Finalists for N-H awards announced

The stars are coming out on March 19, as The News-Herald will announce their boys and girls basketball players of the year at a special edition of Varsity Chalk Talk.

Three girls finalists for the girls player of the year, as well as three finalists for the Clark Kellogg Award as the boys player of the year will be on hand for the special night.

Additionally, three finalists for both the boys and the girls coach of the year will be present, with those announcements also being made.

The Varsity Chalk Talk show begins at 7 p.m. Those attending are encouraged to call for reservations (440-942-6611), as a large crowd is expected.

Finalists for the girls basketball player of the year are in alphabetical order:

• Constance Chaplin, Euclid: The senior guard finished the season averaging 29.0 points, 12.0 rebounds, 4.0 steals and 4.0 assists per game. She shot 32 percent from the field and 72 percent from the free-throw line. She has signed to play at Eastern Michigan University. She was named a Division I first-team AllOhioan earlier this week.

• Annika Corcoran, Gilmour: The senior guard finished the season averaging 18.1 points, 5.2 assists, 3.1 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game. She shot 36 percent from the field, 58 percent from the line and 34 percent from the arc. She has signed to play at Detroit Mercy. She was named a Division II first-team AllOhioan earlier this week.

• Destiny Leo, North: The junior guard finished the season averaging 27.8 points, 8.6 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 2.2 steals, and 1.1 blocks per game. She shot 47 percent from the field, 40 percent from the 3-point arc (including 85 made) and 84 percent from the line. She was named a Division I first-team AllOhioan earlier this week.

The finalists for the Clark Kellogg Award, in alphabetical order, are:

• Luka Eller, junior, Lake Catholic: D-II district Player of the Year finished third in the area in scoring at 24.1 points per game averaged a doubledouble with 10.6 rebounds per game. The 6-foot-7 forward led Lake Catholic to a 17-5 regular season and the NCL Gray title. Cougars’ all-time leading scorer finished with 24 points in a district semifinal loss against Geneva.

• Luke Floriea, junior, Mentor: Led 20-2 Mentor in scoring and assists with 19.2 points and 7.3 assists per game. First team all-district selection led the Cardinals to the Greater Cleveland Conference title. Led all scorers with 30 points in Mentor’s district championship victory over Brush. Scored a career-high 39 points against Euclid on Jan. 8.

• Davin Zeigler, senior, Benedictine: First team all-district honoree led the 12-10 Bengals with 20.3 points, 6.1 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game during the regular season. Bowling Green signee averaged 21 points and eight assists per game in the Bengals’ three Stow District games, en route to a district title.

Finalists for the girls basketball coach of the year, in alphabetical order, are:

• Paul Force, North: He guided the Rangers to a Western Reserve title, the program’s first district championship since 1999 and the program’s first regional final appearance since 1994. The Rangers finished with a 25-2 record.

• Roy Infalvi, Jr., Perry: In his first year as the Pirates’ coach, Infalvi led the Pirates to a 21-5 record, a co-championship in the CVC Chagrin and a Division II district title with a team that had only two seniors.

• Lisa Stopp, Cornerstone: She has guided the Patriots to the Division IV state tournament with a 23-4 record. Of the 22 regular-season games the Patriots played, two were against Division IV teams, while the other 20 were against Division I-III teams.

Finalists for the boys basketball player of the year, in alphabetical order, are:

• Dan Jones, Newbury: Division IV Northeast Lakes District Coach of the Year led the Black Knights to their first winning season in 13 years and Newbury’s first playoff win in eight seasons. Newbury finished 14-8 behind a senior class Jones, in his fifth season, helped develop from middle school on to take the No. 5 seed at the Grand Valley District. Black Knights’ season ended in a D-IV Orwell District semifinal against Windham.

• Bob Krizancic, Mentor: Led the Cardinals to a program-record 20 wins, also a personal best in 38 years of coaching. Mentor won the Greater Cleveland Conference outright and earned the No. 1 seed at the Euclid District after graduating seven senior rotation players and 65 percent of its offensive production from the previous season. Cardinals claimed the Division I Euclid District before falling to Uniontown Green in a Cleveland regional semifinal.

• Shawn McGregor, Kirtland: Took over at Kirtland after 15 seasons as the head coach at Hawken. Guided Kirtland to wins in its first 10 games and finished 15-7 to earn the No. 4 seed at the Garfield Heights District after going 13-9 last season. Season ended with an eightpoint loss to 2018 state finalist Lutheran East in a district semifinal.