Class AAAA’s December surprises

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>PARKERSBURG - There were a few Class AAAA surprises all over the state during the opening months of the basketball season. Four girls stood out as having impacted their team where the groups needed them the most. Here are those players, plus a few honorable mentions: </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='496335' first='Ella' last='Simpson'], University, G/F, 5-7, Jr.</strong> - Confidence easily can change the game of any athlete for the better. Just look at University's [player_tooltip player_id='496335' first='Ella' last='Simpson']. The results are all there. The points, the rebounds, the energy, there isn't anything about her game that wasn't improved in the opening month. Sure, she has a great wing lady in [player_tooltip player_id='496339' first='Hannah' last='Stemple'], and the Hawks are by no means lacking in talent, but the results can't be ignored. She's looked vastly improved - everywhere. Her energy was up, her scoring was up, and her overall outlook on the basketball court was up. Maybe that is laying it on kind of thick, but considering what she showed in her first two seasons, it isn't. Her output finally matches her talent. There may not be two better examples than in a loss on the road to Parkersburg South and a win over Wheeling Park. During both those games, she showed her engine ran differently. She led the group in scoring in both games and played the vast majority of both with a little dip in production. Overall, she's immensely helped University grab some early attention in a region once thought to belong to Morgantown and Wheeling Park. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='570278' first='Brooklyn' last='Ellis'], Spring Valley, SG, 5-9, Fr. </strong>- Who successfully stopped [player_tooltip player_id='570278' first='Brooklyn' last='Ellis']' scoring assault over the opening month of the season? Not many teams. Seriously. Given the opportunity to score as her valuable and skilled four teammates making up the rest of the starting lineup received plenty of defensive attention, Ellis jumped at the chance. She jumped quickly. She jumped boldly. She jumped like she's been playing high school basketball already for three seasons. Into the fire she went, and out she came better for it. Her drives to the basket are strong and forced teams to deal with her or leave [player_tooltip player_id='384101' first='Allie' last='Daniels'] open for an easy layup. Her ability to see over many defenders opened up lanes for Hallie Bailey, [player_tooltip player_id='379504' first='Haleigh' last='Crum'] and [player_tooltip player_id='384100' first='Dria' last='Parker']. Her presence made the Timberwolves one of the few teams in the state with fully capable starting five. Overall, she's now as much of a threat as her team chases a state championship as her teammates. How can she not be as she already led her team in scoring no less than four times in the opening month. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='558873' first='Lucie' last='Cline'], Parkersburg South, G/F, 5-11, Fr. </strong>- This was all supposed to happen. [player_tooltip player_id='558873' first='Lucie' last='Cline'] was expected to step in and immediately help the Patriots become Region IV contenders. Even on a team with experienced veterans like [player_tooltip player_id='496333' first='Carrie' last='Rhodes'], [player_tooltip player_id='379507' first='Gracie' last='Shamblin'] and Brooke Sandy, Cline wasn't going to be stopped from setting up her expectations for the next four years. She wasn't going to sit on the bench and wait for her number to be called. She was going to score like Taryn. She was going to defend like Devin. She was going to contribute and lead like Skylar. Now. Oh yes. And unsurprisingly, she's done all of that. Against University she poured in 6 treys with a smooth easily repeatable shot that always went in now matter how many times the Hawks dared her to shoot. Against Fort Frye, she guarded just about every Cadet at least once and never let them score. Quite simply, she's executed her plan and then some. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='342217' first='Kaitlyn' last='Blake'], John Marshall, PF, 5-11, So.</strong> - How has [player_tooltip player_id='342217' first='Kaitlyn' last='Blake'] reacted to being the de facto leader for John Marshall? Not too shabby. Not too shabby, at all. Similar to [player_tooltip player_id='387358' first='Lexi' last='Adams'] at Washington, Blake accepted the job and performed it with aplomb. She's never failed to lead the Monarchs when asked to do so by head coach Brock Melko. There was never any hesitation. There was never a disconnect. There was never one complaint. All there's been is acceptance and a lot of winning. So far, the Monarchs are one of the surprise teams of Class AAAA with an 8-3 record, with Blake leading the way with double-doubles night in and night out. She's been a strong presence with a high engine and no quit in her game. She's always learned, moved, and taught, every contest. Quite simply, coaches on the lookout for a strong game manager and in-game thinker, and adjustment maker should look at Blake. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Honorable Mentions: </strong>[player_tooltip player_id='570288' first='Rilee' last='Storm'], John Marshall, [player_tooltip player_id='570289' first='Reagan' last='Edsell'], Spring Mills; Bryce Smith, Parkersburg; [player_tooltip player_id='877283' first='Natalie' last='Daugherty'], Wheeling Park; Taylor Parsons, Cabell Midland; [player_tooltip player_id='496348' first='Kennedy' last='Stewart'], Greenbrier East; [player_tooltip player_id='389632' first='Josie' last='Cross'], Woodrow Wilson; Haylee Prior, Bridgeport; [player_tooltip player_id='379520' first='Natalie' last='Smith'], South Charleston; Jordan Rawlins, Jefferson; [player_tooltip player_id='570285' first='NuNu' last='Pannell'], St. Albans; [player_tooltip player_id='387358' first='Lexi' last='Adams'], Washington </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->