MOUNT VERNON — In one of the closest races in recent memory, the Mount Vernon News has selected Centerburg junior Mackenzie Stoyle as the girls basketball All-Area Player of the Year.
The award was voted on by writers and editors.
Stoyle finished at or near the top in almost every statistical category. She led the area in three-point shooting percentage (44.3), finished second in assists (3.7) and third in blocks (1.2). Stoyle also finished in the Top 5 in scoring (11.2 points per game), field goal percentage (42.6) and free-throw percentage (71.2). On the court, Stoyle accepted the role of team leader as she helped the Trojans to a 13-7 record and a Mid-Buckeye Conference championship.
Teammate Claire Harvey, who led the area in free-throw percentage (74.2), was named First Team All-Area. Harvey led the Trojans in scoring (11.5) and steals (2.1), and her three-point percentage (39.1) was second in the area only to Stoyle’s.
Utica’s Myranda Wolfe, who led the Redskins on the court to a 11-9 mark despite the lack of seniors, is also on the All-Area First Team. Wolfe nearly averaged a double-double on the season, averaging 11.5 points and 9.8 rebounds per game. Wolfe also led the area in blocks (1.7).
Highland’s Kelsey Burt is the lone senior on the All-Area First Team. Burt finished second in the area in scoring, averaging 11.6 points per game. Burt also led the Scots in assists (2.9) and steals (2.5).
Danville’s Kate Walls rounds out the list of First Team All-Area award winners. Walls was the most productive member of the Blue Devils in 2011, leading her team in three-point percentage (34.3) and assists (3.7). Walls dominated defensively, leading the area with a whopping 3.4 steals per game.
Highland’s Shanay Gibson earned Second Team All-Area honors. The senior averaged 8.9 points while shooting 31.7 percent from three-point range. Danville’s Olivia Rice won the area scoring title, averaging 11.9 points per game, while bringing down 7.2 boards per contest. East Knox’s Jill Regal was her team’s inspirational leader, shooting 60 percent from the foul line and averaging 3.9 rebounds per game. Freshman Emily Williams averaged 10.4 points and nine rebounds for Fredericktown. Her teammate, Hope Huvler, averaged 5.8 rebounds while leading the area in field-goal percentage (47.8).
All-Area Honorable Mention honors go to Fredericktown’s Lyndsay Briegel, Mount Vernon’s Madi Montgomery, Utica’s Taylor Dush, East Knox’s Hayley Gray, Highland’s Heather Thacker, and Centerburg’s Breanna Campbell.
For guiding his team through many pitfalls and lineup changes to, ultimately, an MBC championship, Centerburg’s Todd Nauman is the girls basketball All-Area Coach of the Year.
