Six KC Eagles Make All Conference Teams
Six KC Eagles Make All Conference Teams
By David Sharp
Seniors Lorrie Peters, Becca Mallett, and Tristan Lonberger headlined a solid group of coaches and players chosen to the 2009-10 Tri-Rivers All Conference Basketball Teams. Juniors Stacey Leckbee and Justin Reeves joined girls’ basketball coach John Weaver on the list of honorees.
The Missouri Basketball Coaches Association Class 2, All District 14 Teams were dotted with Knox County players. Lorrie Peters, Stacey Leckbee, Justin Reeves and Tristan Lonberger earned MBCA all district consideration.
The Northeast Missouri Sportswriters and Sportscaster’s Association All District teams had not been selected at press time. The MSSA all district teams are picked by enrollment classification and are of a geographic area.
The MBCA all district teams are chosen by participating coaches within Missouri High School Activities Association basketball districts. The coaches association all district teams do not designate a first and second team.
Senior Lorrie Peters was a unanimous first team all conference selection. Peters earned second team all conference status in 2009. She averaged 16.3 points per game for the undefeated Tri-Rivers Conference champion Lady Eagles.
Lorrie Peters pulled down 10.5 rebounds and 2.4 steals per contest. Peters was 43% from the field and 65% from the free throw line during the recently completed season. She scored 1017 career points at Knox County HS.
Lorrie Peters was named to the MBCA Class 2, All District 14 Girls’ Team.
The girls’ conference title brought head coach John Weaver conference girls’ Coach of the Year honors. Knox County was 17-9 overall. Four of the Lady Eagle defeats came at the hands of Class 1 and 2 state semi-finalists Marion County and Canton.
John Weaver is the first Knox County girls’ conference coach of the year since Donnie Campbell received the honor in the early 1990’s. “It’s a credit to the kids. Obviously I couldn’t get that honor if we didn’t win a lot of games,” John Weaver said.
“We don’t like the way that it ended, but we had a great season.” North Shelby upset the Lady Eagles 45-44 in the first round of District 14 at Scotland County girls’ action. “We had 17 wins. We didn’t just win the conference, we were the outright champion.”
Junior Stacey Leckbee scored six points per game with 2.8 assists and three steals per game. Stacey Leckbee was an all conference second team selection and a MBCA All District 14 pick.
Senior forward Becca Mallett earned third team all conference recognition. Mallett scored 8.2 points per game with five rebounds per contest. She was a 64% free throw shooter with one blocked shot and 1.4 steals per game.
“The kids put a lot of hard work into this. Lorrie (Peters) made the first team. She was third in voting behind Carly Bohle and Kaitlin Stump,” said Weaver. “Stacey (Leckbee) made the second team and Becca Mallett made the third team. Lorrie and Stacey making the all district team was an honor. They earned it.”
“When you win the conference you expect to get three kids or so named to the all conference team,” said Weaver.
“Those are the kids that got it done for you all year. The conference and district teams are not just the numbers you get in conference and district play. They are from all season. Our kids are very deserving of the honors they received.”
Milan senior Carly Bohle was the 2009-10 Tri-Rivers Conference girls MVP.
Justin Reeves made the jump from third team all conference in 2009 to the boy’s first team in 2010. The junior center averaged 15 points and 11.2 rebounds per game for the 16-10 Eagles.
Justin Reeves was a second team MSSA All District selection in 2009. Reeves was named to the 2010 MBCA Boy’s Class 2, All District 14 Team. “Justin Reeves and Tristan Lonberger both had great seasons,” said Eagle boy’s coach Jesse Crawford.
“This was Tristan’s first year of varsity (basketball) experience this year. He turned into one of the best point guards in Northeast Missouri,” Jesse Crawford said. “He led us with about four assists per game.” Tristan Lonberger was named to the MBCA All-District 14 team.
“What can you say about Justin Reeves? He’s probably one of the better offensive rebounders you will see in this area. He’s jut a grinder. Plays hard. The best thing about Justin is that he is a junior.”
“He will probably compete with Tim Gorman for the best player in the conference next season,” said Jesse Crawford. “With Justin Reeves and the nucleus we are returning, we have the program rolling in the right direction.” Knox County was fifth in the final boy’s conference standings with a 3-4 mark.
Jamie Tipton of Putnam County and Kyle Windy of Schuyler County were the boy’s conference co-coaches of the year. Daniel Mallette of Putnam County and Tim Gorman from Schuyler County were the TRC boy’s co-MVP choices.
Please visit www.nemonews.net or see a related Edina Sentinel story for a full listing of 2009-10 All Tri-Rivers Conference selections.
