Thompson Named Decatur H&R Coach of Year

Thompson guided the Wooden Shoes back to the Class 2A State Tournament this season where they finished second. The Shoes ended the season with a 33-5 record.

Thompson won this same award back in 2014.

This area has had five winners in the past 10 years. Cowden-Herrick/Beecher City's Carolyn Wendte was named Coach of the Year in 2010 and 2013 while Effingham's Jeff Schafer took that honor last year.

Named to the First Team were Effingham's Carsyn Fearday, Charleston's Shae Littleford, who was named Player of the Year, Mattoon's Mallory Ramage, Mount Pulaski's Skylar Hayes and Pana's Shania Schoonover.

Fearday, a senior guard, fnished her career with more than 1,900 points, second in school history. She averaged 17 points, 5.8 rebounds, three assists and two steals. The Hearts finished the season with its second straight sectional title.

Littleford, the daughter of Jim and Karen Littleford, led Charleston to an undefeated regular season and a regional title. She averaged 23.6 points, 3.7 rebounds and 3.8 assists and hit the 1,000 career point. She was named First Team All-State and First Team All-Apollo Conference.

Named to the Second Team was Claire Wilhour (St. Elmo/Brownstown), a junior guard who averaged 19 points, 4.8 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 3.1 steals. She was named the National Trail Conference Most Valuable Player.

Other Second Team players were Amanda Franklin (Okaw Valley), Marissa Herschberger (Arthur-Lovington/Atwood-Hammond), Natalie Snyder (Taylorville) and Esther Miller (Sullivan)

Area players named to the Third Team were Claire McHugh, senior guard, Effingham St. Anthony; Megan Schlechte, senior guard, Windsor/Stewardson-Strasburg and Lexie Niebrugge, senior guard, Teutopolis. Also named were Alexa Franklin (Okaw Valley) and Channing Reed (Central A&M).

Area players earning Honorable Mention were Sadie Bueker (Teutopolis), Claire Bushur (Teutopolis), Olivia Campbell (St. Elmo/Brownstown), Natalie Carie (Effingham), Cassidy Coble (North Clay), Liberty Duanway (Cumberland), Miranda Fox (Effingham), Mary Guse (Altamont), Mary Hill (Neoga), Hannah Hayes (Windsor/Stewardson-Strasburg), Brooke Jansen (Newton), Leah Mayhaus (Altamont), Madison Lovett (North Clay), Morgan Mette (Teutopolis), Tinley Mette (Altamont), Natalie Oberlink (St. Elmo/Brownstown), Meg Richards (Effingham St. Anthony), Jennifer Robards (Dieterich), Jaelyn Robertson (Cowden-Herrick/Beecher City), Joanna Schultz (Altamont), Nikki Trussell (Windsor/Stewardson-Strasburg), Laney Webster (South Central) and Abby Weiss (Effingham).