Six Player Of The Year Frontrunners Headed Into The Postseason

(Photo Credit: Michael Switzer)

We will be going over 6 of our picks for player of the year headed into the postseason. These are our thoughts and picks. We have based this off of what each player means to her respective team. We have done the research for each player and will break down why we think each player has a chance to be crowned player of the year here in WV. So with no further time wasted lets get this going.

First we start with the defending player of the year from a season ago GW senior guard Kalissa Lacy. Kalissa is a huge piece to the lady patriots making a deep run in Charleston. Kalissa is averaging 22.2 points, 4.4 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game this season while leading the lady Patriots to an 11-2 overall record and playing for A MSAC championship this Saturday night against Cabell Midland. The lady patriots have been a top team all season long in a tough class AAAA.

Next we dive into a player that arguably could have been player of the year a season ago and finished runner up to Lacy, which is Nitro senior guard Baylee Goins. Goins is on the brink of surpassing 2,000 career points for the lady wildcats. She is averaging 20.0 points, 7.8 assists, 5.2 rebounds and adding around 3 steals per game this season while leading the lady wildcats to a 12-1 regular season record. While Goins points are down a little this season her assists are up per game from a season ago. Goins has the lady wildcats on track to make it back to Charleston and ready to compete for a state championship.

Now we head up North with our next few players. A name most people know who has recently signed to play her college basketball at WVU is non other than Fairmont Sr. junior guard Marley Washenitz. Marley has had a standout season this year averaging 19.1 points, 9 rebounds and 10 assists per game for the lady polar bears while leading them to a very impressive 13-0 regular season record while being ranked the number 1 team in the season all season long. Marley is ready to help Fairmont get back to Charleston and get the bitter taste out of their mouth from a year ago after an opening round loss.

Not to be overshadowed by Washenitz another name that could very well be in the talks for player of the year is Fairmont Sr forward Meredith Maier. Maier who transferred in this season from Grafton has played great alongside Washenitz this season averaging 17.6 points, 12.9 rebounds, 4.9 assists, and adding 4.7 steals per game. Keep an eye out on the lady polar bears forward as she helps them get back to Charleston and possibly make a championship run this April.

Staying up north we have Morgantown senior forward Kaitlyn Ammons. Kaitlyn is signed to play her college ball at the University of Depaul. Kaitlyn is helping the lady Mohigans get back to Charleston and have a longer stay than a season ago. Kaitlyn helped Morgantown to a 9-2 finish in the regular season and a number 5 ranking in a very tough class AAAA field. Kaitlyn hit a couple milestones this season as she surpassed 1,000 career points which hasn't been done by a girls basketball player at Morgantown since 2006, and also grabbing over 500 rebounds. Kaitlyn averaged 17.2 points, 8.5 rebounds, 2.0 blocks per game this season for the lady Mohigans.

Last but certainly not least we have Parkersburg Catholic junior guard Leslie Huffman. Leslie had big shoes to fill once her sister Madeline graduated. She has definitely taken the leadership role and ran with it this season for Catholic. She has lead them to a number 1 ranking in class AA and helped them finish with a 14-0 regular season record. Catholic should be ready to make a deep run in Charleston this year with Huffman leading the way. Huffman has had a very solid season so far with 19.6 points, 7.4 rebounds, 5.1 assists and almost 4 steals per game.

These six young lady's all can make an argument for player of the year in their own right. They each bring a special skillset and leadership to there respective teams. Could come down to who helps there team cut down the nets this year. This year is a little different than last year with there not really being one or two dominant players. Will definitely be a fun and very interesting post season.