North Platte expanded its membership this season in the Class 2 Missouri Basketball Coaches Association all-state teams.
BRYCE MERENESS/Citizen file photo
North Platte senior guard Andrew Roberts drives to the basket against Mid-Buchanan in the championship game of the North Platte Invitational. The Panthers won their home tournament for the first time since 2007.
For the third straight year, the girls program earned a spot, and this year, senior Andrew Roberts made the boys list. He helped guide the Panthers to a resurgent season under first-year coach Tim Sutton.
North Platte posted its first winning season since 2011, advancing to the Class 2 District 16 second round and finishing with a 13-12 overall record despite going 1-6 in KCI Conference play.
Roberts averaged 17.5 points, 3.1 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game and also became the first in recent memory to break 1,000 points for his career. A mainstay on the All-KCI list, he headed up a senior class that played under a third head coach in three years this past season.
Erin Manville also saw her return from a second torn ACL rewarded with a spot on the Class 2 all-state list.
After coming back in late December, she posted an average of 11.6 points per game and 4.4 steals per game. Her all-around skillset helped push North Platte back into the playoffs for the seventh time in eight seasons.
North Platte finished 24-5 with a loss in sectional play but also won another KCI Conference Tournament championship in addition to an unbeaten run through league play. The Panthers’ seniors exit having won 23 straight conference games.
Each of the previous two seasons, Chelsi Sams represented North Platte on the all-state list.
Just the third player in program history to reach 1,000 points for his career, Park Hill South senior Welty made the Class 5 all-state list for a second straight season. He finished with 1,215 — the second leading scorer in Panthers history behind Ivo Baltic, who went on to play at the University of Ohio after totaling 1,675 in his career.
A 6-foot-7 sharp-shooting forward, Welty averaged 18 points per game and provided a consistent scoring threat for Park Hill South in back-to-back trips to the Class 5 playoffs.
Welty earned his first all-state honors in the 2014-15 season after leading a playoff push that saw Park Hill South upset top-ranked Chaminade in the Class 5 semifinals to reach the state title game for the second time in school history a year ago. The Panthers run ended this year in the sectional round with a 59-58 loss to Liberty North.
BASKETBALL POSTSEASON HONORS
GIRLS
Missouri Basketball Coaches Association All-State
Class 2
G — Erin Manville, sr., North Platte
MBCA All-Class 2 District 16
G — Erin Manville, sr., North Platte; F — Brittney Gerling, sr., North Platte
MBCA All-Class 4 District 16
G — Rockey Chambers, soph. Platte County; Jaycie Stubbs, fr., Platte County
MBCA All-Class 5 District 16
F — Alecia Westbrook, fr., Park Hill South
Missouri Sportswriters and Sportscasters All-Northwest Missouri District
G — Erin Manville, sr., North Platte; Erin Manville, sr., North Platte; Nealie Niemeier, jr., West Platte
All-KCI Conference
First Team
G — Erin Manville, sr., North Platte; Emmie Lee, sr., North Platte; Nealie Niemeier, jr., West Platte
Honorable Mention
G — Maddie Lee, sr., North Platte; F — Brittney Gerling, sr., North Platte
All-Suburban Conference Blue Division
First Team
G — Rockey Chambers, soph., Platte County
Second Team
G — Jaycie Stubbs, fr., Platte County
Honorable Mention
G — Lindsey Bogart, sr., Platte County; F — Rachel Holde, sr., Platte County
All-Suburban Conference Red Division
Second team
G — Gigi Hopkins, jr., Park Hill; F — Alecia Westbrook, fr., Park Hill South; Morgen Smith, jr., Park Hill
Honorable Mention
G — Amanda Alexander, sr., Park Hill; alex Berger, jr., Park Hill; Raquel Reid, soph. Park Hill South
BOYS
Missouri Basketball Coaches Association All-State
Class 2
G — Andrew Roberts, sr., North Platte
Class 5
F — Ryan Welty, sr., Park Hill South
MBCA All-Class 2 District 15
G — Luke Horseman sr., West Platte; F — Brett Shepardson, sr., West Platte
MBCA All-Class 2 District 16
G — Andrew Roberts, sr., North Platte
MBCA All-Class 4 District 16
F — Grant Carver, jr., Platte County
All-KCI Conference
First Team
G — Andrew Roberts, sr., North Platte
Honorable Mention
G — Luke Horseman, sr., West Platte
Missouri Sportswriters and Sportscasters All-Northwest Missouri District
G — Andrew Roberts, sr., North Platte
All-Suburban Conference Blue Division
Second Team
F — Grant Carver, jr., Platte County
Honorable Mention
F — Nick Kunels, sr., Platte County
All-Suburban Conference Red Division
First Team
F — Ryan Welty, sr., Park Hill South; Tanner Zeil, sr., Park Hill
Second Team
G — Jacob Kline, jr., Park Hill South; Lamel Robinson, fr., Park Hill South
Honorable Mention
G — Dru Smith, jr., Park Hill; Brandon Townsell, sr., Park Hill