St. John Vianney High School’s Katelyn Linney and Christian Brothers Academy’s Brian Neller have been named the Players of the Year by the Shore Conference basketball coaches.
Linney, a senior guard, led St. John Vianney to the NJSIAA Tournament of Champions crown this winter. The Lancers defeated Colts Neck High School on March 23 in the Tournament of Champions final at the Izod Center in East Rutherford.
Neller, a senior forward, sparked CBA to the Shore Conference Tournament championship and to the NJSIAA Non-Public A South state sectional crown.
Linney heads a powerful All-Shore Girls First Team that includes Rumson-Fair Haven’s Kate Miller, Neptune’s Shakeena Richardson, Colts Neck’s Lauren Clarke, Freehold’s Shannon Mayrose and Middletown South’s Danielle Pankey.
Miller’s Rumson Bulldogs won the NJSIAA Group II state title while Clarke’s Colts Neck Cougars won the NJSIAA Group IV crown and advanced to the Tournament of Champions final against St. John Vianney.
Richardson led Neptune to the Shore Conference Tournament crown and to the NJSIAA Central Jersey Group III title and Pankey led Middletown South to the Central Jersey Group III final where the Eagles lost to Neptune.
Mayrose was named the Most Valuable Player of Freehold’s Jack Kuhnert Holiday Tournament triumph and averaged 21 points and 11 rebounds per game for the season.
Colts Neck’s Brooke Hampton heads up the All-Shore Girls Second Team. St. John Vianney freshman Michaela Mabrey, Raritan’s Alexa Ryan, Neptune’s Syessence Davis, Southern Regional’s Kristen Sharkey and Manchester’s Camille Valmo completed the team.
The All-Shore Boys First Team includes Neller and his CBA teammate Pat Light. They are joined on the first team by Neptune’s D.J. Gutridge, Monmouth Regional’s Joe Willman, Manasquan’s Matt Vadas and Central Regional’s Ibn Moyer.
Light and Neller helped to make Colts the Shore Conference’s top team.
Gutridge led Neptune to the Central Jersey Group III title and Vadas fueled Manasquan’s drive to the Central Jersey Group II crown.
Willman had Monmouth Regional ranked No. 1 in the conference before a broken wrist cut his season short. The Falcons wound up sharing the Shore Conference B North Division crown with Neptune.
Moyer helped to lead Central Regional to a state tournament berth.
Matt Devine, who had a 42-point outburst in the state tournament during Freehold Township High School’s run to the Central Jersey Group IV championship game, tops the All-Shore Boys Second Team. Freehold’s Christian Garcia, CBA’s Roy Mabrey, Monmouth Regional’s Neil Thompson, Point Pleasant Boro’s Patrick Hart and Point Pleasant Beach’s Jarelle Reischel complete the squad.
Neptune’s John Brown finished first in the poll for Girls Coach of the Year, edging out St. John Vianney’s Dawn Karpell and Middletown South’s Tom Brennan.
CBA’s Geoff Billett was selected as the Boys Coach of the Year. Neptune’s Ken O’Donnell was second in the voting and Freehold’s Ben DiBiase was third.
The Division Coaches of the Year awards for the girls went to Bennan in A North; Karpell in A Central; Rachel Goodale of Jackson Memorial and Vicki Gillen Toms River North in A South; Brown in B North; and Darren Ault of Mater Dei and Kevin Flynn of Keyport in B Central.
The Division Coaches of the Year awards went to Billet in A North; Joe Nappo of Red Bank Catholic in A Central; Ed Sarluca of Brick Memorial in A South; DiBiase in B North; and Phil Recco of Keyport in B Central.