Two players that were recognized among the state’s best are also being recognized as the top two from Dallas County.

Keith’s Harriet Winchester is the Times-Journal’s girls player of the year for the third year in a row after leading the Bears to the 1A state championship. Dallas County’s Jerrod Moorer, who led Dallas County back to the state semifinals in Birmingham after helping the Hornets capture the 2014 4A championship, is the Times-Journal’s boys player of the year.

“These two clearly separated themselves from the pack as the season went on,” said Times-Journal sports editor Daniel Evans. “What both of them did is pretty remarkable.”

Moorer, a senior, averaged 26.5 points and 6.2 rebounds per game this season. He was named the Central Regional Tournament MVP as well as a finalist for 5A player of the year. He also took part in the Alabama High School Athletic Association’s North-South game last summer.

He’s the third straight player from Dallas County High School to win the Times-Journal’s player of the year award, following William Lee who won it in 2013 and 2014.

Winchester, a junior, is the third straight Bears player too, but she’s following herself in 2013 and 2014. She averaged 18.3 points, 4.6 rebounds and 5 assists for Keith this year.

The boys all-county team includes players from four different schools. Moorer is joined by teammate Raheem Phillips, who is credited for over 1,000 career assists and was named third-team all-state.

Like Moorer, Phillips played on Dallas County’s 2014 state championship team.

The first team also has two other guards in Ellwood Christian’s C.J. Grimes and Keith’s John Pettway. In only one year at Ellwood, Grimes showed an all-around game and nearly led the Eagles to an upset over No. 1 ranked Keith.

Pettway spoiled the upset by delivering a pass from his knees to steal the win in the final seconds. He led the Bears with 24 points and 6 rebounds per game this year. Keith was the top-ranked team in 1A most of the season.

The final player on the boys first team is Selma’s Dexter Hatcher, who led a balanced Saints’ squad in scoring with 13.9 points per game.

The girls first team also has players from four different teams.

Joining Winchester on the first team is Zykia Pettway, who brought down 10 or more rebounds in every game of the state tournament this year. She averaged right at 10 points per game and 10 rebonuds per game this season.

They are joined on the team by Selma’s Areyana Williams, Southside’s Calvondrea Blackmon and Morgan Academy’s Kendall Veach.

Williams averaged 14.6 points and 8.3 rebounds per game this year to lead the Saints and was named an honorable mention for the all-state team. Blackmon’s height and ability to score made Southside a tough team inside and she led the Panthers in scoring this season.

Veach, who has signed with Auburn to play softball, didn’t play basketball her junior year, but she didn’t show any rust.

She scored 33 points to lead the team to the Elite Eight and helped Morgan go from winless in 2014 to seven wins in 2015.

 

Boys First Team

G- Raheem Phillips

Dallas County, Senior

G- Jerrod Moorer

Dallas County, Senior

G- C.J. Grimes

Ellwood Christian, Senior

G- John Pettway

Keith, Junior

F- Dexter Hatcher

Selma, Senior

 

Boys Second Team

G- Jalen Furlow

Ellwood Christian, Senior

G- Jaequan Simmons

Keith, Senior

G- Kendell Motley

Dallas County, Senior

F- Charles Price

Southside, Junior

F- Clayton Thornton

Meadowview, Senior

 

Boys Third Team

G- Juwan Watters

Selma, Senior

G- John Ross Bone

Morgan Academy, Sophomore

F- Aderick Moore

Selma, Junior

F- Kent James

Keith, Senior

F- Michael Griffin

Selma, Senior

 

Girls First Team

G- Harriet Winchester

Keith, Junior

F- Areyana Williams

Selma, Sophomore

F- Kendall Veach

Morgan Academy, Senior

F- Calvondrea Blackmon

Southside, Senior

F- Zykia Pettway

Keith, Junior

 

Girls Second Team

G- Jacquetta Dailey

Selma, Sophomore

G- Shatavia Moore

Keith, Freshman

G- Jamya Smith

Selma, Sophomore

F- Christina Dabit

Meadowview, Senior

F- J’Tia White

Senior, Selma

 

Girls Third Team

G- Asia Bufford

Dallas County, Sophomore

G- Kionna Page

Southside, Sophomore

G- Arecia Simpson

Dallas County, Sophomore

G- Ambreya Snow

Keith, Freshman

F- Claudia Kendrick

Meadowview, Senior