HobbsDailyReport.com
The co-champions in girls’ basketball and the second-place boys’ team lead selections for All-Northwestern 3A-4A, released by conference officials on Thursday.
All-conference teams are picked by a vote on conference head coaches.
Freedom and Watauga shared the league’s regular season girls title, and they each had three all-conference players – Blaikley Crooks, Adair Garrison and Sierra Davenport for the Patriots and Madie Darner, Rebekah Farthing and Brooke Byrd for the Pioneers.
Watauga’s Laura Berry was named Coach of the Year while the top player’s award went to Mackenzie Starnes of South Caldwell, who helped the Spartans (9-14, 5-9) to a sixth-place finish by averaging 16 points per game. She had 16 games in double figures with a season-high of 37 against Alexander Central.
The boys’ team is led by three picks from Freedom, including Fletcher Abee as Player of the Year. Jakari Dula and Michael Logan of the Patriots were also all-conference.
Abee’s season statistics are not available.
League champion Hickory had two all-league picks – Torey James and Jaquan Thurman – and the coaching award went to Brian Franklin of McDowell, whose team finished third (19-5, 11-3).
ALL-NORTHWESTERN 3A-4A BASKETBALL
(as voted on by conference head coaches)
GIRLS
Alexander Central: Quirana (Keykey) Miller
Freedom: Blaikley Crooks, Adair Garrison, Sierra Davenport
Hickory: Shelby Darden
McDowell: Dezi Williams, Makayla Brewer
St. Stephens: Tori Tomlinson
South Caldwell: MacKenzie Starnes, Payton Kale
Watauga: Madie Darner, Rebekah Farthing, Brooke Byrd
West Caldwell: Annie Bean
Player of the year: Starnes, South Caldwell
Coach of the year: Laura Berry, Watauga
BOYS
Alexander Central: Jem Lowrance
Freedom: Jakari Dula, Fletcher Abee, Michael Logan
Hickory: Torey James, Jaquan Thurman
McDowell: Skyler McKinney, Kevin Silver
St. Stephens: Teavius Henry
South Caldwell: Kaden Anderson
Watauga: Bryant Greene
West Caldwell: Kaleb Dula, Tre Hall
Player of the year: Abee, Freedom
Coach of the year: Brian Franklin, McDowell