Rees, six cagers receive OAC honors (03/16/04)

Three boys basketball players, three girls basketball players and a coach from Jay County were among those honored when the Olympic Athletic Conference All-Conference teams were released today.

Kristin Rees picked up the top honor as she was voted OAC Coach of the Year for gymnastics. Also, seniors Heath Williams, Dustin Overton, Felisha Parr and Lindsay Friddle and juniors Trent Bailey and Jamie Bruggeman were honored from the basketball teams.

All-Conference honors in each of the other winter sports are determined by finish in the conference meet.

Rees led the Patriots to a second straight sectional title this season. Their highest score of the year — and seventh best in school history — came with a 102.5 at the sectional meet.

They were also second in the OAC behind the Connersville Spartans, but did not have any conference champs as Connersville’s Kristin Gilley swept the titles.

“It was very unexpected,” said Rees, who noted that Connersville coach Joann Borders almost always walks away with the award.

“It’s quite an honor. It’s typically the coach of the team that wins the conference meet. I was really surprised.”

Jay County finished 11-4 in dual meets and three-team meets this year, and was perfect against sectional opponents before ending the year with a fourth-place finish at the Huntington North regional Saturday.

It broke several records this season, including setting a new high mark on the balance beam. Sophomore Hannah Williams and seniors Amanda Knight and Kayla Smith teamed for a 26.55 on the event at the sectional meet.

Williams also broke the individual balance beam record with a 9.55 at the sectional meet, and set the floor record earlier in the year with a 9.7.

Heath Williams and Bailey were first-team OAC selections in boys basketball, and Overton picked up honorable mention. Jay County was fourth in the conference at 1-3, but went on to its second straight sectional title.

Bailey had an outstanding season, which included setting a new single-game 3-point record with nine in a victory over Union City. He was the Patriots’ leading scorer at 17.5 points per game, and finished the year with 77 3-pointers.

He also averaged 2.9 rebounds and 2.0 assists, while shooting 81 percent from the foul line.

Williams played in his school-record 89th varsity contest in Saturday’s season-ending, regional semifinal loss to the No. 7 Bellmont Braves. The four-year starter at point guard led the team with 4.7 assists to go along with 4.5 points and 2.6 rebounds per game as Jay County finished 15-9 for its third straight winning season.

Overton was second to Bailey in scoring at 12.1 points per game. He led the team with 7.1 rebounds per contest and was second to Williams with 2.3 assists per game.

Parr and Friddle each earned first-team honors in girls basketball, with Bruggeman as an honorable mention selection. Jay County placed third in the OAC, and joined the boys team and the gymnastics team in winning a second straight sectional crown.

Parr was the lone Patriot to average double figures, scoring 10.6 points per game. She was second in rebounding at 3.4 per game for Jay County, which finished 14-9 for a third consecutive winning campaign.

Friddle was second on the team in scoring at 9.0 points per game. She was also second on the team with 22 assists.

Bruggeman had a team-best 33 assists on the year, and was third in scoring at 8.2 points per contest.

In other sports, the wrestling team was third in the OAC, the boys swim team was also third and the girls swim team was fourth. Sarah Miller won the conference diving title, and Bill Spahr was the 152-pound conference champion in wrestling.[[In-content Ad]]