Local players named to All-Region teams

Wednesday, March 15, 2006
Julian Beard was named to the first-team Class 4 All-Region team.

SIKESTON -- The Southeast Missouri Sportswriters and Sportscasters Association released the 2005-06 All-Region High School Basketball team on Wednesday.

The team is comprised of the top players this basketball season in the southeast Missouri area.

Turn to the Scoreboard on page 12 for a complete list of the All-Region team.

In Class 4, Sikeston was represented with two first team selections in junior Julian Beard and freshman Michael Porter.

The two players helped lead the Bulldogs to the Class 4 state championship game where they came up short to St. Francis Borgia. Sikeston finished 23-7 with the second place finish being the highest ever in school history.

"Both players really stepped up and had great years down the stretch," said Sikeston coach Gregg Holifield. "You can't say enough about their team play and the production they had both offensively and defensively. They both played their best basketball the last six weeks of the season."

The 6-foot-2 Beard averaged 13.8 points per game this season and exploded down the playoff stretch as his scoring increased to 19 ppg in the last 10 games.

"Julian really played well down the stretch, especially into the postseason and into the final four," said Holifield. "He just got better and continued to work. When his work ethic improved, his production did also, so it goes hand-in-

hand."

Porter started the season on the junior varsity team, but it quickly became apparent that he belonged on the varsity full-time.

He averaged 15.5 ppg and 7.8 rpg and was Sikeston's main post presence on both offense and defense.

"He did a great job this year being put in some tough situations for such a young player in a tough league playing against really good competition," said Holifield. "You can't say enough about how he performed every night against good players."

Sikeston senior Rod Moore was named to the second team and junior Isaac Porter was selected as honorable mention.

Dexter senior Eric Rinehart was also selected to the first team. The 6-foot forward averaged 18 ppg and 8 rpg for the Bearcats' 10-16 squad.

"Eric plays really hard for us and gave us a lot of energy," said Dexter coach Eric Sitze. "He's a great competitor and a good scorer for us. He's going to be missed next year."

Dexter junior Drew Satterfield was selected as a second team all-region performer.

On the girls side, Sikeston's Allison Blurton was named a first team all-region performer.

Blurton, a 5-8 senior, averaged 17.3 ppg, 4 rpg, 3 spg and shot 73 percent from the free throw line.

She helped lead Sikeston to what is believed to be the best single season record in school history at 18-7.

"Allison worked extremely hard -- we put in a new scheme and she adjusted to it I thought she did rather well," said Sikeston coach Fred Johnson. "She's had an outstanding career. She's had three good years and this year was a really good year for her. She stepped up her scoring, she stepped up her defense. I depended on her for a lot of things. I depended on her to take the big shot. She was the captain of the team. I think she adjusted well to those things."

Sikeston sophomore Martika Davis was picked as a second team player and senior Whitney McCray was named honorable mention.

Dexter senior Taylor Nelson was named to the first team squad after averaging 17.5 ppg, 7.6 rpg while recording 42 steals and shooting 75 percent from the free throw line. She shot 37 percent from 3-point range and 57 percent from the field.

Dexter's girls finished 20-6 and were district runners up to Fredericktown.

"She's been a three-year starter for us and she has seen a lot of wins the last couple years with two 20-win seasons," said Dexter coach Gavin Miller. "She's played in three district championship games and helped us win one of them. It's obvious that when Taylor got things going the rest of the team just kind of flowed with her. She would do whatever I asked her to do."

Dexter's Amanda Dooley was named to the second team.

In Class 3, Charleston's Jamarcus Williams, a 6-5 junior and returning second team all-stater, was selected to the first team all-region.

Williams has averaged 19 ppg and 10.3 rpg this season and has helped lead the Bluejays to a 23-7 record and a Class 3 semifinal appearance.

Charleston junior point guard Shawn Sherrell was selected as a second team player.

On the girls side, Debra Hall was selected as a second team player in Class 3. Hannah Rone was picked as a second team player as was Heavenly Wren of New Madrid County Central.

Portageville's Kellye Penn and Kelly's Brittany Ponder were picked as honorable mention players.

In Class 2, Richland's Matt Ritch and Tommy Harlan were picked as honorable mention players.

In Class 1, D.D. Gillespie, a 5-10 sophomore at Scott County Central, was selected as a first team player after leading the Braves to a District 1 championship and a 16-14 record.

"He is a joy to coach -- he has tremendous work ethic," said Scott Central coach David Heeb. "It's scary to think about how good he can be in two years. He was a leader for a lot of our young kids. He's very inexperienced himself being so young. I was very pleased with how he and the rest of those young kids came along."

Scott Central sophomore Caleb Johnson was picked as a second team player.

Risco senior Andrew Halford was also selected to the first team after averaging 23.2 ppg, 10.2 rpg and 2.6 apg.

Risco finished one of its most successful seasons in recent memory with a 14-11 record.

"He pretty much carried our team through the year," said Risco coach Brandon Blankenship. "What I was most impressed with was how he stepped it up against the really good teams with the Bell City game and the couple times we played Clarkton. He had monster games both times."

Also being picked for the first team was Bell City's 6-10 junior Will Bogan and 5-11 sophomore Nick Niemczyk.

Bogan averages 19 ppg and 12 rpg with four blocks per game for the 27-4 state semifinal Cubs. Niemczyk averages 17.8 ppg while canning 54 3-

pointers this year.

On the girls side, Scott Central's Brittney Peet was selected to the first team after leading the Bravettes to a 12-11 season and a Class 1 sectional appearance.

Also selected to the girls first team was Oran's Tiffany Glastetter and Erica Michelsen, both juniors.

Glastetter averaged 14 ppg and 9 rpg. Michelsen averaged 14 ppg and 8 rpg.

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