Notebook: Postseason Awards Put Stamp on Hoops Season

It was a disappointing season for the Parkway West boys basketball team, but that did not slow down Larry Toomey.

The 6-foot-6 senior forward was named the Suburban South Player of the Year earlier this month. Toomey shares this honor with .

Parkway West was 21-7 one year ago, but ended this season at 12-14 despite winning six of its final 10 games. The Longhorns and first-year head coach John Wright not only lose Toomey, but they will see six seniors graduate. Toomey’s next stop is West Point, as he will play for Army in the Patriot League this fall.

Toomey became the seventh player in Longhorns history to reach 1,000 career points this season, and he led Parkway West with averages of 17.1 points and 7.7 rebounds per game. He also led the team in steals and blocks.

This season for the Parkway West girls team was also predominantly defined by one individual. Senior forward Maggie Wenstrup turned in a great season amid the Longhorns' struggle to a 5-21 final mark.

Wenstrup made the Suburban South Conference’s first team after averaging 14.9 points, 9 rebounds and 2.5 blocks per game. She also made the league’s all-defensive team. The league’s second team includes junior Rayna Smith and senior Katie Caragher. Smith will be head coach John Sloop’s top returning scorer next season; she averaged 9.1 points, 5.1 rebounds and a team-high 3.4 assists per game. Caragher led the Longhorns with 59 made 3-pointers and averaged 8.1 points per game.

The Parkway Central girls basketball team ended its season at 2-24 one year ago. So, when senior guard Alison Magruder reflects on the Colts’ mark of 10-16 in her final prep season, she should do so with abundant pride.

Magruder was Parkway Central’s main cog all season, and the team’s eight-game improvement helped her gain significant postseason recognition. Magruder was named to the Suburban South Conference’s first team after averaging 12.5 points and 2.9 steals per game.

On the second team, freshmen Chelsey Gibson and Zoe Wallis were honored, and will be looked upon this fall to take over the leadership of coach Brian Guilfoyle‘s team. Gibson, who averaged 8.1 points and 8.3 rebounds per game, also made the league’s all-defensive team. Wallis, a six-foot-three center, averaged 7 points and 6.8 rebounds per contest.

For the Parkway Central boys, six-foot-six junior forward Zach Biggs made the Suburban South’s first team. Biggs averaged 16.4 points and 10.3 rebounds per game as the Longhorns went 11-16.

The Marquette girls team improved from 12-14 last season to 17-10 this season. Making the Suburban West Conference first team is sophomore forward Alexis Schaffner. She averaged a team-high 11.1 points per game, and 5.9 rebounds per game.

Senior guard Ashley Elliot earned second-team honors. She scored 7.9 points per game this season. Fellow senior Lauren Morris (8.3 points, 6.9 rebounds) was named to the all-defensive team.

The Mustangs lost to second-seeded Lafayette, 67-47, in the district semifinals.

The Marquette boys team won its first district title in 15 seasons and 6-foot-9 junior center Ryan Rosburg was the main reason why. Rosburg earned first-team status in the Suburban West after averaging a robust 16.3 points and 8.4 rebounds per game. He was narrowly was edged out for league Player of the Year by Oakville’s Javier Duren.

Marquette finished 21-7 and head coach Shane Matzen loses only two seniors. Rosburg will be the clear-cut favorite to be next season's Player of the Year, and the Mustangs should be in position to make a deep postseason run.