling Central Catholic.
Rounding out the first team was first time selections Hunter Sodaro of Braxton County (14.8), Jordan Morris of Gilmer County (14.4), Williamstown's McKenzie Smith (17.4), Roane County's Britney Henson (16.1), Tyler Consolidated's Sophia Kinnard (13.2) and Tristin Toman of Ritchie County (19.7). The Silver Knights' Kinnard was the only sophomore chosen to the first team.
Named to the second team was Braxton's Corri Phillips, Maddie Roedersheimer and Emily Koerber of Parkersburg Catholic, Hannah Nichols of Wirt County, McKinzee Barker of Clay, Doddridge County's D'Andra Swiger, Gilmer's Maggie Lilly, Kendra Walker and Beverly Knight of St. Marys, Amber Wilford of Calhoun County, Torrye Cline of Tyler Consolidated, South Harrison's Erica Eddy and Roane's Becky Frye.
Named as the LKC's Coach of the Year for the third year in a row was St. Marys' Howard Meeks. The Blue Devils' veteran leader was named co-COY with Ravenswood's Chris Michael last season after earning his first COY following the 2009-10 season.
