By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
Cooper senior guard Lexi Held, the second leading scorer in Kentucky girls’ high school basketball this season, was named the Division I Player of the Year by the Northern Kentucky Girls Basketball Coaches Association.
Cooper senior guard Lexi Held
This is the second consecutive year that Held has achieved the honor. The DePaul University recruit finished the regular season with a 28.3 scoring average, 12 points higher than her final average last season. She’s also pulling down a team-high 7.4 rebounds per game for the Jaguars.
In December, Held set a Cooper single-game record with 43 points against Ashland Blazer. A few days later, she had 30 points against Nelson County to lift her career total over the 2,000 mark. She went on to score 30 points or more in eight of her team’s 12 games during January and February.
The other Player of the Year award-winners are Highlands junior guard Zoie Barth in Division II and Dayton senior guard Megan Downard in Division III.
The Coach of the Year selections are Joel Steczynski of Dixie Heights in Division I, Davey Johnson of Newport in Division II and Isaac Speicher of Calvary Christian in Division III.
The coaches association also named its All 9th Region Teams. The top five players are Held, Barth, Lauren Schwartz and Maddie Scherr of Ryle and Courtney Hurst of Conner.
The top players selected in each division will be honored during the coaches association awards banquet in March. Winners of the Miss Hustle and Academic Award in each division will also be recognized. Here are the complete lists:
DIVISION I
Boone County — Meleah Hirn. Campbell County — Taylor Clos, Mackenzie Schwarber, Lexie Stapleton. Conner — Courtney Hurst, Savannah Jordan. Cooper — Lexi Held. Dixie Heights — Sydney Lockard, Grace Perry. Ryle — Lauren Schwartz, Maddie Scherr. Scott — Anna Clephane, Summer Secrist. Simon Kenton — Shelby Harmeyer.
Player of the Year — Lexi Held (Cooper)
Coach of the Year — Joel Steczynski (Dixie Heights)
Miss Hustle — Maddie Burcham (Conner)
Academic Award — Abby Darpel (Notre Dame)
DIVISION II
Brossart — Maria Kiefer, Taylor Moore. Highlands — Zoie Barth, Chloe Jansen. Holmes — Tyrah Englemon. Holy Cross — Bailee Harney, Olivia Crigler, Sid Thomas. Lloyd — Laylay Pouncy. NewCath — Lexy Breen, Kara Zimmerman. Newport — Mya Meredith. St. Henry — Chisom Iloegbunam. Walton-Verona — Brooke Perry.
Player of the Year — Zoie Barth (Highlands)
Coach of the Year — Davey Johnson (Newport)
Miss Hustle — Laila Johnson (Holmes)
Academic Award — Maddie Stokes (Beechwood)
DIVISION III
Bellevue — Regan Atwood, Kierstyn Ratterman, Morgan Mardis. Calvary Christian — Rebekah Fryman, Kaelin Clemens, Savanna Schwartz. Dayton — Megan Downard, Grace Workman. Ludlow — Taia Collins, Abby Mahan. Villa Madonna — Madison Perry, Brooke Meier.
Player of the Year — Megan Downard (Dayton)
Coach of the Year — Isaac Speicher (Calvary Christian)
Miss Hustle — Megan Downard (Dayton)
Academic Award — Jenna Doumont (Villa Madonna)
ALL 9th REGION TEAMS
First Team — Lexi Held (Cooper), Lauren Schwartz (Ryle), Maddie Scherr (Ryle), Zoie Barth (Highlands), Courtney Hurst (Conner).
Second Team — Tyrah Englemon (Holmes), Savannah Jordan (Conner), Chisom Iloegnunam (St. Henry), Grace Perry (Dixie Heights), Lexy Breen (NewCath).
Third Team — Mya Meredith (Newport), Sydney Lockard (Dixie Heights), Maleah Hirn (Boone County), Cilia Pelfrey (Dixie Heights), Olivia Crigler (Holy Cross).
Honorable mention — Reagan Atwood (Bellevue), Maddie Burcham (Conner), Megan Downard (Dayton), Chloe Jansen (Highlands), Laila Johnson (Holmes), Bailee Harney (Holy Cross), Sid Thomas (Holy Cross), Laylay Pouncy (Lloyd), Taia Collins (Ludlow), Abby Mahan (Ludlow), Kara Zimmerman (NewCath), Danielle Rennekamp (NewCath), Madison Perry (Villa Madonna), Brooke Meier (Villa Madonna).
