Webster Groves, Kirkwood Reel in Postseason Hoops Honors

It took a 40-point performance from Chaminade’s Bradley Beal to stop the Webster Groves boys’ 13-game winning streak, and prevent the Statesmen from claiming a district championship.

Still, Webster Groves finished 24-5, including a 7-0 mark to take first place this season in the Suburban South Conference. That has earned head coach Jay Blossom league Coach of the Year honors, and several Statesmen players have also received postseason recognition.

Junior 6-foot-4 guard Rayshawn Simmons has been named to the all-conference first team. Simmons averaged 13.5 points and 4.2 assists per game this season. Simmons flashed some of what is to come next season when he poured in a career-high 33 points in the riveting 80-76 loss in the Class 5 District 3 championship game to then-undefeated Chaminade.

Joining Simmons on the first team is backcourt mate, senior Kendal Shell. He concluded his final season with averages of 10.1 points and 3.6 assists. On the all-league second team is senior guard James Kenner, who averaged 11.1 points this season.

Kirkwood had one player on the Suburban South second team, junior guard Myles Artis. A bright spot for the 12-15 Pioneers, Artis averaged a team-high 11.4 points per game.

On the honorable mention team for Webster Groves is senior forward Jason Meehan (8.2 points, 5.8 rebounds) and senior center Joe Henderson (8 points, 7.2 rebounds). For Kirkwood, junior Clark Randall made honorable mention after scoring 9.2 points per game. The Pioneers went 3-4 in the Suburban South this season.

For the Kirkwood girls team, a 20-9 season has been rewarded by several postseason accolades. The Pioneers went 7-0 in the Suburban South and claimed the Class 5 District 6 championship with a 55-30 win over Cor Jesu. The Pioneers lost in sectional play to Incarnate Word last week (March 2).

Head coach Brad Sutterer has been named the league’s Coach of the Year. Named to the conference’s first team are Kirkwood junior guards Lianna Doty and Kalah Martin. Doty averaged 12.7 points, 4.7 assists and 3.9 steals per game. Martin scored 10.8 points per game.

Doty also made the league’s all-defensive team.

On the second team for the Pioneers are juniors Dajae Williams and Natalie Fryrear. Williams averaged 7.1 points and 5.8 rebounds per game, while Fryrear scored 10.1 and had a team-best 62 made 3s.

Meanwhile, for the Webster Groves girls team, it was up-and-down season that concluded in the district semifinals with a 71-65 loss to Ursuline on Feb. 21. The Statesmen followed a six-game winning streak by dropping seven of their final 10 games to finish 13-14.

However, Webster junior guard Jordan Thompson still earned conference Player of the Year. Thompson averaged 19 points, 4.2 rebounds and 2.7 steals per game and had a team-best 55 made 3-pointers. Thompson also made the conference’s all-defensive squad. She is joined by teammate senior forward Erin Reynolds (10.4 points per game) on the first team.

On the second team for Webster are sophomore Abby Paloucek, and senior Annie Paloucek (9.9 points per game).