By Cort Reynolds
Ada High School senior guard Courtney Sumner was named second team All-Northwest Conference for the second straight season in voting recently conducted by the league basketball coaches.
Sumner topped the Ada girls team in scoring, three-point goals and steals. The Bulldog girls finished the regular season 11-11 overall and 0-8 in the rugged NWC.
A four-year starter, Sumner earned honorable mention all-league status her freshman season, and also was voted HM as a sophomore.
She is on the verge of potentially becoming the all-time leading scorer in girls basket ball program history with the sectional tournament game Saturday night, February 18, vs. New Bremen at Shawnee looming.
The talented Sumner was the top vote-getter on the five-player second team. Heady Bluffton senior southpaw playmaker Sami Scoles edged out Sumner for the final spot on the first team.
Allen East junior wing Savana Brooks was voted to the six-player first team all-league squad after being named honorable mention last season.
The versatile Brooks averaged 15.1 points, 4.8 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.7 steals per game. She sank 40 three-pointers.
Speedy Mustang sophomore point guard Rilynn Jones was named second team all-league after being HM All-NWC as a freshman.
The spunky Jones scored 12.2 points a game, while grabbing 4.1 rebounds and dishing three assists a game. She also made 2.6 steals per game.
"I am very proud of Savana and Rilynn," said AE head coach Aaron Montgomery. "They are two of the hardest-working kids I've ever coached. Their passion and love for the game truly shows.
"I've asked a lot of them offensively and defensively," he continued. "They are so team-oriented, and just want to do whatever they can to help the team succeed and get their teammates involved.
"They definitely deserve their recognition," he added.
AE finished the regular season 16-6 overall and 4-4 in the tough NWC. No team in the nine-team league finished under .500 overall in the regular season.
Juniors Alyvia Lindeman of Delphos Jefferson and Cali Gregory of Crestview shared NWC Player of the Year honors. Lindeman repeated as POY. Both players were first team all-league picks last season.
Denise Lindeman of 8-0 league champion Delphos Jefferson was voted NWC Coach of the Year.
Leipsic finished second in the NWC at 7-1, followed by Crestview (6-2). AE, Columbus Grove and Spencerville finished in a three-way tie for fourth at 4-4.
Lincolnview ended up seventh at 2-6, followed by Bluffton (1-7) and Ada (0-8).
1st Team
Alyvia Lindeman, Delphos Jefferson Junior
Cali Gregory, Crestview Junior
Lauren Auchmuty, Columbus Grove Sophomore
Whitney Langhals, Leipsic Senior
Savana Brooks, Allen East Junior
Sami Scoles, Bluffton Senior
2nd Team
Courtney Sumner, Ada Senior
Gabi Croft, Spencerville Senior
Lauren French, Delphos Jefferson Junior
Laci McCoy, Crestview Senior
Rilynn Jones, Allen East Sophomore
Honorable Mention
Ayla Grandey, Bluffton Sophomore
