Sports
Notebook: Postseason Awards Put Stamp on Hoops Season
Here is a rundown of area basketball players who earned postseason honors after this season.
It was a disappointing season for the Parkway West boys basketball team, but that did not slow down Larry Toomey.
The 6-foot-6 senior forward was named the Suburban South Player of the Year earlier this month. Toomey shares this honor with .
Parkway West was 21-7 one year ago, but ended this season at 12-14 despite winning six of its final 10 games. The Longhorns and first-year head coach John Wright not only lose Toomey, but they will see six seniors graduate. Toomey’s next stop is West Point, as he will play for Army in the Patriot League this fall.
Toomey became the seventh player in Longhorns history to reach 1,000 career points this season, and he led Parkway West with averages of 17.1 points and 7.7 rebounds per game. He also led the team in steals and blocks.
This season for the Parkway West girls team was also predominantly defined by one individual. Senior forward Maggie Wenstrup turned in a great season amid the Longhorns' struggle to a 5-21 final mark.
Wenstrup made the Suburban South Conference’s first team after averaging 14.9 points, 9 rebounds and 2.5 blocks per game. She also made the league’s all-defensive team. The league’s second team includes junior Rayna Smith and senior Katie Caragher. Smith will be head coach John Sloop’s top returning scorer next season; she averaged 9.1 points, 5.1 rebounds and a team-high 3.4 assists per game. Caragher led the Longhorns with 59 made 3-pointers and averaged 8.1 points per game.
The JFK girls team had an astounding turnaround this season for head coach Jeff Stevens. After Kennedy finished 7-19 one year ago, the Celts improved to 17-9 this season. Senior Paige Stewart earned first team honors in the Archdiocesan Athletic Association after averaging 17.3 points and 5.2 steals per game this season. On the second team is senior Megan Duisen (8.5 points per game). Senior Annie Cusick made honorable mention.
Stevens’ team lost to Crystal City, 59-47, in the Class 3 District 4 championship game.
The Parkway Central girls basketball team ended its season at 2-24 one year ago. So, when senior guard Alison Magruder reflects on the Colts’ mark of 10-16 in her final prep season, she should do so with abundant pride.
Magruder was Parkway Central’s main cog all season, and the team’s eight-game improvement helped her gain significant postseason recognition. Magruder was named to the Suburban South Conference’s first team after averaging 12.5 points and 2.9 steals per game.
On the second team, freshmen Chelsey Gibson and Zoe Wallis were honored, and will be looked upon this fall to take over the leadership of coach Brian Guilfoyle‘s team. Gibson, who averaged 8.1 points and 8.3 rebounds per game, also made the league’s all-defensive team. Wallis, a six-foot-three center, averaged 7 points and 6.8 rebounds per contest.
For the Parkway Central boys, six-foot-six junior forward Zach Biggs made the Suburban South’s first team. Biggs averaged 16.4 points and 10.3 rebounds per game as the Longhorns went 11-16.
It was a bit of a down season for the Parkway South girls team, but the Patriots still raked in some individual honors. Senior guard Jordan Anthony made the Suburban West’s first team after averaging a team-high 14.2 points this season. On the second team is junior forward Natalie Williams and sophomore forward Becca Steins.
Williams averaged 8.3 points and 6.8 rebounds per game while Steins added 10.2 points and 6. 9 rebounds per contest. Sophomore Alaina Derse made the league’s all-defensive team. Patriots coach Thomas Williams led his Parkway South to a 14-14 mark, and will have Williams and Stein back to anchor his team next season.
The Parkway South boys had a stellar season, finishing 21-6 under head coach Mitch Stevens. The top-seeded Patriots lost to Marquette in the Class 5 District 4 title game at Lafayette High School.
Despite the bitter end to his prep career, senior 6-foot-6 center Tom Holaway made the Suburban West’s first team after averaging 13.2 points and 8.6 rebounds per game. Junior guard Ryan McCarthy (8.6 points) and junior forward Mark Waller (7.7) made the second team. Junior guard Eric Laurent earned all-defensive honors.
CBC was very well-represented on the Metro Catholic all-conference team. Standout senior guards Seth Jackson and Darion Rackley made the first team. Jackson averaged 21 points per game to lead the Cadets this season, while Rackley averaged 20.4. Senior Dominic Kacich (8.7 points) earned honorable mention honors.
CBC finished 19-8 and lost in the Class 5 District 3 semifinals to Webster Groves. Coach Bob McCormack will see nine seniors leave the program.
(Have some local sports news, or story ideas? Please email Patch Sports Editor Brian Doolittle at briandoolittle@hotmail.com)