Thanks to St. Elizabeth Healthcare Sports Medicine for sponsoring our girls’ high school basketball coverage this season. See all of our girls’ basketball stories here and watch for state tournament coverage March 9-13 from BB&T Arena on the campus of Northern Kentucky University.
By Terry Boehmker
NKy Tribune sports reporter
Simon Kenton sophomore guard Ally Niece was voted Division I Player of the Year by Northern Kentucky girls’ basketball coaches for the second consecutive year.
Niece is averaging a team-high 21.2 points and shooting 49.4 percent (179 of 362) from the field for the Pioneers who have a 22-5 record going into the 8th Region tournament this week. She also surpassed the 2,000-point mark in career scoring this season.
The other Player of the Year awards will go to Newport Central Catholic senior guard Ansley Davenport in Division II and Bellevue senior guard Kira Ross in Division III.
Davenport was the top scorer on the NewCath team that won the 9th Region All “A” Classic and made it to the semifinals of the small-school state tournament. Ross led her Bellevue team to its first Division III conference title since 1981 by averaging 13 points and nine rebounds per game.
The recipients of Coach of the Year awards will be Tommy Sorrell of Bellevue and Bev Smith of Silver Grove in Division III, George Stoll of NewCath in Division II and Beau Menefee of Campbell County in Division I.
The top players selected in each division will be honored during the coaches association awards banquet at 6:30 p.m. Monday, March 7 at Receptions in Erlanger. Winners of the Defensive Award, Miss Hustle and Academic Award in each division will also be recognized.
Here are the top players in each division chosen by the coaches with the Player of Year listed first along with the other award-winners:
DIVISION I
Ally Niece (Simon Kenton), Lexi Held (Cooper), Mallory Schwartz (Ryle), Anna Clephane (Scott), Jenna Martin (Notre Dame), Carly Lange (Ryle), Brooke Davis (Dixie Heights), Kaela Saner (Boone County), Taylor Gambrel (Conner), Lexi Stapleton (Scott), Taylor Clos (Campbell County), Taylor Jolly (Campbell County).
Defensive Award – Mackenzie Schwarber (Campbell County)
Miss Hustle – Lexi Held (Cooper)
Coach of the Year – Beau Menefee (Campbell County)
DIVISION II
Ansley Davenport (NewCath), Hailey Ison (Walton-Verona), Brianna Adler (Highlands), Ally Johnson (Beechwood), Dajah McClendon (Holy Cross), Emily Schultz (Brossart), Tyrah Englemn (Holmes), Zoie Barth (Highlands), Jynea Harris (Holmes), Kylia Orr (Newport), Shamaya Behanan (Lloyd), Morgan Simpson (Walton-Verona).
Defensive Award – Dajah McClendon (Holy Cross)
Miss Hustle – Laila Johnson (Holmes), Olivia Schalk (NewCath)
Coach of the Year – George Stoll (NewCath)
DIVISION III
Kira Ross (Bellevue), Lexie Aytes (Villa Madonna), Courtney Schmits (Bellevue), Lindsey Trimnell (Dayton), Megan Downard (Dayton), Haley Warndorf (Ludlow), Haley Turner (Ludlow), Madison Perry (Villa Madonna), Reagan Atwood (Bellevue), Rebekah Fryman (Calvary Christian), Reba Sanders (Dayton), Brooklyn Smith (Silver Grove), Sarah Ernst (Villa Madonna).
Defensive Award — Megan Downard (Dayton)
Miss Hustle – Haley Turner (Ludlow), Abby Hengge (Villa Madonna)
Coaches of the Year – Tommy Sorrell (Bellevue), Bev Smith (Silver Grove)