By David Rogers. BOONE, N.C. — Adding to her selection as Player of the Year for District 11 of the North Carolina Basketball Coaches Association, Watauga sophomore Kate Sears has been named to North Carolina’s “All State” team as a 2nd Team selection, NCBCA announced on March 20.
Sears is one of only two sophomores selected to the All State team, the other being Adelaide Jernigan of Bishop McGuinness, a private Catholic highs school in Kernersville.
The All-State first team was dominated by juniors (4), to go along with one senior. Zamareya Jones, a junior at North Pitt, was named the state’s Player of the Year while Panther Creek’s Danielle Sullivan grabbed Coach of the Year honors on the women’s side.
In addition to Jones, the All State first team included Jada Angel of Cape Fear, Taylor Barner of Panther Creek, senior Reychel Douglas of Millbrook, and Bianca Thomas of Charlotte Catholic. Watauga high school basketball fans are familiar with Thomas as she helped lead Charlotte Catholic past Watauga in the state championship tournament’s quarterfinals.
Along with Sears, the All State second team includes senior Kyla Bryant (Salisbury), senior Navaeh Farmer (North Mecklenburg), senior Ally Hollifield (Shelby), and senior Madisyn Jordan (Panther Creek).
On the third team, Jernigan was surrounded by seniors, including Kylie Chavis (Purnell Swett), Brecken Snotherly (Eastern Randolph), Caroline Thiel (Rocky Mount), and Kristen Lewis-Williams (Lake Norman).
Men’s All State
On the men’s side, junior Paul McNeil (Richmond County) picked up Player of the Year honors while Jim Baker (Central Cabarrus) collected Coach of the Year honors.
The Men’s 1st Team All State selections were also dominated by juniors. Along with McNeil, other juniors included Isaiah Evans (North Mecklenburg), Drake Powell (Northwood), and Jarin Stevenson (Seaforth). The lone senior on the 1st team was Jah Short (Farmville Central).
The men’s 2nd Team All State selections were senior Takorrie Faison (Goldsboro), junior “Juke” Harris (Salisbury), junior Sir Mohammed (Myers Park), senior Elijah Strong (Myers Park), and senior Jaiden Thompson (Central Cabarrus),
The men’s 3rd Team All State selections were senior Isaac Dobie (First Flight), sophomore Jackson Keith (Southern Durham), senior Collin Kuhl (Holly Springs), freshman Dionte Neal (Reidsville), and sophomore Mikey Wilkins (R-S Central).
All District 11 Notes
The NCBCA announced its All-District selections on March 6, naming Sears as the District 11 Player of the Year and Watauga teammate Charlotte Torgerson as a 3rd Team All District 11 honoree. Other regional selections of note to receive All District honors included junior Paige Overcash of Ashe County (1st Team All District) and senior Katie Story of Hibriten (1st Team All District).
Of regional interest, the men’s All District team included senior Jake Grubb of Ashe County, named 2nd Team All District.
