Published: March 12, 2008 11:09 pm         

Drum roll please … it’s time for annual Amey girls basketball awards

TERRE HAUTE — As the Indiana High School Athletic Association’s annual postseason basketball geography tour takes fans from the western part of the state to concession stands they’d never have visited otherwise (didn’t want the sugar buzz from the cotton candy at Frankfort, but was intrigued by the barbecued frog legs and fried bologna sandwiches at Martinsville), it’s an obvious sign that the winter season is (finally?) coming to a close.

It can’t end (the season I mean, not the winter) without a couple of loose ends being tied, meaning it’s time for the annual Amey girls basketball awards.

You may even be able to predict the topic that’s 99-percent sure to be featured in the next column.

My latest innovation for this particular column is beginning with my favorite award from each season, and my favorite girls — of this or almost any other season — are the co-captains of the Competitors Team for 2007-2008.

I took pains this year, in covering one of the teams from our area, to always include in my story when Turkey Run’s Meghan Doss was the Warriors’ leading rebounder at 5-foot-nothing. That happened more than half the times I saw them play, and that’s an effort statistic, remember.

One of the worst aspects of the past season was that I never found a way to watch my other favorite player in her senior year. I may get to see her in the future in a sport I’m told she plays even better than she does basketball, which can only mean that Emily Lahay of Sullivan is one heck of a soccer goalie.

Their teammates on this team are Derryn Axtell, Kandrea Craft and Emily Yoho of North Vermillion; Jocelyn Boyll, Katie Brown and Krista Himebrook of North Central; Angie Camp and Mardi Steiner of Clay City; Sam Crosby, Jessica Gilbert and Chelsea Hudson of Shakamak; Heather Gonser of Owen Valley; Ashley Graves of White River Valley; Brittany Marrs and Amy Piper of West Vigo; Francesca McCarthy and Kelly Meggs of Terre Haute North; Becky Myers and Caitlin Phillips of South Vermillion; Emily Phillips of Northview; Chelsy Riggen of Riverton Parke; Krista Smith of Terre Haute South; Elyse Weddle of Bloomfield; and Brittani Wolfe of Martinsville.

I didn’t get to see the captain of my Clutch Team this year either; I didn’t get to see her at all, for that matter, which would make this a risky choice if it weren’t for the glittering career accomplished by Heidi Dahnke at Martinsville.

Her teammates are Dawn Bonnell of Robinson; Erin Downey of Shiloh; Stephanie Fougerousse and Taylor Kail of WRV; Siera Fuller of Bloomfield; Dragana Grbic and Tessa Johnson of South; Erika Huff of Sullivan; Hillary Lively of North Vermillion; Jenni McLeish of South Vermillion; Kieran McMullen and Chelsie Stout of Rockville; MaKaylee Pirtle of Union; Spring Raines of Northview; and Amy Wheeler of Riverton Parke.

Players on the Unsung Team do a great job at the things — defense, rebounding, passing — that might not necessarily get them big numbers in the boxscore. Players like South’s Randa Rector, in other words.

Her teammates are Micahlyn Allen, Lynsey Butler, Jessica Herzog and Kelsey Rosselli of North; Kelsey Anderson of WRV: Shelby Colson, Kirstin Kimball and Stormi Raines of Northview; Sam Cooper, Adrian Gillaspy and Caitlin Sweatman of Owen Valley; Shelby Davies, Chelsea Francis, Tiffany Marshall and Sarah Patton of Turkey Run; Miranda Doran and Jaycee Hackney of Martinsville; Jenna Dreher, Gina Furrey, Amber Gardner and Sarah Klotz of West Vigo; Lydia Farmer and Britney Glass of Clay City; Casey Fougerousse of Shakamak; Nikki Fuqua of South Vermillion; Megan Gambill and Cassie Parr of Union; Rosa Gossett of Riverton Parke; Amber Horton and Shelby Lamb of Sullivan; Brittany Myers of Bloomfield; Taylor Poynter and Kelly Yoho of North Vermillion; and Brittany Sherron of Rockville.

Here’s what one co-captain of this year’s Unselfish Team did this season: she came to virtually every practice — that’s every practice after her senior season ended with a knee injury in its second game — and indicated afterward that it was the most enjoyable season she’d ever had. That’s why Johona Bailey of Turkey Run was a favorite team-oriented player this winter. Another was the player whose place on the scoring-leader ladder of her team went down every season, had no problems with that, and refused to go outside the team concept to reach an individual milestone. That would be South’s Megan Craft, of course.

Like-minded teammates are Abby Birkey and Ashley Hargis of Northview; Paige Bond of Sullivan; Tasha Borter and Carly Johnson of WRV; Kyleigh Brown of North; Morgan Burgess, Jennifer Camerer, Hannah Flaurr and Alise Harper of Rockville; Courtney Dallmier of Bloomfield; Jessica Davidson and Gabby Smith of Union; Amanda Delp and Meghan Francis of Turkey Run; Cortney Edington of Riverton Parke; Brittany Edmondson of West Vigo; Cheryl Lanham, Callie Matsel and Micah York of Owen Valley; Sarah Miner and Jordan Smith of South; Megan Samuelson of South Vermillion; and Amber Shell of North Vermillion.

Has nepotism reared its ugly head? No. One co-captain of the Most Improved Team may be related to me, but Emily Reed of Clay City went from part-time status as a junior to one of the leaders of a good team as a senior. The other co-captain, Nickole Gonser of Owen Valley, added offensive production to the manic intensity she shares with her twin sister (see Competitors Team).

Others who made big strides this year were Emily Adams and Lindy Jones of North; Kelsi Cheesewright, Sherry Link and Desiree Thomas of South Vermillion; Marki Collins and Kristi Pearson of Shakamak; Cassie Cornwell of Martinsville; Logan Cox and Amy Newnum of Turkey Run; Tara Crooks and Kelsey Searing of Northview; Whitney Davis of North Vermillion; Emily Fauber and Haley Seibert of South; Makenzie Haltom of Riverton Parke; Amber Kemp and Brittainy Swank of North Central; Breanna Marrs, Chelsey Norton and Marianne Umphries of West Vigo; Andrea Newman of Paris; Brenna Siscoe of Union; Nikkole Thombleson of Bloomfield; and Hilary Vukovits of Rockville.

Since I just split up one set of sisters, I guess I can try it one more time: the captain of the Most Promising Team is Adrianne Francis of Turkey Run.

Other players with bright futures are Karen Beal, Lindsay Hendrix and Alicyn Woodward of West Vigo; Carlee Bell, Chelsey Sampson, Ali Sharton and Lauren Webster of Northview; Jaylin Brower and Allie Milam of South Vermillion; Bethany Chew and Kylee West of North Vermillion; Brittney Combs, Ariel Fuller and Alley Gilliland of Bloomfield; Chelsea Dailey, Cassie Griffin and Ashley Kinne of Riverton Parke; Maria Drake of North Central; Mack Evans of Owen Valley; Lindsey Greene and Beth Mahurin of Rockville; Jordan Hunt and Chelsea Newnum of Turkey Run; Danielle Ketner and Alexa McFadden of North; Shayna Nicol and Ashli Scott of Union; and Shelby Targett of Clay City.

Had trouble finding southpaws this season, so captain Lindy Jones, her North teammate Kelsey Rosselli and Bloomfield’s Alley Gilliland will have to recruit help from players like Teka Flowers of Warren Central and Tiffany Martin of Martinsville, Ind., for the Left-handed Team.

• • •

• Football note — Former Indiana State defensive back DeJuan Alfonzo got off to his usual start in Arena League play for the Chicago Rush.

Alfonzo, who set an AFL record with five defensive touchdowns last season, scored twice in the Rush opener on a fumble return and a recovery of a teammate’s fumble while he was playing offense.

• Lowell notes — My hometown has been in the news more than usual lately, with Amy Davis competing on American Idol (yes, I thought she got robbed too — although I can’t forgive her for getting me to start watching that show) and Red Devil wrestling immortal Eric Ping featured on a reality show on The Learning Channel.

But one of our all-time greats in the athletic world has retired. Amy Ruley — her brother and cousin were members of my Class of ‘66 — has stepped down as women’s basketball coach at North Dakota State after leading the Bison to five national championships and a successful transition to Division I play. Her record in 29 years was 670-198.



Andy Amey can be reached after 4 p.m. for comments or news items at 1-800-783-8742 or at (812) 231-4277; by e-mail at andy.amey@tribstar.com; by mail at P.O. Box 149, Terre Haute, IN, 47808; or by fax at (812) 231-4321.