Jen Andes Earns All-State Honors
Prokup and Wallaert Receive Recognition as Well
by Kevin Hieronymus
February 25, 2008
Andes earns all-state honors
By Kevin Hieronymus
khieronymus@bcrnews.com
Saturday, February 23, 2008 1:19 AM CST
SPRING VALLEY — As the last echoes of the basketball season are
winding down, members of the Hall Lady Devils basketball team are
receiving all-state honors.
Senior Jen Andes was selected as a second-team member of the Associated Press All-State basketball team on Thursday. Coach Pat Cinotte then reported on Friday from the state tournament in Normal that Andes had received second-team honors from the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association for Class 1-2A combined.
“I didn’t really expect it. I’m glad I could end my senior year like this,” Andes said.
Cinotte was equally excited.
“It’s a honor to coach a person like her for three years,” he said. “It’s a real honor for to have. It means she got a lot of respect in the state of Illinois.”
Hall juniors Carly Prokup and Lindsay Wallaert also received IBCA recognition. Prokup was named to the fourth-team all-state and Wallaert received special mention honors along with St. Bede’s Sarah Stariha and Sam Galas, LaMoile’s Chelsea Gross and Bureau Valley’s Melanie Thompson. Annawan sophomore Kelley Buresh, who was named to the AP 1A Second Team, received IBCA third-team 1-2A honors.
“The area got represented pretty well,” said Cinotte, who is a member of the selection committee.
Andes, a 6-foot-center, averaged 16 points per game and 10.3 rebounds, both team highs for the Lady Red Devils. Andes led the Lady Devils to their fourth straight regional championship.
The unanimous NCIC all-conference pick finished with 1,265 career points, second only to Kailey Klein, the last Hall player to earn all-state honors and now is a sophomore star for Cleveland State. She said she’s planning to continue her career at St. Francis University in Joliet with former St. Bede standout Katie Carls.
The first team was highlighted by four time all-state selection Megan Considine of Byron. She scored 24 points in a 62-40 win over Hall in sectional semifinals.
Joining Considine on the first team are seniors Olivia Lett (Pana), Liz Watkins (Rockridge), Ali Schwag-meyer (CPC/SE) and Candace Sykes (Mo-mence).
Joining Andes on the second team are Junior Kate Yohn (Elgin St. Edwards) and seniors Brittany Has-selberg (Kankakee McNa-mara), Jazzmyn Harvey (Walter Lutheran) and Destiny Mitchell (Massac County).
