St. Pius boys, Herculanuem & Grandview girls pace JCAA small-school all-conference hoops

The Jefferson County Activities Association announced its all-conference basketball teams in the small-school division for the 2020 season.

On the girls’ side, junior forward Paige Fowler of Herculaneum was named most valuable player along with a first-team all-conference bid.

Fowler averaged almost 19 points per game this season in guiding the Blackcats to the regular-season conference championship.

Herculaneum’s Riley Blair and Grandview’s Steve Noblitt were named co-coach of the year.

Fowler was joined on the first team by junior AJ Agers of St. Pius, junior Laney Smith of Jefferson, and Grandview seniors Sarra Faust and Hailey Harlow.

Herculaneum’s Taylor Metcalf, St. Vincent’s Lacey Best, Jefferson’s Abi Chipps, Grandview’s Isabelle Kuczka and St. Pius’s Angeleena Johnson were named to the second team.

Grandview’s Anna Belle Wakeland and Herculaneum’s Ashley Croom were named honorable mentions, as were St. Vincent‘s Mary Schwartz and Addie Cates and Crystal City‘s Molly Clemons and Annie Waites.

For the boys, St. Pius senior forward Riley Naeger was named league MVP after averaging almost 17 points and 8 rebounds a game for the Class 3 District 3 champions.

Lancers head coach Chris Miller was also named coach of the year.

Naeger was joined on the first team by 4 other seniors: Jordan Duncan of Herculaneum, Jon Weik of Jefferson, Drew Richardson of Crystal City and Alex Brickhaus of the conference champion St. Vincent Indians.

5 other seniors made the second team in St. Pius’s Eli Boyer, Crystal City’s Nate Denby, St. Vincent’s Garrett Dobbelare, Grandview’s Zach Perren and Jefferson’s Haydyn Wagner.

Kayden Cook and Josh Ruble of St. Pius made honorable mention, as did Colby Ott of Jefferson and Josh Moreland and Tyler Ruder of Herculaneum.