Webster’s Sydney Baird named LKC Player of Year
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PARKERSBURG -- Webster County senior Sydney Baird is certainly no stranger to the all-Little Kanawha Conference basketball team.
However, the Highlander became the first girl in school history to earn the LKC Player of the Year award as she joined Ritchie County's Rebekah Rupert as a four-time honoree on the first team.
"Sydney is a scorer, but she also does other things beside score," admitted mom and WCHS head coach Sharon Baird, who watched Doddridge County's Lisa Cheeseman collect the LKC Coach of the Year. "In the LKC, we had a lot of teams represented at the state tournament.
"There were a lot of strong teams in the LKC and there was a lot of good competition this year throughout the season. Sydney is an all-around player, even though sometimes in the stats, you just hear about her points."
Baird led the Mid-Ohio Valley in points (31.1), assists (6.5), steals (4.7) and free-throw shooting (86.3%). She also pulled down 9.3 rebounds a game, averaged 1.3 blocks, 4.9 deflections and shot 55.4% from the field. The West Virginia Wesleyan recruit also shot 39% from deep.
"No girls team had made it past the first round," coach Baird said of her program, which topped Greenbrier West in the Class A state quarterfinals before nearly ousting now two-time defending state champion Cameron in the semifinals during a 54-51 loss. "She broke the 2,000 point mark and finished with 2,510 points. She's our all-time leading scorer."
Rupert ended her final year for the Rebels with averages of 15.2 points, 13.8 boards, 2.6 assists, 2.8 steals and 1.9 blocks. She shot 64% at the line.
Doddridge County made a run to the LKC title game before falling to champion Williamstown. Making her second appearance on the first team is Abby McDonough. The senior helped the Bulldogs to the Class A state semifinals before losing to Tucker County. The Bulldog shot 46% from the field and averaged 20.4 points, 8.4 caroms, 3.1 assists, 3.7 steals and 1.2 blocks. Senior teammate Carrie Lloyd also made the first unit after putting up 10.9 points, 12.3 rebounds, 1.5 steals and 1.8 blocks a game. Lloyd also shot 47% from the floor.
Joining McDonough as repeat first team all-LKC selections were St. Marys sophomore Addie Davis (12.9 ppg, 6.4 rpg, 4.9 apg, 3.7 spg, 0.9 bpg, 78% FT), Roane County senior Faith Mason (20.5 ppg, 8.6 rpg, 2.3 apg, 3.2 spg, 1.7 bpg, 75% FT on 187 attempts) and Ravenswood junior Hadleigh McGoskey (23.6 ppg, 1.9 rpg, 1.2 apg, 2.3 spg, 85% FT on 150 attempts, 68 made 3s at 38%).
LKC champion Williamstown had a trio of first team members in senior Georgie Inman (7.9 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 6.1 apg, 2.8 spg, 69% FT), junior Riley Landis (14.1 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 2.7 apg, 2.1 spg, 67% FT) and sophomore Faith Pickens, who averaged a double-double of 13.5 points and 11.2 caroms to go along with 1.2 steals, 2.1 blocks and shooting 63% from the line and 45% from the field.
Parkersburg Catholic, which defeated Webster County to finish third place in the LKC, was represented on the first unit by Mary Tokodi-Ruth. The junior shot 65% at the free-throw line and averaged 9.1 points, 4.2 rebounds, 5.1 assists and 2.7 steals a game.
A season after graduating five senior starters and making a run to the Class A state finals, Gilmer County once again managed to qualify for Charleston. A large part of that was due to sophomore guard Allie Ellyson, who also made the all-LKC first team. The Titan, who made 47 triples at 35% and converted 73% of her 133 charity stripe tosses, finished with averages of 16.5 points, 4.9 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 2.5 steals while shooting 42% overall from the field.
The all-LKC second team featured Titan Ava Dobbins, Ravenswood's Emily Wratchford, Roane County's Maddie Hall, Ritchie County's Jayci Gray, South Harrison's Reagan Rudder, Doddridge County's Emily Gola, Tyler Consolidated's Jules Lattea, Wahama's Fiona VanMatre, Braxton County's Erica Nicholson as well as St. Marys teammates Breanna Price and Zoe Davis along with Crusaderette teammates Jocelynn Thorn and Deborah Hardbarger.
Contact Jay Bennett at jbennett@newsandsentinel.com
2023 All-Little Kanawha
Conference Girls Basketball
PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Sydney Baird, Webster County
COACH OF THE YEAR: Lisa Cheeseman, Doddridge County
FIRST TEAM
Sydney Baird, Webster County, SR
Abby McDonough, Doddridge County, SR
Rebekah Rupert, Ritchie County, SR
Addie Davis, St. Marys, SO
Allie Ellyson, Gilmer County, SO
Faith Mason, Roane County, SR
Hadleigh McGoskey, Ravenswood, JR
Mary Tokodi-Ruth, Parkersburg Catholic, JR
Faith Pickens, Williamstown, SO
Georgie Inman, Williamstown, SR
Riley Landis, Williamstown, JR
Carrie Lloyd, Doddridge County, SR
SECOND TEAM
Breanna Price, St. Marys
Emily Wratchford, Ravenswood
Ava Dobbins, Gilmer County
Zoe Davis, St. Marys
Jayci Gray, Ritchie County
Maddie Hall, Roane County
Jocelyn Thorn, Parkersburg Catholic
Reagan Rudder, South Harrison
Emily Gola, Doddridge County
Jules Lattea, Tyler Consolidated
Deborah Hardbarger, Parkersburg Catholic
Fiona VanMatre, Wahama
Erica Nicholson, Braxton County
HONORABLE MENTION
Paris Williams, Clay County; Maci Mosser, Ravenswood; Jordan Hickman, Wirt County; Hannah Wayne, Webster County; Stevie Starsick, Gilmer County; Tenley Paugh, Doddridge County; Kiera Martin, St. Marys; Callie Powell, St. Marys; Bayley Frashure, Gilmer County; Maci Ireland, Ritchie County; Hope Woods, South Harrison; Kamryn Starcher, Roane County; Ilyauna Evans, Clay County; Halle Bland, South Harrison; Braeden Wall, Tyler Consolidated; Joselynn Yeager, Calhoun County; Skylynn Abraham, Braxton County; Paxton Conley, Braxton County; Sami Maxon, Ravenswood; Sadie Cooney, South Harrison; Bre Smarr, Braxton County; Adrian Lunceford, Braxton County