(L-R) Kate Spradlin (Lord Botetourt), Cassi Parulis (Cave Spring), Desiree Keeling (William Fleming/Player of the Year), Gracie Doane (William Fleming), not pictured-Drew Freeland (Hidden Valley).
The premiere high school basketball awards banquet put an explanation point on the 2014-15 season Sunday night at the Salem Civic Center.
The 47th annual Kiwanis Roanoke Metro Basketball Awards Banquet handed out the hardware to 13 area girls and boys teams. Named were the 2015 all-star teams, player of the year, coach of the year, sportsmanship awards and the Rex Mitchell Memorial Award for the outstanding official.
The girls all-star team included Gracie Doane (William Fleming), Drew Freeland (Hidden Valley), Desiree Keeling (William Fleming), Cassi Parulis (Cave Spring) and Kate Spradlin (Lord Botetourt).
Keeling was named the girls player of the year, with Cave Spring girls head coach Jessica Ficarro being named girls coach of the year.
(L-R) Kendrick Tucker (Northside/Player of the Year), Brody Hicks (Cave Spring), Tyrell Adams (William Fleming), Damon Childress (William Byrd), Warren Craft (William Fleming).
The boys all-star team included Tyrell Adams (William Fleming), Damon Childress (William Byrd), Warren Craft (William Fleming), Brody Hicks (Cave Spring) and Kendrick Tucker (Northside).
Tucker was named boys player of the year, with Northside boys head coach Billy Pope being named boys coach of the year.
Sportsmanship awards went to the Lord Botetourt girls team and the boys squad at William Fleming.
Jim Schaaf received the Rex Mitchell Award as the outstanding official.
The highlight of the evening is the winner of each team’s unsung hero. Chosen by each team’s coaches and teammates, the unsung hero is the player who may not be the headline maker or the leader in the scorebook, but the player who is a leader and inspiration on and off the court. The unsung hero is often the player who cheers from the bench and may be the one who dives for the most loose balls or has the most bruises from hustling. This year’s unsung heroes were:
GIRLS:
Cave Spring-Jessica Lachowicz
Hidden Valley-Lindsey Parker
Patrick Henry-Calleigh Lucas
James River-Gabby Kern
Roanoke Catholic-Caroline Poff
Roanoke Valley Christian-Ally Brimer
Glenvar-Kayla Mims
Salem-Hayley Jones
Lord Botetourt-Kellen Spradlin
William Byrd-Hannah Sowers
Northside-Ciera Thomas
William Fleming-Deja Booker
BOYS:
Cave Spring-Drew Jacobsen
North Cross-Kennedy Nwabia
Hidden Valley-Will Harrison
Patrick Henry-Noah Woody
James River-Garrett Dorton
Roanoke Catholic-Christopher Zoller
Glenvar-D.J. Witt
Salem-Trevor Austin
Lord Botetourt-Aaron Shrewsbury
William Byrd-Dylan Gravely
Northside-George Bright
William Fleming-Desean Adams
Bill Turner
