CROTHERSVILLE
Trophies, certificates collected, Kennadi Lakins’ arms were bulging with awards recognizing her busy winter of athletics.
“They used to go on a shelf,” the Crothersville High School junior said. “But there’s only so much room.”
The Tigers recently conducted a winter awards ceremony in the school gym, and although termed a banquet, it wasn’t technically because no food was served.
Lakins was a guard on the girls basketball team and also a cheerleader. That followed a fall season when she ran cross-country and played on the volleyball team. This spring, she is only competing in track and field. That makes for five sports in one school year.
Asked if she is in shape, Lakins said, “Basketball shape is way different from track shape.”
Lakins received the Tigers hoops rebounding and free throw shooting trophies and was presented the junior varsity cheerleading mental attitude award.
The Crothersville girls basketball team finished 6-12 this season with coach Kevin Hensley tying the school career record for wins with 113.
It was a roller coaster of a season that was halted more than once due to the coronavirus’ spread, resulting in quarantines, and required games being called off and rescheduled.
“It’s been a strange year,” Hensley said. “It has been really strange for the girls varsity.”
He couldn’t remember if there were two or three virus interruptions of varying lengths. At times, the team was shorthanded enough coaches had to step into practice and play defense, he said.
Besides Lakins’ awards, Grace Wilson won the assist-to-turnover trophy, and Addy Cole won the three-point shooting award and the mental attitude award, the latter because of the way she fought back from a knee injury to play the second half of the season.
“She had some tough times,” Hensley said of Cole. “She got hurt last summer, but her attitude was just great.”
Zoe Spangler was presented the coaches award.
More than once, Hensley said, Spangler called him at 6 a.m. to see if she could be allowed into the gym to practice shooting before school.
“That’s what made her a lot better,” Hensley said. “I’m so proud of these girls.”
Coming off of a sectional title in 2020, the Crothersville boys lost much of the team to graduation and had to regroup, finishing 4-19.
Senior guard Cable Spall, who averaged 22 points per game, was the leader of the young squad. In addition to being the top point-getter, Spall earned trophies for being first on the team in assists and free throw shooting, and he was given the mental attitude award.
Fellow senior Quinten Keasler won the rebounding award, and Jacob Moeller was presented with the coaches award.
Noting the preceding three seasons may have been an all-time high point for Crothersville boys basketball, coach Bobby Riley said, “This year, we were down a little bit, but we played hard.”
It was a winter affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, injuries and a two-week snowstorm.
“But we kept going,” Riley said.
Of Spall, Riley said, “He was kind of our everything. Cable was our leader this year.”
Moeller was chosen as the recipient of the coaches award for his spirit and helpfulness. He was always making suggestions.
“‘Coach, let’s try this play. Coach, let’s try this defense,'” Riley said.
Spall, who was balancing an armful of trophies after the awards ceremony concluded, finished as the second-leading scorer in Tigers history.
With a sectional title and more than 1,000 points on his résumé, Spall pronounced satisfaction with his high school career.
“That was definitely the goal, to get more wins, but I see a bright future for these guys,” he said. “I plan on coming back and helping a lot.”
Crothersville winter sports awards
Cheerleading
Varsity best all-around, Madison Hunnicutt; mental attitude, Shea Reynolds; Paula Joy Sweeney Cheerleader of Excellence Award (four years of cheering), Olivia Robinson, Madison Hunnicutt, Laney Gumm and Alexus James.
Junior varsity best all-around, Ella Plasse; mental attitude, Kennadi Lakins.
Girls basketball
Coaches award, Zoe Spangler; mental attitude Addy Cole; free throw award, Kennadi Lakins; three-point award, Addy Cole; rebounding award, Kennadi Lakins; assists award, Grace Wilson.
Boys basketball
Coaches award, Jacob Moeller; mental attitude, Cable Spall; free throw award, Cable Spall; rebounding award, Quinten Keasler; assists award, Cable Spall.
Junior varsity assists award, Logen O’Sullivan; rebounding award, Lucas Hilton; free throw award, Elijah Plasse.