Norwayne, Smithville dominate district basketball honors

The area was well represented in the District 4 all-district selections made by area coaches this past weekend. Leading the way were Norwayne and Smithville in Division V and Division VI, with the Bobcats sweeping Coach and Player of the Year honors and the Smithies taking Player of the Year.

Coming off a trip to the Division V state final a year ago, Norwayne looked primed for another run and turned that into fruition this season as it clinched back-to-back trips to regionals. Leading the way is arguably the area’s best player, uber-talented senior Ava Maibach, who was picked as the Division V District Player of the Year. She finished averaging 13.9 points, 6.1 rebounds and 4.7 assists as the focal point of a balanced and talented 22-2 team.

Her coach, Jake Shoup, was named Coach of the Year. He has guided his team to a 47-6 record over the past two years, is now 9-1 in the OHSAA tournament and just clinched its first WCAL title since 1986.

Joining Maibach on the first team were teammates Allie DeMassimo, a senior, and Hannah Froelich, a sophomore. DeMassimo averaged 13.6 points, 5.6 rebounds and 3.2 assists, and Froelich continues to blossom into the area’s best post player, averaging 10.4 points and 11.2 rebounds.

Coming in second in the WCAL was Chippewa (17-8), as juniors Delaney Marshall and Bree Regan and senior Aira Regan were selected. Marshall averaged 14.7 points, 3.1 assists and 4.6 rebounds, Bree posted a line of 7.7 points and 5.7 rebounds, and Aira finished with 12.0 points and knocked down 47 3-pointers.

Triway saw Sydney Frank and Payton Snyder picked as they continued to wreak havoc, leading the way to the program’s second district title in as many years. Frank poured in an average of 13.0 points, grabbed 4.4 rebounds and dished 1.6 assists. Snyder powered her team past Keystone with 27 points in a 54-40 win and averaged 12.3 points, 3.1 assists and 2.4 rebounds.

Orrville’s tandem of Brooklyn Butzer and Jacy Mulpas rounded out the list of locals in Division V.

Earning honorable mention were Courtney Cline (Norwayne), Myra Lewis (Chippewa), Zoey Baker (Triway), Cadence Wilson (Orrville) and Nikki Troyan (Northwestern).

In the combined Division VI and Division VII group, Leah Keib continues to be a monster for opponents, scoring all eight of her points in the fourth quarter to lead Smithville past No. 1-seeded Rootstown 43-38 for its eighth district title. Keib poured in a career best against No. 2-seeded Canton Central Catholic, powered her team to wins over league rivals Waynedale and Chippewa down the stretch of the season and earned the district’s Player of the Year award.

Central Christian’s Maclaren Fry averaged 17.7 points to lead her team to a 9-15 record and earned the Division VII District Player of the Year award. Comets coach Kevin Weaver was tabbed as district Coach of the Year for orchestrating the season.

Rounding out the all-district team in Division VI were Dalton and Waynedale with a pair in Grace Dorffer and Phoebe Lehman for the Dawgs and Kylie Geiser and Audrey Troyer for the Golden Bears. Loudonville’s Addison Wolford completed the area hoop stars earning all-district honors.

Earning honorable mention were Elly Hensel (Loudonville), Payton Lehman (Dalton), Caylee Zimmerly (Smithville), Natalie Clever (Waynedale), Jordyn Johnson (Loudonville), Kennedy Fickes (Hillsdale), Mei Simmons (Dalton), Rebecca Keib (Smithville) and Saraly Stjernholm (Central Christian).

In Division II, senior Brooke Ritchie led the way for Wooster with an honorable mention selection.