Mortimer Jordan head coach Marty Caldwell was named the 2008 North Jefferson News Girls Basketball Coach of the Year.

By Charles Prince

The North Jefferson News



The votes from area coaches are have been counted, and today The North Jefferson News announces the 2008 All-North Jefferson Girls Basketball team.

Taking top honors are Gardendale senior Kristian Moody, who was named Player of the Year and Mortimer Jordan’s Marty Caldwell, who was named Coach of the Year.

Moody averaged 17.7 points, 5.0 rebounds and 2.1 assists per contest. She helped the Lady Rockets to the sub-state round of playoffs, where they lost to eventual final four team Talladega.

Caldwell led the Lady Blue Devils to 25 wins, and a berth in the Northwest Regionals at Wallace State. Jordan’s girls team reached the regionals for the first time in school’s history.

Joining Moody on the first team are Baptist Tabernacle’s Meghan Hallice, who led the Lady Torches to their second ACEAA state title in three years. She averaged 23.4 points and 13.4 rebounds per game. She blocked over four shots per game and was second on the club in assists. She was named the MVP of the ACEAA state tourney last month.

Also on the first team, are Mortimer Jordan sophomore center, Peyton Davis. Davis, who averaged 13.1 points and 12.7 rebounds per game. In addition, she was a force on the defensive end with 120 blocks for an average of 3.8 per game.

Jordan’s Ashlee Porter 8.7 points per game, 5.2 rebounds and 4.8 assists from her point guard position.

A third Lady Blue Devil, Brianna Naiton, also made the first team after averaging 11.5 points, 5.4 rebounds, 2.5 steals and 2.3 assists per game.

Corner’s Nicole Russell led the Lady Jackets with 13.6 points per game and grabbed 7.8 rebounds per contest.

Due to ties in the voting, the first team had six players and the second team had nine players. On the second team are Gardendale’s Taylor Powell and Kenosha Carter, Corner’s Mandy Slatton, Hayden’s Krista Stircklin and Mallory Ray, Fultondale’s Krissy Freeman and Britani Howell, Jordan’s Ahsley Merritt and Tabernacle’s Candace Coleman.