The Ohio Prep Sports Media Association All-East District basketball teams were announced on Thursday, and several local players and coaches were among those receiving the highest recognition.
The annual lists are voted on by members of the OPSMA in the district based on regular season performances. A statewide panel will select the All-Ohio teams, which will be announced later this month.
This season was the first using the new seven division format for basketball.
The local players and coaches to receive the top honors were Players of the Year; Big Red’s Aiden Davis (Division III boys), Catholic Central’s Benji Rook (Division VII boys), Big Red Nylah McShan (Division III girls) and Indian Creek’s McKenna Scott (Division IV girls); and Coaches of the Year; Big Red’s Mike Haney (Division III boys), Catholic Central’s Don Ogden (Division VII boys), Big Red’s Angie Forte (Division III girls) and Indian Creek’s Steve Eft (Division IV girls).
GIRLS
DIVISION III
McShan, Big Red’s standout junior, was the Co-Player of the Year with Tri-Valley’s Maddie Garber.
McShan was the engine that made Big Red go developing into an all-around player for the Crimson and Black as she averaged 20.3 points per game, 9.8 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 3.1 steals and 1.1 blocks per game.
Forte shared Coach of the Year honors with Tri-Valley’s Kurt Kaufman after leading Big Red to a 15-7 regular season and OVAC runner-up finish and back to the district tournament after replacing four starters from the district finalist team a year prior and starting multiple freshmen.
Also for Big Red, freshman Phynyx Fleming made the first team after averaging 8.9 points and 7.2 rebounds.
Junior Bailee Beall was selected for the second team after averaging 7.8 points, 3.4 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 2.4 steals.
Senior Cianna Scurry and freshen Lucy Saccoccia were honorable mention selections.
DIVISION IV
Scott, who leaves Indian Creek as one of the best players to put on the Red and Gold, was named the Player of the Year for a second-straight year after winning the honor in Division II under the old format last season. She was also an All-Ohio selection a season ago and won her third-straight OVAC MVP award after helping Creek three-peat as conference champs in Class 4A. She averaged 15.3 points, 3.3 rebounds, 4.4 assists and four steals. She leaves the program second all-time in scoring and the all-time leader in assists and steals. She is signed to play softball collegiality at the Division I level at Perdue Fort Wayne.
Eft, who splits the award with Carrollton’s Micayla Poole, guided Creek to a third district final appearance in four years, a district championship, third-straight OVAC title and regional appearance through losing a key starter early in the season. Like Scott, it is his second-straight year winning Coach of the Year.
Also for Creek, Kaydence Walker, a sophomore who averaged 11 points, 4.1 rebounds, 3 assists and 3.1 steals, was voted on the second team, and junior Rylee Sadler, who averaged 6.9 points, 8.5 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 1.3 steals, was a third-team selection.
Senior Cam Ketron and freshman Gracie Klinesmith were honorable mentions.
DIVISION V
Making the first team in Division V was Edison junior Sophia Henderson, who averaged a double-double with 17.8 points, 10.7 rebounds, 3.9 steals and 1.6 assists per game.
Named to the second team were Edison’s Abby Carpenter, who averaged 10.3 points, 8.4 rebounds, 4.6 steals and 1.2 assists in her sophomore season, and Harrison Central senior Maddie Sedgmer, who averaged 12.2 points per game for the Huskies, Harrison Central senior Lauren Doane, who averaged 9.3 points, and Buckeye Local senior Maddy Roset, who averaged 10.2 points, 6.5 rebounds and 1.2 assists.
Honorable mentions in the division went to Edison’s Abigail Boka and Kylee Stull, Harrison Central’s Mikayla Pelegreen and Buckeye Local’s Alyssa Dailey and Brooke Driscoll.
The Player of the Year in Division V was split between Martins Ferry’s Lindsay Best and Tusky Valley’s Leah Bourquin.
Union Local’s Scooter Tolzda, Martins Ferry’s Dave Reasbeck and Tusky Valley’s Matt Ward shared Coach of the Year honors.
DIVISION VI
No local teams competed in Division VI. The Players of the Year were Bellaire’s Zara Harveth and Fort Frye’s Emmie Duskey. Coach of the Year honors were split between Bellaire’s John Farrier and Fort Frye’s Dan Liedtke.
DIVISION VII
Catholic Central junior Mary Rohde and Toronto senior Tatum Derrington were first team selections in Division VII.
Rohde averaged a double-double with 11.2 points, 12.6 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 2.6 steals. Derrington also averaged a double-double for the Red Knights with 12.4 points, 10.8 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 2.6 steals and 1.7 blocks per game.
Named to the second team were Central sophomore Mara Delaney (13.8 points, 5.4 rebounds, 3.8 steals, 1 assist) and Toronto sophomore Jayna Reeves (13.2 points, 6.3 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.3 steals). M
Honorable mentions in the division went to Central senior Natalie Cherepko and sophomore Aurie Hoover and Toronto junior JJ Rebich and sophomore Josey Dickinson.
BOYS
DIVISION III
An All-West Virginia selection a season ago with Wheeling Park, Davis seems poised to add All-Ohioan to his list of accolades after earning the Division III Player of the Year award in his senior season at Big Red.
Davis, who helped Big Red win the East/Southeast District Championship, win 21 games and reach the regional tournament for the first time in six years, averaged 17.6 points, 5.1 rebounds, 3 assists 1.7 steals per game in the regular season, the first two of which led Steubenville. He also shot better than 80 percent from the line, better than 40 percent on 3s and set the school record with eight 3s in a single game. He is signed to play basketball in college for Division II powerhouse West Liberty.
Haney, who guided Big Red to their highest win total in more than two decades, a district championship and OVAC runner-up finish, shares the Coach of the Year honor with Tri-Valley’s Todd McLaughlin.
Also making the first team for Big Red were sophomore Santino Haney, now a two-time first-team all-district pick, who averaged 13.1 points, four rebounds, a team-high 6.3 assists and 3.2 steals per game and senior Will Taylor, who averaged 14.7 points, 4.8 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 2.1 steals.
Juniors Tre’Von Wiggins, who averaged 12.3 points, 3.1 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 2.5 steals, and Cole Bowers, who averaged 7.1 points, 3.1 rebounds and 1.6 assists, were voted on the second team.
DIVISION IV
Indian Creek senior Caleb Bodo was a second team selection after averaging 11.1 points and 3.8 rebounds per game. Fellow Creek senior Nickey Eddy was a third-team selection after averaging 8.5 points and 5 rebounds.
Creek seniors Carl Bonecutter, Kyle Shultz and Mason Lester were honorable mention selections.
Maysville’s Gator Nichols was the Player of the Year in the Division, while Coach of the Year was split by John Glenn’s Eric Sheck, Maysville’s Dave Brown and Indian Valley’s Tyrone Miller.
DIVISION V
Edison junior Jackson McBane was a second-team selection after averaging 13 points and eight rebounds, while Wildcats teammates junior Bryce Rogers and junior Kyle Long were each a third-team pick. Rogers averaging 11 points and nine rebounds and Long 10 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists. Harrison Central senior Brady Elliott was also a third team pick, averaging 14 points, 5 rebounds and 2.7 assists.
Harrison Central’s Bryson Kamarec and Reed Arbugh and Buckeye Local’s Isaac Hess and Haden Wilhelm were honorable mention picks.
Coshocton’s Colton Conkle and Martins Ferry’s Alex Reese split Player of the Year honors, while Coshocton’s James Herman was Coach of the Year in the Division.
DIVISION VI
Toronto standout junior Austin Buchanan was a first team selection after averaging 17.6 points, 8.7 rebounds and 3.1 steals per game for the Red Knights.
Toronto teammate junior Brady Fair was a second team pick with an average of 13.6 points, 3.9 steals and 5.6 rebounds per game.
Red Knights junior Landon Grimes was an honorable mention selection.
Hiland’s Nick Wigton and Monroe Central’s Tucker Howell split Player of the Year honors, while the Seminoles’ Mason Lang and Hawks’ Mark Schlabach were Co-Coaches of the Year.
DIVISION VII
Rook, who leaves Central as the program’s all-time leading scorer, surpassing the 2,000 mark for his career and was the OVAC championship game MVP and was picked for the East-West All-Star Game, earned the Player of the Year honor, which he splits with Bishop Rosecrans’ Tyler Bernett. Rook averaged 19.2 points, 4.2 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 2.3 steals and 1.4 deflections for the Crusaders in his senior season, which ended with a trip to regionals.
Ogden, who guided the Crusaders to a school-record-tying 22 wins, the program’s first OVAC championship since 1993 and first district title and regional appearance in more than 40 years, was recognized as Co-Coach of the Year along with Rosecrans’ Todd Rock, who the Crusaders defeated in the East District Championship game.
Also making the first team from Central’s record-setting team was senior Camden Bradley, who averaged 11.1 points, 7.7 rebounds, 2 assists, 1.2 steals, 1.1 deflections and 0.6 blocks per game.
Fellow senior Tommy Pergi was named the second team after averaging 10.2 points, 5.8 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 2 steals, 2 deflections and 0.7 blocks.
Central senior Andrew Rohde was an honorable mention selection.
(A full list of the 2024-25 All-East District teams will appear in this weekend’s editions)
