Coaches name District 14 All-District Basketball Teams

By Mark Carpenter

People’s Defender

Postseason basketball honors continued when the members of the District 14 Basketball Coaches Association named their 2023-24 All-District girls and boys squads. Adams County was well-represented in the list, with eight girls and six boys earning All-District recognition.

For the girls, the big winner was Peebles senior Payton Johnson, who was named to the Division III First team and was also named the Division III Player of the Year. Johnson also was named as the district’s representative for the North-South All Star Game.

Also earning district honors from the coaches were North Adams senior Kenlie Jones (Division III, Second Team), North Adams junior Katelynn Boerger (Division III Third Team), North Adams senior Harlee Brand (Division III Honorable Mention), Peebles senior Caydence Carroll (Division III Honorable Mention), West Union junior Ashlah Staten (Division III Honorable Mention), Manchester junior Raegan Wikoff (Division IV Second Team) and Manchester junior Madison Dunn (Division IV Honorable Mention).

North Adams assistant Taylor Jodrey was named the Division III Assistant Coach of the Year.

On the boys side, North Adams senior Bransyn Copas swept the big awards, being named to the Division III First Team and also garnering Division III Player of the Year. Copas also was selected as the district’s representative for the North-South All Star Game.

In addition to Copas, others earning district honors were North Adams junior Jayce Rothwell (Division III Honorable mention), Peebles junior Carson Reed (Division III Honorable mention), West Union junior Trae Grooms (Division III Honorable Mention), Manchester senior Connor Darnell (Division IV Second Team) and Manchester senior Drew Kennedy (Division IV Honorable Mention).

Also in Division III, North Adams’ Nathan Copas was honored as the Coach of the Year in his final season at the helm for the Green Devils.

The complete District 14 Coaches All-District selections:

Division III Girls

First Team: Payton Johnson (Peebles Senior), Emma Garrison (Adena Senior), Sienna Allen (Portsmouth Sophomore), Emma Sayre (Portsmouth West Senior), Daysha Reid (Portsmouth Junior)

Second Team: Kenlie Jones (North Adams Senior), Skylar Zimmerman (South Webster Senior), Jade Massey (Lynchburg Clay Senior), Addison West (Lynchburg Clay Senior), Allie Baker (Huntington Ross Junior)

Third Team: Faith Donley (Fairfield Senior), Katelyn Boerger (North Adams Junior), Macy Whisman (Portsmouth West Freshman), Gabby Pernell (Southeastern Ross Senior), Macy Etienne (Lynchburg Clay Senior), Lindsee Williams (Minford Junior)

Honorable Mention: Marly Halcomb (Adena Freshman), Tabby Schumacher (Eastern Brown Junior), Kelsey Clark (Fairfield Junior), Emma Hinshaw (Huntington Ross Senior), Ella Barry (Lynchburg Clay Senior), Lexi Conkel (Minford Junior), Harlee Brand (North Adams Senior), Claire Newman (Northwest Sophomore), Caydence Carroll (Peebles Senior),Laila Kelly (Piketon Freshman), Hayven Carter (Portsmouth Freshman), Emily Moore (Portsmouth West Senior), Gracie Brown (Southeastern Ross Sophomore), Bella Claxon (South Webster Senior), Ashlah Staten (West Union Junior), Mia Vastine (Wheelersburg), Carlie Clark (Zane Trace)

• Division III Player of The Year: Payton Johnson (Peebles)

• Division III Coach of The Year: Andrew Day (Adena)

• Division III Assistant Coach of The Year: Taylor Jodrey (North Adams)

• North South All Star Game: Payton Johnson (Peebles) Representative, Emma Sayre (Portsmouth West) Alternate

Division IV Girls

First Team: Abbie Knapp (Green Freshman), Jaylie Parr (Whiteoak Senior), Lexie Morrow (Lucasville Valley Senior), Gracie Ashley (Notre Dame Senior), Cassie Williams (New Boston Senior)

Second Team: Emma Emnett (Portsmouth Clay Freshman), Laiken Gullett (Eastern Pike Sophomore), Karris Dye (Paint Valley Sophomore), Katie Strickland (Notre Dame Senior), Ella Kirby (Notre Dame Senior) Raegan Wikoff (Manchester Junior)

Honorable Mention: Sophia Craf (Portsmouth Clay Sophomore), Cylie Weaver (Eastern Pike Junior), Brooklyn Boyer (New Boston Junior), Matti Hayslip (Green Freshman), Ella Thompson (Lucasville Valley Freshman), Madison Dunn (Manchester Junior), Annabelle Ball (Notre Dame Senior), Sophia Stauffer (Paint Valley Junior), Kerrigan Marhoover (Western Latham Junior), Lydia Carr (Whiteoak Senior)

• Division IV Player of The Year: Abbie Knapp (Green)

• Division IV Coach of The Year: J.D. McKenzie (Notre Dame)

• Division IV Assistant Coach of The Year: Missy Buckley New Boston

Division III Boys

First Team: Bransyn Copas (North Adams Senior), Jace Copley (Lucasville Valley Senior), Myles Montgomery (Minford Junior), Deandre Berry (Portsmouth Senior), Connor Lintz (Northwest Senior)

Second Team: Joedy Ater (Adena Senior), Devon Lattimore (Wheelersburg Senior), Brody Clark (Westfall Senior), Bennett Kayser (Minford Junior), Landen Jarrell (Zane Trace Junior)

Third Team: Jackson Shoemaker (Minford Junior), Tanner Bolin (Northwest Senior), Carson Free (Paint Valley Junior), Brent McGuire (Piketon Senior), Jeffrey Bishop (Portsmouth West Senior),

Honorable Mention: Lucas King (Adena Sophomore), Grady Barber (Eastern Brown Sophomore), Noah Potter (Huntington Ross Senior), Parker Lute (Lucasville Valley Senior), Denver Clinton (Lynchburg Clay Sophomore), Jeffrey Pica (Minford Senior), Jayce Rothwell (North Adams Junior), Jay Jenkins (Northwest Senior), Braylon Robertson (Paint Valley Junior), Carson Reed (Peebles Junior), Garrett Legg (Piketon Junior), Donnovan Breech (Portsmouth Senior), Trevor Fike (Portsmouth West Senior), Lane Williams (Southeastern Ross Junior), Trae Grooms (West Union Junior), Jeremiah Layton (Westfall Senior), Braylon Rucker (Wheelersburg Sophomore), Landon Robinson (Zane Trace Junior)

• Division III Player of the Year: Bransyn Copas (North Adams Senior)

• Division III Coach of the Year: Nathan Copas (North Adams)

• Division IIIAssistant Coach of the Year: Nathan Childers Piketon

• North South Representative: Bransyn Copas (North Adams)

Division IV Boys

First Team: Eli Roberts (South Webster Junior), Larkin Friend (Fairfield Senior), Cody Metzler (Notre Dame Senior),Drew Haggy (Western Latham Junior), Jace White (Eastern Pike Senior)

Second Team: Tyler Sommer (South Webster Senior), Kam Janes (Western Latham Junior), Jon Knapp (Green Sophomore), Devin Allard (New Boston Senior), Connor Darnell (Manchester Senior)

Third Team: Tucker Leist (Eastern Pike Junior), Logan McIntosh (Fairfield Junior), Trey House (Fairfield Senior), Landon Barbarits (Notre Dame Senior), Kenny Fowler (Portsmouth Clay Senior), Weston Blair (Whiteoak Senior)

Honorable Mention: Teagan Werner (Eastern Pike Senior), Gabe Fouch (Fairfield Senior), Landon Kimbler (Green Junior), Drew Kennedy (Manchester Senior), Jayce Tabor (New Boston Senior), Myles Phillips (Notre Dame Junior),Keegan Newman (Portsmouth Clay Senior), Keagan Barker (Portsmouth East Junior), Jack Timothy (South Webster Senior), Logan Lightle (Western Latham Senior), Sawyer Blair (Whiteoak Sophomore)

• Division IV Player of The Year: Eli Roberts (South Webster Junior)

• Division IV Coach of The Year: Matt Mader (Notre Dame)

• Division IV Assistant Coach of The Year: Travis Bradford (Notre Dame)