Notebook: Postseason Awards Put Stamp on Hoops Season

It was a disappointing season for the Parkway West boys basketball team, but that did not slow down Larry Toomey.

The 6-foot-6 senior forward was named the Suburban South Player of the Year earlier this month. Toomey shares this honor with .

Parkway West was 21-7 one year ago, but ended this season at 12-14 despite winning six of its final 10 games. The Longhorns and first-year head coach John Wright not only lose Toomey, but they will see six seniors graduate. Toomey’s next stop is West Point, as he will play for Army in the Patriot League this fall.

Toomey became the seventh player in Longhorns history to reach 1,000 career points this season, and he led Parkway West with averages of 17.1 points and 7.7 rebounds per game. He also led the team in steals and blocks.

This season for the Parkway West girls team was also predominantly defined by one individual. Senior forward Maggie Wenstrup turned in a great season amid the Longhorns' struggle to a 5-21 final mark.

Wenstrup made the Suburban South Conference’s first team after averaging 14.9 points, 9 rebounds and 2.5 blocks per game. She also made the league’s all-defensive team. The league’s second team includes junior Rayna Smith and senior Katie Caragher. Smith will be head coach John Sloop’s top returning scorer next season; she averaged 9.1 points, 5.1 rebounds and a team-high 3.4 assists per game. Caragher led the Longhorns with 59 made 3-pointers and averaged 8.1 points per game.

The Lafayette girls team went 17-9 this season, and coach Jennifer Porter will have very high expectations heading into next season as her top two players will be returning. Junior guards Jordynn Martin and Kayla Hall made the Suburban West Conference first team.

Martin, one of the area’s elite scorers, scored 20.6 points per game this season, and made 46 3s. Martin really excelled at the free-throw line, where she went 132-for-162 for 82 percent. Hall averaged 10.8 points, 4 assists and 3.7 steals per game. She also made the league’s all-defensive team.

The Suburban West second team included Lafayette junior Ashley Hipp and sophomore Hannah Schneider. Porter will return all four of her core players next season, so expect Lafayette to be ranked among the area’s top teams next season. Hipp averaged 7.3 points and Schneider 6.2 per game.

The Lancers advanced to the Class 5 State Tournament after winning the District 4 title with a 51-36 victory over Eureka. In their sectional game, the Lancers lost to St. Joseph’s Academy, 65-47.

The Lafayette boys were represented on the Suburban West first team by senior forward Aareon Smith and junior guard Joel Pennington. The tandem led the Lancers to an 18-8 mark, including a 7-1 mark in league play to tie Oakville in first place.

Pennington averaged a team-best 14.9 points and 4.3 assists per game, and also made a team-high 74 3-pointers. Smith wrapped up his prep career by averaging 14.8 and 8.5 rebounds per game.

Lafayette lost its opening game in districts, falling 50-46 to Marquette.

The Marquette girls team improved from 12-14 last season to 17-10 this season. Making the Suburban West Conference first team is sophomore forward Alexis Schaffner. She averaged a team-high 11.1 points per game, and 5.9 rebounds per game.

Senior guard Ashley Elliot earned second-team honors. She scored 7.9 points per game this season. Fellow senior Lauren Morris (8.3 points, 6.9 rebounds) was named to the all-defensive team.

The Mustangs lost to second-seeded Lafayette, 67-47, in the district semifinals.

The Marquette boys team won its first district title in 15 seasons and 6-foot-9 junior center Ryan Rosburg was the main reason why. Rosburg earned first-team status in the Suburban West after averaging a robust 16.3 points and 8.4 rebounds per game. He was narrowly was edged out for league Player of the Year by Oakville’s Javier Duren.

Marquette finished 21-7 and head coach Shane Matzen loses only two seniors. Rosburg will be the clear-cut favorite to be next season's Player of the Year, and the Mustangs should be in position to make a deep postseason run.