CROTHERSVILLE
Members of the Crothersville winter sports programs met one final time Thursday for a meal and awards ceremony in the high school’s cafetorium to cap their 2015-16 basketball season.
Following presentations by the middle school and cheerleading squads, Tigers girls varsity coach Kevin Hensley took the podium.
On the season, the Tigers finished 12-11.
“That’s only the ninth time the school has had a winning record,” Hensley said. “We probably could have done better, but we had some injuries and illness.”
Junior Katrina Christian, who was selected to the All-Southern Athletic Conference team, took home the rebounding (5.5 per game) and free throw (61 percent shooting) awards.
The assists award went to freshman Maddie Riley, who had a 1.48 assists to turnover ratio.
Freshman Piper Hensley, who broke the record for most treys in a season with 38 at Crothersville, took home the 3-point award.
The coaches’ award went to senior Julia McIntosh.
“It best exemplifies the attitude of a student-athlete,” Hensley said. “(McIntosh) didn’t get to play every game, but she was the biggest cheerleader on the bench. She always encouraged her teammates.”
A final award was presented to sophomore Lacey Hall — the mental attitude plaque.
“It was a tough one,” Hensley said of the award. “It could have went to several of our girls. I thought (Hall) really showed mental toughness because she got hurt and lost her starting spot. She was a key player to our team, and when she returned she didn’t complain one time on her role with the team.”
Abby Jewell, Alexis Adair, Cassidy Mantz, Alisha Basil and McIntosh will all graduate this spring from the team.
Tigers boys varsity coach Greg Kilgore then presented his team.
Finishing 3-21, the Tigers didn’t finish with the record they’d hoped.
“I really didn’t think we were as bad as our record showed at times this season,” Kilgore said. “We struggled at times getting over the hump, but we played hard and gave effort every night.”
Tigers senior Eli Mollet collected the 3-point, free throw and rebounding awards.
Sophomore Zane Elliott earned the assists award.
A mental attitude award was presented to senior Codi McDonald.
“There are kids who have different mental attitudes, whether it’s in the gym or in the classroom,” Kilgore said. “The whole coaching staff had a consensus. He had 100 percent attendance in everything we did. He always asked what he could do to improve.
Senior Tyler Luedeman, a selection to the all-SAC team, got the Jim Stewart Coaches’ award.
“He was always about the team and not himself,” Kilgore said of Luedeman. “He worked hard every day.”
Foreign exchange student Rafael Niem was given a signed poster of the team.
Mollet, Luedeman, McDonald, Micah Mains, Andrew Jackson and Niem will be leaving the Tigers’ program.