Three Lady Panthers named league co-MVPs

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Pahranagat Valley won a record 14th girls state basketball championship this year, and it is no surprise then that the Lady Panthers should sweep the top
Pahranagat Valley?s Traci Strong, Kimberley Lewis and Bailee Hosier were named as triple co-MVP players for the Division IV girls basketball Southern League. (Dave Maxwell photo)

Pahranagat Valley won a record 14th girls state basketball championship this year, and it is no surprise then that the Lady Panthers should sweep the top honors for the Division IV Southern League.

A balanced team all season long, the league coaches saw that Bailee Hosier, Traci Strong and Kimberly Lewis shared the league?s Most Valuable Player Award. Pahranagat?s Amy Huntsman, who won a record 12th state title in her 20 years at the school, was named Coach of the Year.

The Panthers had two more players , Kennedy Huntsman and Jamie Hansen, named to the all-league first team.

Huntsman said it is very unusual for three players to be named as co-MVPs, something she had never seen. ?I was glad we got them all on first team, that was the most important thing, because I felt they all deserved to be on first team.?

The Panther girls were joined on the first team by Beatty?s Christina Thompson, Round Mountain?s Morgan Manley, Tonopah?s Julia Klapper and Ashley Gray, and Alondra Dowl and Kelsea Reid from Lund.

Hosier had the distinction of setting a new NIAA girl state tournament record of 14 three-point shots in her final two games.

Girls

First Team

Kennedy Huntsman, Pahranagat Valley; Jamie Hansen, Pahranagat Valley; Julia Klapper, Tonopah; Ashley Gray, Tonopah; Kelsea Reid, Lund; Alondra Dowl, Lund; Christina Thompson, Beatty; Morgan Manley, Round Mountain.

Second Team

Holly Rau, Sandy Valley; Lauren Cripe, Sandy Valley; Kalli Hosier, Pahranagat Valley; Ericka Blackwell, Adelson School; Maddi North, Tonopah; Jerica Gubler, Lund; Denise Gonzales, Beatty; Baylee McCormick, Indian Springs.

Most Valuable Players?

Traci Strong, Pahranagat Valley; Bailee Hosier, Pahranagat Valley; Kimberly Lewis, Pahranagat Valley

Coach of the Year?Amy Huntsman, Pahranagat Valley

Boys

In the boys league, Rom Izkovich of Adelson was named Most Valuable Player and Rob Blackwell Coach of the Year.

The Lions were unbeaten in league play, finished No. 2 in the league tournament, but ? did earn their first state tournament berth, but lost to Virginia City in the semi-finals.

First Team

Carlos Chavez, Round Mountain; Tyler Gallegos, Tonopah; Jake Buchman, Adelson School; Sean Perry, Adelson School; Jake Zamora, Beatty; Geroge Brown, Spring Mountain, Harlow Hawkins, Spring Mountain; Edoziem Okafor, Word of Life.

Second Team

Wade Leavitt, Pahranagat Valley; Jacob Elharar, Adelson School; Robert Blackwell, Adelson School; Devontay Richie, Spring Mountain; Christian Harris, Spring Mountain; Elijah Hoye, Word of Life; Isiah Manabat, Word of Life; Lane Eastham, Sandy Valley; Tabor Maxwell, Pahranagat Valley.

DIVISION III

Lincoln?s McClain O?Connor was named First Team All Southern League for the boys. He was the only Lynx on first or second the team.

Calvary Chapel senior guard Phallen Nelson took home the girls Player of the Year award by averaging 17.1 points per game, while leading the Lions to the playoffs.

The Meadows? Frank DeSantis won Coach of the Year after leading the Mustangs to their first playoff appearance since 2006.

Lincoln County?s Savannah Harr and Jaycee Wadsworth were named to the All-Southern League first team for the top-seeded Lynx, who eventually lost in the state semifinals.

They were joined by Needles? Demi Limon, The Meadows? Bailey Gosse, Lake Mead?s Savannah Schmidt and Calvary Chapel?s Lianne Reyes.