Area Girls Basketball Players Honored

The 2011 season was a memorable one for several area girls basketball teams.

Ladue and MICDS each finished with 22-2 records while St. Joseph's Academy won the rugged MWAA White Division title and made it to the Class 5 final four in Columbia.

With the team success, came individual recognition as several players were named to all-conference teams and two seniors were named Player of the Year in their respective leagues.

MICDS senior Delaney Hobbs capped off her stellar high school career with her second consecutive Player of the Year award in the MWAA Red Conference.

"Delaney was deserving of the award last year but I am even more proud of what she accomplished this season because of all the adversity she had to face," MICDS coach Scott Small said.

Hobbs tore both her ACL and MCL in June and was not expected to be able to play until the end of January. But Hobbs was on the court on Dec. 17 and never missed a beat. She averaged a team-high 15.4 points per game and finished with over 1,300 points for her career. She was the first MICDS player to score even 1,000 points.

"Delaney was not the quickest player and she didn't jump the highest," Small said. "But she was able to fine ways to score when the ball was in her hands. She did not like to lose. There are not many players as competitive as Delaney."

Hobbs will be attending Wake Forest University in the fall.

Ladue's Lauren Maclin was named the Player of the Year in the Suburban East Conference. Maclin, who transferred to Ladue from Incarnate Word Academy, played the second half of last season with the Rams and was dominate from start to finish in her only full season with Ladue.

Maclin averaged a double-double with 13 points per game and 11.6 rebounds a game.

"Lauren was especially strong in the conference games," said Ladue coach Cord Dockery, who was named the Coach of the Year in the conference. "The coaches in the league knew who she was and she was very deserving of Player of the Year. She was just a very skilled all-around player who is one of the most skilled players I have ever coached."

Maclin has not yet made a collegiate commitment but would like to continue her basketball career.

Maclin's teammate, Taylor Robinson, also made the first-team in the Suburban East. The Edwardsville transfer almost averaged a double-double herself as she led the team with 14.7 points a game and averaged 9.3 rebounds per contest.

Kate Holloway and Liz Greenberg were Ladue players who were named to the second team.

Brittany Carter of Class 5 state champion Incarnate Word Academy was named Player of the Year in the MWAA White Division.

But St. Joseph's Academy, which defeated Incarnate Word to win the league title, had three players named to the first team and they all will return next year.

Junior Maddie Stock led the team with a 17.4 point per game average and her sister, Morgan, was also in double figures at 10.1. Sydney Stipanovich had an outstanding sophomore season as she averaged 13.8 points, 11.8 rebounds and 6.4 blocks per game for the Angels, who finished 27-5 overall.

Stipanovich and Maddie and Morgan were also named to the Class 5 All-State team by the Missouri Basketball Coaches Association.

Sophomore Erin Nelson was probably the state's top player off the bench. She averaged 8.7 points and 7.5 rebounds a game and was named to the second team as was senior Kate Ruppe.

A pair of area seniors concluded their high school careers by being named to the first team in the MWAA Red Division.

Villa Duchesne's Beth Nogalski led the Saints in scoring with 12.9 points per game. Lea Johnson led Burroughs with 14 points per game.

MICDS and Villa each had a pair of players named to the second team. Junior Campbell Torchin and freshman Emily Kyman were MICDS players selected while senior Karena Kaufmann and junior Kaitleya Frost were recognized from Villa Duchesne.