Photos in this article supplied by Kennedale High School & Staci Otts
Kennedale Lady Kat Basketball won eleven 7-4A All-District 2017 honors sweeping five of six superlatives awards including MVP, Defensive Player, Newcomer, 6th Man and Coach of the Year awards. {{more: Continue …}}
Sharing MVP honors were Lady Kats? Lucy Benson (Sr) and Evie Whorley (Sr). Benson averaged 9.6 rebounds per game placing her 8th in Class 4A and 39th with a 12.2 pts per game average according to MaxPreps. This is her third time to make All-District after being named Defensive Player of the Year twice.
Evie Whorley, whose 17.1 pts average per game was 9th in Class 4A and 89th in the nation (MaxPreps), has also made All-District 3 times, twice as MVP and once as Newcomer of the Year.
Taylor Austin (Sr) was Defensive Player of the Year after making All-District 2nd Team last year. Sophomore Kalyne Daniels made Newcomer of the Year. Sixth Man of the Year went to Payton Williams (Sr). Williams was 2nd Team All-District last year. Coach of the Year honors went to Doug Watson. This is his third straight year to earn this honor.
Earning the Bobby Miller Character Award for the Lady Kats was Kylie Embry (Sr). This is her second year for this honor.
Embry along with Sydnee Biscoe (Sr) and Dajia Simmons (Sr) earned 1st team. For Biscoe, who is a junior, this is the second year for 1st Team honors. Simmons earned 6th Man of the Year last year. For the Lady Kats, Sydney Johnson (Sr) finished out team honors with a 2nd Team recongintion.
Kennedale went 12-0 in 2016-17 and finished with the most wins in Lady Kat history at 33-4. This is the 4th undefeated district season in the last 6 years, the 6th straight district title for the Lady Kats and their 16th straight playoffs. This year?s Lady Kats ended the regular season ranked #2 in Class 4A in Texas.
Kennedale finished the playoff season in an area round game that pitted the top two teams in Region I against each other #2 Kennedale and #4 Godley. Godley won this one and went on to to the state championships in San Antonio, losing out to #3 Liberty Hill in the state semifinals. Ironically. Kennedale owned wins against both Godley and Liberty Hill in early season games.In MaxPreps stats, the Kennedale LadyKats were in the top 100 in the nation in 6 different categories including 3rd in field goals made, 26th in scoring, 26th in 3 points, 29th in steals, 60th in free throws and 60th in assists. (MaxPreps stats based on reporting schools only).
“I was very blessed to coach this team,? said third year head coach Doug Watson. ?We had a lot of success. [We] won 33 games. That?s another school record and, that is saying something for our school. It was a really good season ? one loss should not define the program. We are real proud of it.?
This was a senior laden team that has been a crucial part of Kennedale’s success the past several years.
?They [seniors] definitely left a legacy here,? said Watson. ?They worked really hard. They all got along well and they set the tone for this program.”
Watson added, ?Most of them have been with me since my first year as head coach. Eight seniors and they all followed up with me. It?s tough that I don?t get to see them every day now and be in practice with them. They were a real joy to be around and coach.?See complete list @ District7-4A All-District 2017
