All-Clark County Girls Basketball Team
Taylor Burson, Greenon
Sydney Bates, Kenton Ridge
Baylee Bennett, Kenton Ridge
Jamari McDavid, Kenton Ridge
Brittany Ruhe, Northeastern
Korynne Berner, Northwestern
Kyla Driskill, Shawnee
Lexie Perry, Southeastern
Danielle Franklin, Tecumseh
Lindsey Nartker, Tecumseh
Pam Evans Smith Miss Basketball Award
Past Miss Basketball winners
1989 Heather Schuler, Shawnee
1990 Laura Ferguson, Southeastern
1991 Tara Cosby, Kenton Ridge
1992 Cindy Cremeans, Tecumseh
1993 Carrie Ferguson, Southeastern
1994 Jackie McCoy, South
1995 Amanda Stewart, Southeastern
1996 Angie Finkes, Kenton Ridge
1997 Stephanie Stewart, Southeastern
1998 Alissa Reed, Northwestern; Amy Martin, Southeastern
1999 Becky Petty, Catholic Central
2000 Molly Early, Northwestern
2001 Allison Bennett, Kenton Ridge
2002 Liz Rigel, Catholic Central
2003 Amanda Jackson, South
2004 Jasmine House, Kenton Ridge; Stephanie Bennett, Kenton Ridge
2005 Angel Morgan, North
2006 Alison Lemon, Southeastern
2007 Aubrey Siemon, Northwestern
2008 Leslie Purnell, Catholic Central
2009 Allison Turner, Greenon
2010 Allison Turner, Greenon
2011 Bianca Quisenberry, Tecumseh
2012 Bianca Quisenberry, Tecumseh
2013 Bianca Quisenberry, Tecumseh
2014 Lianne Masquelier, Greenon
2015 Baylee Bennett, Kenton Ridge
Listed at 5-foot-6 on the Kenton Ridge girls basketball roster, senior Baylee Bennett was often one of the smaller players on the court.
Few, though, overshadowed Bennett. She stood tall again Tuesday as Kenton Ridge’s seventh Pam Evans Smith Miss Basketball winner at the 27th annual Clark County Girls Basketball banquet at Wittenberg University’s Shouvlin Center.
Bennett set several records, mostly from 3-point range, but her biggest contribution was ball handling. The tenacious senior broke presses and drove Kenton Ridge to the Division II regional semifinals and a 22-5 record.
“We’ll definitely miss her ball handling and 3s,” Kenton Ridge coach Ed Foulk said. “When she was on it was tough for teams to stop her.”
Among her accomplishments, Bennett set Kenton Ridge records for 3-pointers in a career (202), season (84) and game (10). Her 86.4 free-throw percentage during the regular season is also a program best. The Cincinnati Christian University recruit averaged 18.9 points, 4.9 assists and 2.2 steals.
“I think the main thing this year for us was her leadership on the floor,” Foulk said. “Ball handling was so important to us this year. When team’s pressed us Baylee usually got it up the floor.”
Bennett was joined on the coaches’ All-County team by teammates Sydney Bates and Jamari McDavid. That brings Kenton Ridge’s All-County total to 56.
“When it comes down to it Baylee is one of the better basketball players that’s been at Kenton Ridge,” Foulk said. “She has all the other attributes that go to the Miss Basketball award, the leadership and the academics.”
Joining the trio of Cougars on the All-County team were Greenon’s Taylor Burson, Northeastern’s Brittany Ruhe, Northwestern’s Korynne Berner, Shawnee’s Kyla Driskill, Southeastern’s Lexie Perry and Tecumseh’s Danielle Franklin and Lindsey Nartker.
Foulk and former Southeastern coach Kari Kitchen shared coach of the year honors. It was the third time for Foulk (2014, 2011) and third for Kitchen, who won it in 2009 and 2010 with Northeastern.
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