Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

As things turned out, it was even Steven.
A total of 22 local boys and 22 local girls were named to the Associated Press sportswriters’ Southeast Ohio All-District basketball teams.
Leading the way was Ironton Lady Fighting Tigers’ 5-foot-11 senior Lexie Arden who was voted the Division 3 Player of the Year.
Fairland Dragons’ Nathan Speed earned a second straight boys’ Division 3 Coach of the Year as he shared the honor with Eastern Brown’s Rob Beucler as Speed guided the Dragons to a 20-2 record, an Ohio Valley Conference title and the top-seed in the Southeast postseason tournament.
Fairland led the boys with Jacob Polcyn a first team pick and Aiden Porter and Clayton Thomas second team.
Chesapeake landed Levi Blankenship on the first team, Trent Dearth on the third team and Nathan Cox special mention.
Fairland and Chesapeake meet Friday night for the district title.
South Point landed Austin Webb on the first team and Chance Gunther on the second team.
Ironton had Reid Carrico on the second team, Jordan Grizzle third team and Gage Salyers special mention. Ironton plays Zane Trace for the district title.
Coal Grove’s Cory Borders was second team and Evan Gannon special mention. Rock Hill’s Braden Stamper was third team.
In Division 4, Symmes Valley’s Jack Leith was a first team pick for the second straight year. Luke Leith was third team and Drew Scherer special mention.
St. Joseph — who plays for a district title on Saturday — had Zach Roach on the first team, Ryan Payne second team and J.C. Damron third team.
Green’s Gage Sampson was first team and Ethan Huffman third team.
Joining Arden on the girls D3 first team was teammate Samantha LaFon, Coal Grove’s Addie Dillow and South Point’s Emilee Whitt.
The second team had Coal Grove’s Kaleigh Murphy, South Point’s Emilee Carey, Chesapeake’s Maddie Ward and the Fairland duo of Jenna Stone and Tomi Hinkle.
On the third team were Coal Grove’s Abbey Hicks and Ironton’s Evan Williams.
Special mention picks were Fairland’s Harlie Lyons, Ironton’s Elli Williams, Chesapeake’s Blake Anderson and Rock Hill’s Lucy Simpson.
In Division 4, St. Joseph’s Bella Whaley and Green’s Kasey Kimbler were both named to the first team.
Green’s Kame Sweeney was a second team selection and Anna Knapp special mention.
St. Joseph’s had Emma Whaleyon the third team and Faith Mahlmeister special mention.
Symmes Valley’s Rachael Hayes was named to the third team.

Southeast Ohio All-District
2019-20 Basketball Team
Area Selections
Division III Boys
First Team
Player, School Pts Reb. Ast Stl Ht. Gr.
Jacob Polcyn, Fairland 11.0 8.0 4.0 6-03 Jr.
Austin Webb, South Point 22.4 7.3 1.9 1.4 6-03 Jr.
Levi Blankenship, Chesapeake 15.6 3.5 2.5 2.8 5-10 So.
Second Team
Reid Carrico, Ironton 13.6 8.0 6-03 Jr.
Aiden Porter, Fairland 15.3 4.0 2.4 6-00 So.
Clayton Thomas, Fairland 15.5 2.4 5.0 5-10 Jr.
Chance Gunther, South Point 14.0 1.9 2.6 1.9 5-10 Sr.
Cordy Borders, Coal Grove 17.0 5-10 Sr.
Third Team
Trent Dearth, Chesapeake 9.6 3.0 2.4 4.2 5-10 Jr.
Jordan Grizzle, Ironton 10.4 3.0 2.5 1.0 5-10 Sr.
Braden Stamper, Rock Hill 12.5 5.4 1.3 5-11 Sr.
Special Mention
Nathan Cox, Chesapeake 10.0 6-00 Jr.
Gage Salyers, Ironton 9.2 3.5 6-01 Sr.
Evan Gannon, Coal Grove 13.6 6-00 Sr.
Players of the Year: Cam Evans, Chillicothe Zane Trace
Co-Coach of the Year: Nathan Speed, Fair;and; Rob Beucler, Eastern Brown
Division IV Boys
First Team
Jack Leith, Symmes Valley 19.7 12.2 2.1 1.9 6-04 Sr.
Zach Roach, St. Joseph 16.9 4.0 5-08 Sr.
Gage Sampson, Green 21.0 6-01 Sr.
Second Team
Player, School Ppg Reb. Ast Stl Ht. Gr.
Ryan Payne, St. Joseph 16.5 3.5 5-09 Sr.
Third Team
Luke Leith, Symmes Valley 10.6 11.1 1.2 6-02 Jr.
J.C. Damron, St. Joseph 140 9.0 6-02 Jr.
Ethan Huffman, Green 11.0 5-10 Jr.
Special Mention
Drew Scherer, Symmes Walley 11.5 5.0 6-00 Jr.
Player of the Year: Kyle Sexton, New Boston
Coach of the Year: Jonathan Thompson, Federal Hocking
Division III Girls
First Team
Player, School Ppg Reb. Ast Stl Ht. Gr.
Lexie Arden, Ironton 13.6 4.4 2.8 2.3 5-11 Sr.
Emilee Whitt, South Point 16/3 5.1 2.4 5-07 Sr.
Samantha LaFon, Ironton 14.2 10.9 5-11 Jr.
Addi Dillow, Coal Grove 21.0 6.0 3.0 5-09 Jr.
Second Team
Kaleigh Murphy, Coal Grove 10.0 8.5 1.5 5-10 So.
Emilee Carey, South Point 13.1 5-06 Sr.
Maddie Ward, Chesapeake 13.8 9.5 5-11 Jr.
Jenna Stone, Fairland 10.6 4.2 5-06 Sr.
Tomi Hinkle, Fairland 10.9 5.0 5-06 Fr.
Third Team
Abbey Hicks, Coal Grove 10.5 4.0 2.0 5-06 So.
Evan Williams, Ironton 6.2 3.8 2.8 2.1 5-06 Fr.
Special Mention
Harlie Lyons, Fairland 12.1 4.2 5-05 Sr.
Elli Williams, Ironton 5.6 2.6 1.4 2.1 5-06 Sr.
Blake Anderson, Chesapeake 11.6 5.6 2.5 5-09 So.
Lucy Simpson, Rock Hill 6.0 5-04 Sr.
Players of the Year: Lexie Arden, Ironton
Coach of the Year: Kevin Picerill, Sardenia Eastern Brown
Division IV
First Team
Player, School Ppg Reb. Ast Stl Ht. Gr.
Bella Whaley, St. Joseph 13.0 9.2 5-09 So.
Kasey Kimbler, Green 19.5 5-07 So.
Second Team
Kame Sweeney, Green 12.0 5-10 Jr.
Third Team
Emma Whaley, St. Joseph 11.7 5-04 Jr.
Rachael Hayes, Symmes Valley 9.5 2.3 2.3 2.0 5-00 Sr.
Special Mention
Anna Knapp, Green 10.0 5-10 Fr.
Faith Mahlmeister, St. Joseph 9.0 8.2 5-09 Sr.
Player of the Year: Jacey Justice, Peebles
Coach of the Year: J.D. McKenzie, Portsmouth Notre Dame; Joe Richards, Glouster Trimble
•Selections based on regular season