Samantha Stevens won the top honor in The News-Enterprise‘s Girls Bowling All-Area Team as the area’s Player of the Year.
The Central Hardin senior was one of the three Central Hardin girls to make an All-Area team, a total that stood best out of all other teams. Elizabethtown, Meade County and John Hardin all had two players named to the team.
Coaches nominated student-athletes from their team to be considered for a place on the All-Area team, as well as for individual awards. All coaches were considered for Coach of the Year.
Coaches then voted on a 5-3-1 voting scale on a ballot based on nominations. Coaches could not vote for their student-athletes or themselves.
All ties in voting were honored.
Selected alongside Stevens on the first team were Brooklyn Reams of Elizabethtown, Allie Meredith and LeeAnn Knoth of John Hardin, and Kylie Marcum of Central Hardin.
Second team selections include Josey Corbin and Addison Poole of Meade County, Lily-Kate Garner of North Hardin, Ava Bagget of Central Hardin, and Haylie Duffy of Elizabethtown.
PLAYER OF THE YEARSamantha Stevens, Central Hardin
Stevens made her presence known every time she stepped up to the lanes this season, helping Central Hardin to a great year in the alley.
“Samantha had a good year,” Central Hardin coach Jeff Crady said. “She was a really great leader for our team and she was a great anchor for us. She won several matches that came down to the last ball, and she really worked on her mental side of the game. She’s a great teammate, and she’s even super good to the girls on the other teams.”
Stevens was integral to the Bruins’ success as a team, willing her Bruins team to the Region 2 tournament final.
Stevens also had her fair share of star performances as an individual as well. The senior made the final four at the region tournament after bowing out to John Hardin’s LeeAnn Knoth.
“She’s definitely grown in confidence for sure,” Crady said. “She has a quieter personality, but this season she’s really wanted to lead and be the one that all the pressure was on. That takes a lot of confidence and mental strength to do that.”
Following the region tournament, Stevens made her way to the state tournament in Louisville, where the Bruin would post a score of 540 through three rounds of bowling, a total that landed her in 21st out of 32 bowlers.
p dir=”ltr”“I’m proud of her for getting this award, she deserves it,” Crady said. “She’s been on the team since the seventh grade, and she’s worked hard every single season.”
LeeAnn Knoth, John Hardin
Knoth shone as a second-year bowler for the Bulldogs this season, with the sophomore reigning victorious in the individual portion of the region tournament by bowling a 214, beating the next closest opponent by a margin of 30 pins.
Knoth also was integral in helping the Bulldogs to a second-straight team victory in the Region 2 championship, losing just once en route to the final, and handling district rival Central Hardin to claim their hardware.
“The award means a lot,” Knoth said. “It also means to me that my hard work and all those hours spent practicing have paid off. There were weekends where I would spend the whole day at the bowling alley.”
Knoth beat player of the year Stevens in the individual region tournament 167-143 to advance to the finals.
The second-year Bulldog also had a strong showing at the state, finishing with a 438 score over three rounds to end 27th out of 32 bowlers.
“It wouldn’t have been possible without my coaches, as well as Bob Bates and Jerome Johnson at B&B Lanes,” Knoth said. “They’ve all helped and supported me so much over the years.”
Knoth has had a rough year personally, with the sophomore having to deal with medical issues this year, as well as having to watch her mother going through a fight with cancer.
“This year was a lot to handle, I’ve had a lot going on in my personal life,” Knoth said. “Having to push it aside and go in the lane, bowling really helped me get through it all.
“I just want to say thank you to everyone.”
Jenny Brown helped lead the Bulldogs to a second straight Region 2 girls bowling title this season, with John Hardin sweeping rivals Central Hardin 3-0 in the final.
Brown was grateful to be recognized by her peers, and understood how big of a gesture it is to be voted as the best in the area.
“That for me was the most gratifying thing,” Brown said. “Knowing that all the other coaches in the area voted that they saw me and appreciated what I was bringing to the program means a lot.”
Brown finished with two first place votes once the ballots were all tallied up.
“My team is what pushes me to continue to try and find new ways to motivate them and continue their growth,” Brown said. “To be able to watch the program grow over my 12 years has been great to see. All children are motivated differently, and this group is a pretty close knit, tiny little team, so they kept me on my toes in regards to what works for them and it was successful this year. “
John Hardin had just seven girls make up their bowling roster this season, of which three were brand new to the sport.
“Coach Brown is a great coach, and she’s always been there for us,” Knoth said. “We had new bowlers this year, and she’s brought them so far. I’m extremely proud of her work and our team.”
Brown was one of the first coaches to apply her trade as a bowling head coach when the sport was first recognized as a KHSAA sanctioned sport.
She’s one of the only original coaches from the region left from that time.
“I would just like to thank my colleagues for putting their vote behind me,” Brown said. “It means a lot to me that they appreciate what I bring to the program, and I hope that I’ve been a good influence on them over the years. They’re all equally as good, so to be voted number one was really special for me.”
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