MOUNT VERNON – Carter Jones and Brooklyn Hess have a lot in common.
Both are left-handed. Both are versatile and skilled for their size (at 6-foot-5, Jones can bring the ball up and battle on the block; at 5-foot-8, Hess can do the same). And both lead some of the top basketball teams in the area.
Now, the Knox County hoopers have yet another trait in common: both were named ‘Player of the Year’ in the Knox Morrow Athletic Conference this season.
The KMAC announced its winter award-winners and all-conference selections on Wednesday. Centerburg’s Jones was named ‘Player of the Year’ for the third season in a row, while Danville’s Hess earned top recognition for the first time.
Jones, a senior forward, led Centerburg to a share of its second straight KMAC title this winter (the Trojans split it with Fredericktown). The Mount Vernon Nazarene University commit scored his 1,000th career point in the team’s opening game against Northmor, and he hasn’t missed a beat since, leading Centerburg to a 13-1 conference finish.
The Trojans won Wednesday in the first round of the Div. III tournament, and will face North Union on the road Saturday in round two.
Hess, a junior guard, led Danville to a fourth-place finish in the KMAC this season. After earning honorable mention all-conference honors her freshman and sophomore seasons, Hess broke out this year, dominating opponents on both ends of the court. She’s averaging nearly 20 points per game in tournament play, and will lead Danville into a district final matchup against top-seeded Berne Union on Friday night.
Here were the KMAC’s winter award-winners and all-conference selections:
Boys basketball
Player of the Year: Carter Jones, Centerburg
Coach of the Year: Derek Dibling, Fredericktown
League champions: Centerburg and Fredericktown
7th-grade tournament champion: Highland
8th-grade tournament champion: Highland
First team
Ty Hatfield, Fredericktown
Caleb Sheriff, Fredericktown
Matthew Bland, Mount Gilead
Weston Melick, East Knox
Trey Brininger, Cardington
Carter Jones, Centerburg
Second team
Lincoln Cunningham, Fredericktown
Kaid Carpenter, Fredericktown
Jordan Bellamy, Highland
Mason White, Cardington
Elijah Chafin, Mount Gilead
Shane Knepp, East Knox
Honorable mention
Graesin Cass, Northmor
Thomas Caputo, Fredericktown
Brock Church, Highland
Levi Houck, Centerburg
Avery Harper, Cardington
Terry Jacobs, East Knox
Wyatt Weckesser, Danville
Jackson Huffer, Mount Gilead
All-academic*
Ty Hatfield, Fredericktown
Wyatt Groves, Highland
Trey Brininger, Cardington
Scott Bates, East Knox
*The KMAC recognizes one senior from every school in every sport as an all-academic winner. The all-academic winner must have a GPA of at least 3.5.
Girls basketball
Player of the Year: Brooklyn Hess, Danville
Coach of the Year: Jamie Edwards, Cardington
League champion: Cardington
7th-grade tournament champion: Mount Gilead
8th-grade tournament champion: Mount Gilead
First team
Karsyn Edwards, Cardington
Beth Hardwick, Cardington
Brooklyn Hess, Danville
Lexi Wenger, Northmor
Holly Gompf, Mount Gilead
Gabby Daniels, Fredericktown
Second team
Audrey Bouton, Fredericktown
Candace Millisor, Mount Gilead
Chloe Goulter, Centerburg
Emma West, Highland
Dana Bertke, Cardington
Kambry Edwards, Cardington
Alexandria Magers, East Knox
Honorable mention
Mikayla Linkous, Cardington
Clara Johnson, Centerburg
Ella Proper, Danville
Shanda Melick, East Knox
Jacklyn Nussbaum, Fredericktown
Brylinn Tuggle, Highland
Madilyn Elson, Mount Gilead
Reagan Swihart, Northmor
All-academic
Sydney Spires, Cardington
Rebecca Scholl, Centerburg
Rachel Wilson, Danville
Joci Totten, East Knox
Summer Weller, Fredericktown
Savannah Fitzpatrick, Highland
Kaitlynn Pfeifer, Mount Gilead
Boys bowling
Bowler of the Year: Will Jensen, East Knox
Coach of the Year: Tim Edgell, Cardington
Tournament champion: Cardington
Regular season league champions: Northmor and Cardington
First team
Will Jensen, East Knox
Tyler Kintz, Cardington
Cody Griffin, Crestline
Silas Horton, Cardington
Eric Hamilton, Cardington
Mike Blake, Cardington
Dylan Farrell, Mount Gilead
Tyler Disbennett, Highland
Second team
Joe Baldinger, Northmor
John Wharton, Centerburg
Zach Govoni, Northmor
Wesley Hammond, Northmor
Jesse Reigles, Highland
Graham Sherbourne, Mount Gilead
Michael Rose, Cardington
Griffin Wayne, Fredericktown
Honorable mention
Brock Hurtt, Centerburg
Justin Zollars, Fredericktown
Gavyn Stone, Centerburg
Cole Postell, Northmor
Chase Keyes, Fredericktown
Zachary Jagger, Centerburg
Trevor Stewart, Highland
Blake Guiler, Crestline
Dylan Reed, East Knox
All-academic
Steven Kollas, Fredericktown
Tucker Tague, Highland
Eric Hamilton, Cardington
Bob Guiler, Northmor
Tournament champions
Tyler Kintz, Cardington
Eric Hamilton, Cardington
Michael Rose, Cardington
Silas Horton, Cardington
Mike Blake, Cardington
Tyler Rose, Cardington
High score in tournament
John Wharton, Centerburg
Graham Sherbourne, Mount Gilead
Girls bowling
Bowler of the Year: Maddie Hoverland, Northmor
Coach of the Year: Russ Montgomery, Northmor
Tournament champion: Northmor
Regular season league champion: Northmor
First team
Maddie Hoverland, Northmor
Erin McKenna, Crestline
Payton Goodman, Cardington
Paige Hicks, Highland
Emilie Drumm, Northmor
Elyssa Reigles, Highland
Rachel Weyant, Crestline
Ana Kraus, Fredericktown
Second team
Macey Neer, Fredericktown
Christin Eichler, Northmor
Kristen Bittner, Northmor
Camryn Taylor, Highland
Sydnie Wilson, Cardington
Madi Dennis, Centerburg
Emma Stokes, Fredericktown
Makenna Andrew, Fredericktown
Honorable mention
Heather Ross, Highland
Ashleah Levings, Mount Gilead
Mikayla Meyer, Mount Gilead
Marrisa Black, Crestline
Abby Raber, Cardington
Alexis Crone, Cardington
Lexis McCombs, Crestline
Kat Kneipp, Mount Gilead
Leah Staton, Fredericktown
All-academic
Rachel Weyant, Crestline
Chelsea Chrisman, East Knox
Makenna Andrew, Fredericktown
Emilie Drumm, Northmor
Tournament champions
Kristen Bittner, Northmor
Kahlan Ball, Northmor
Taylor Cantrell, Northmor
Emma Rinehart, Northmor
Maddie Hoverland, Northmor
Emilie Drumm, Northmor
Christin Eichler, Northmor
High score in tournament
Erin McKenna, Crestline
The Knox Morrow Athletic Conference (KMAC) consists of Cardington, Centerburg, Danville, East Knox, Fredericktown, Highland, Mount Gilead and Northmor, along with affiliate members Elgin (wrestling), Loudonville (wrestling) and Crestline (bowling). The league is currently in its fourth year of competition.
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