Felicity-Franklin junior guard Ashley Moore was named the Associated Press Division IV All-Ohio Player of the Year. She was also POY in the Southwest District. // Photo by Ralph Adams

Felicity-Franklin junior guard Ashley Moore was named the Associated Press Division IV All-Ohio Player of the Year. She was also POY in the Southwest District. // Photo by Ralph Adams
By Chris Chaney
Sun staff

Even as local basketball players hang up their sneakers for the season, postseason accolades keep rolling in, this time recognizing both the best players from the district and the state.

The Associated Press announced both the boys and girls All-Southwest Ohio District team and the All-Ohio teams over the past two weeks with Felicity-Franklin junior guard Ashley Moore receiving the most prestigious Division IV honors in the state, being named both District and State Player of the Year.

“Ashley is definitely a take-charge kind of person,” Felicity head coach Kerry Stamper said. “When we’re down or we need some points, everyone looks to her and she knows that; she’s accepted that role very well. But, she knows she hasn’t gotten there without her teammates. She’s accepting of her rewards, but she also looks to the team to push her and help her to get where she’s gotten.

“She’s very humble about it and realizes that she couldn’t have done it without (her teammates). She steps up so much and works very hard at both ends of the floor to get where she is over these past three years.”

Moore averaged 19.9 points, 6.5 steals, 5.2 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game this past season for the Lady Cardinals.

During Moore’s three seasons, Felicity has turned the corner from perennial basement dweller in the Southern Buckeye Conference to one of the top Division IV teams in the state of Ohio.

This past season, Moore led Felicity to a 25-3 (8-2 SBC) record and their first piece of a conference title since 2000. The Lady Cardinals lost in the regional finals on March 14 to Fort Loramie, 62-48, the school’s first trip that far upstate. Moore scored 30 points in the loss.

Bethel-Tate junior Julia Jenike was the only other local hoopster to land on an All-District team, being selected to the Division III Third Team.

Jenike led the Lady Tigers in points (17.5), rebounds (6.6), assists (2.4) and steals (2.2) per game.

Both Jenike and Moore eclipsed the 1,000 career point barrier this year.

The area featured another three girls named to the All-District Honorable Mention list: Jasmine Hale of Glen Este and Kelly Noll of Milford in Division I and Maren Hance of New Richmond in Division II.

For the area boys, five were placed on honor rolls for their respective divisions. In DI, Glen Este’s pair of Brad Gardner and Zach Jones earned recognition as Honorable Mention All-District.

Gardner averaged 10.9 points and 8.2 rebounds per game for the 8-15 (3-11 Eastern Cincinnati Conference) Trojans while Jones went for 10.1 points and 2.3 rebounds.

Milford’s Will Hannah also was named a DI All-District Honorable Mention. The Eagle senior helped lead his squad to a record-setting season that saw the team win 22 games. Hannah averaged a team-high 14.3 points and 5.0 rebounds per game.

Amelia’s Garrett Weaver also received Honorable Mention status.

He led the Barons with 18.7 points and 7.3 rebounds per game

Lastly, in Division III, Bethel-Tate’s Adam Shinkle was named an All-District Honorable Mention. The senior led the Tigers with 12.0 points, 6.7 rebounds and 2.4 assists this year in a 12-11 (5-5 SBC) season that could be the beginning of a turning point for Bethel boys basketball.

For more information on the log on to ohsaa.org.