Licking County basketball stars take top District 11 honors
GRANVILLE — Three Licking County basketball players and a coach recently were awarded top honors by the District 11 coaches.
Northridge senior guard Carter Mallernee was named boys Division III Player of the Year. The high-scoring Mallernee has averaged 23.2 points and three assists per game for the Vikings.
Granville senior forward Harper Annarino was named girls Division II Player of the Year. Annarino has averaged 19.9 points and 7.8 rebounds per game for the Blue Aces, who won their fourth consecutive Licking County League-Buckeye Division title.
Johnstown senior guard Abigail Adkins was named girls Division III Player of the Year. Adkins has averaged 17.2 points and 2.7 assists per game for the Johnnies.
Newark Catholic’s Rob Smith was named girls Division IV Coach of the Year. Smith led the Green Wave to an LCL-Cardinal championship and unbeaten regular season, earning a ranking of No. 3 in the final Associated Press poll.
Joining Mallernee on the Division III boys first team were Heath’s Jaxon Duston and Ben Mason and Utica’s Roman Gamble. Heath’s Preston DeVito and Northridge’s Ethan Payne were named to the second team, and Heath’s Jordan Kaminsky, Northridge’s Drew Bingham and Utica’s Dylan Yates were named to the honorable mention list.
Newark’s Steele Meister was named to the Division I boys first team. Newark’s Braylon Morris, Licking Heights’ Alieu Ceesay and Watkins Memorial’s Jude Wise were named to the second team and Newark’s Ty Gilbert, Heights’ Ezra Bobo and Watkins’ Lamar Glenn to the honorable mention list.
Granville’s Jase Becker and Johnstown’s Brady Barb were named to the Division II boys first team. Johnstown’s Kyle Siegfried and Dylan Fox, Granville’s Carson Murphy, Licking Valley’s Jacob Wheeler and Lakewood’s Colton Ferry were named to the second team and Granville’s Alex Engle, Johnstown’s Will Taylor, Valley’s Gunner Bowman and Lakewood’s Adam Crawford to the honorable mention list.
NC’s Griffin Urdarovski, Granville Christian’s Andrew Benvie and Liberty Christian’s Kaden Minier were named to the Division IV boys first team. NC’s Jaxon Holman and GCA’s Bentley Johnson were named to the second team, and NC’s Owen Helms, GCA’s Zack Leija and Liberty’s Carson Crabtree were named to the honorable mention list.
Joining Annarino on the Division II girls first team was teammate Aliyah Moore. Heath’s Caroline Robertson and Payton Del Cecato and Valley’s Avery Williams were named to the second team, and Granville’s Taylor Warehime, Heath’s Kerilyn Davis and Valley’s Rylee Hillis were named to the honorable mention list.
Joining Adkins on the Division III girls first team were Utica’s Abby Dickson and Emily Ritzer and Northridge’s Ava Travis. Johnstown’s Kylie Sharp and Lauren Baughman, Lakewood’s Grace Sturgell and Northridge’s Kenzie Hannahs were named to the second team and Johnstown’s Payton Schneider, Lakewood’s Charlee Palmer, Utica’s Callie Baker and Northridge’s Ruby Cermak to the honorable mention list.
NC’s Kylie Gibson and Sophie Peloquin were named to the Division IV girls first team from Smith’s unbeaten Green Wave. NC’s Fini Kaiser, GCA’s Ella Rhoads and Liberty’s Shelby Carr were named to the second team and NC’s Mayci Sayre, GCA’s Elizabeth Cox and Liberty’s Carolee Marcum to the honorable mention list.
Newark’s Calli Geller was named to the Division I girls first team. Watkins’ Rilyn Warner was named to the second team and Newark’s Emma Quackenbush, Heights’ Layla Booth and Watkins’ Ella Perry to the honorable mention list.
This article originally appeared on Newark Advocate: Licking County basketball stars take top District 11 honors
