BY BILL MURPHY
bmurphy@gainesvilletimes.com
Parker Smith’s high school basketball career is now complete. Jaymee Carnes’ playing career at Gainesville High still has two more years to go.
But both distinguished Hall County players were honored by Region 7-AAA’s coaches on Friday when Smith was voted Region 7-AAA’s Boys Player of the Year, and Carnes, only a sophomore, was voted Region 7-AAA’s Girls Player of the Year.
Smith, who finished his career at Chestatee with 2,038 career points—924 points as a senior— led the War Eagles to the playoffs for the second consecutive season. As a senior, he shot 55-percent on two point shots, and 56-percent behind the 3-point line. He is signed to play next season at Tennessee State University.
This season, Smith has already been voted to take part in the Georgia Athletic Coaches Associations North/South All-Star game, and is an invitee to the prestigious Naismith Awards Banquet.
Carnes, a 6-foot-1 forward, earned top honors among the girls players by averaging 19 points and nine rebounds per game this season. She finished the season with 78 blocks, 55 steals and shot 57-percent from the field for the Red Elephants.
Class AAA state quarterfinalists Flowery Branch were well represented on the boys team with juniors Izaan Cross and Josh Barrett both Region 7-AAA first team selections, and A.C. Bailey named to the second team.
East Hall’s Ken Wise, a senior, was named to the first team, and Vikings senior point guard Dedric Ware made it on the second team.
White County’s Tyler Norman, a senior, was voted to the first team.
Gainesville had two players on the second team with junior George Manomano and senior Alan Dockery. North Hall’s Josh Haymore, a senior, was named to the second team.
On the girls side, North Hall seniors Letiecia Davenport and Elizabeth Williams both made first team honors as did East Hall senior Sada Wheeler.
Lady Vikings’ seniors Jessica Blackwell and Tierra Benton were named to second team.
Gilmer’s Kylee Smith was named to the first team, and Sarah Jones made it on the second team.
West Hall junior Jayla Moon and Lumpkin County’s Ashley Brown were named to the second team.
Honorable mention selections for the boys included Ricky Vital (West Hall), Derek Weatherly (West Hall), Terrell Penland (West Hall), Brandon Sloan (Johnson), Devaris Finch (Johnson), Trevor Bishop (East Hall), Josh Chapman (East Hall), Rashad Tate (Flowery Branch), Brannon Nix (North Hall), Ethan Satterfield (North Hall), Adrian Hamilton (White County), Branden Jovaag (Chestatee), Shawn Chapman (Lumpkin County) and Kirk Pierce (Gilmer).
Girls honorable mentions included Jordan Gustavel (Johnson), Haley Chapman (Johnson), Kim Smigelsky (West Hall), Lindsey Wiley (White County), Amanda Watkins (White County), Lacey Wallingford (Lumpkin County), Kiana Glasper (Gainesvile), Jenna Jarrett (Pickens), Haley Parks (Gilmer).