Nothing in baseball can match an ace pitcher, not even the weight of history.
Concordia, not conference champion South Side, led the way with three players on the All-SAC girls basketball first team, announced Monday by the league.
The three Cadets on the first team were seniors Annalissa Kammayer and Lauren Marinko and sophomore Courtney Smith. Conference coaches voted on the teams.
“Words cannot express how happy I am and proud,” Smith said. “I just can’t believe it. I am so happy that my teammates and I were able to make it to this point. It’s an honor.”
Concordia finished third in the regular season with a 5-2 record.
The Archers were 7-0 in the regular season and 3-0 in the tournament to capture two SAC championships.
South Side senior Jomani Thomas and junior Ariana Simmons were named to the first team. South Side junior DeJoyah Johnson and sophomore Brittni Clopton were named to the second team.
“I thought any of my starting five could be on there,” South Side girls coach Juanita Goodwell said. “If anything I thought we would have three on there. All the girls on there are quality players.”
Also placing two on the first team were: SAC runner-up Snider with senior Akilah Sims and junior Meredith Shipman, and Bishop Luers in seniors Miracle Woods and Brooke Ridley.
Rounding out the first team were: senior Eleni Shea of Bishop Dwenger, sophomore Aleah Swary of Northrop and senior Imani Moore of Wayne.
Of the eight SAC teams, four will be playing in regionals Saturday.
Snider and South Side play in one semifinal game at the Kokomo Class 4A Regional, Concordia battles Hamilton Heights in the Bellmont 3A Regional and Bishop Luers has Fremont in the Rochester 2A Regional. Also, six of the eight conference teams had double-figure win totals with sectional runner-up Wayne coming in with nine.
The Indiana Basketball Coaches Association poll, which ranks all the state’s teams in one poll, has three SAC teams in No. 3 South Side, No. 7 Snider and No. 16 Bishop Luers.
“The conference was probably as balanced as it has been in a while,” Goodwell said. “That (depth) will definitely help us. It is a shame that Snider and us have to play in the first round.”
