Kelsey Turner may have maintained a basic address outside Medora High School during her four years at the school, but her true home was the gymnasium, where she invested enough time to earn four letters in volleyball and four letters in basketball.
She was a four-year varsity letter winner in both sports and was named to the Southern Roads Conference first team in basketball and all-conference honorable mention in volleyball.
Turner received a letter blanket for earning eight varsity letters.
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Medora Athletic Director Brad McCammon recently announced Turner’s honor as well as the volleyball and girls and boys basketball awards for the 2019-20 school year.
Turner received the free throw trophy and 2-point shooting award for last winter. For volleyball, the 2020 MHS graduate received the best kill percentage, best ace percentage and serve reception awards and was co-recipient of the captain’s award.
Turner said receiving the blanket “means a lot because I put a lot of effort into playing every year on top of school work. I worked hard for it.”
Turner played all-around in volleyball and was a post player in basketball.
“In volleyball, I enjoyed playing as a team and making friends. It was just fun,” she said, adding the same could be said about basketball.
Turner was a captain in both volleyball and basketball and said being a leader helped her learn a lot.
“I tried to help the girls with their roles and stay calm and told them ‘It will be OK,’” she said.
Turner said she took a lot of pride in making all-conference in both sports.
“The conference matches were fun,” she said. “It gave Medora another thing to do because small schools usually don’t have conferences, and it gave us a chance.”
She was valedictorian of her class and will attend Indiana State University this fall and study nursing.
McCammon, who also was Turner’s basketball coach, said she is the only member of the Class of 2020 to receive a letter blanket.
“One thing about Kelsey, she was always at practice. She always took it seriously, whether it was game or practice, and gave everything she had,” McCammon said. “She loved the game, and I think she loved Medora High School.
“I kid her about following in my footsteps. She’s going to Indiana State, and I did, too,” he said. “She’ll be missed. I had her in the classroom, as well, and she was a good student in the classroom, and I’ll bet in four years she didn’t miss more than two or three days of school. She was here every day and contributed, whether it was in the classroom or on the court. She is the kind of kid you want to represent your school.”
Missy Stewart coached Turner for two years in junior high volleyball and the past two seasons on varsity.
“Kelsey was a really good worker,” Stewart said. “Ever since I had her, she was willing to do anything you tell her to do. She never gave me any negativity, any back talk. She encouraged the other girls and tried to help them. She wasn’t bossy or anything. She’d say, ‘Do this, do that,’ and she was a very good worker. She came in and gave you 110% every day. “
Mariah Cobb also received multiple awards for the girls basketball team, She topped the Hornets in three-point shooting, rebounds (127), blocks (41) and steals (28).
Maria Cobb received the assists award, Jarey Babcock was named the most improved and Kaitlyn Cobb was the recipient of the mental attitude award.
Mariah Cobb and Keyla Newby also were named SRC honorable mention in volleyball. Newby received a captain’s award and the blocking award, and Mariah Cobb received the hitting and serving awards.
Babcock was the recipient of the setting award, Alyssa Caudill was named most improved and Kaitlyn Cobb was named winner of the mental attitude award and coach’s award.
Isaiah Myers was named to the boys all-conference first team in basketball. He also received awards for free throws, rebounds and assists.
Jayvin Spurgeon was named all-conference honorable mention and received the steals and field goal shooting awards.
Jackson Combs received the mental attitude award, Caleb Sturgill received the hustle award and Bryce Guffey received the three-point shooting award.
Elijah Sturgill received the junior varsity all-around player award and the free throw award. Zack Cobb and Matthew Inscoe were co-winners of the most improved award, Braxton McCory received the field-goal shooting award, Shepard Earl received the rebound plaque and Jayden Brown received the hustle award.
Junior high/elementary awards
Boys basketball: Rebounds-Kacie Inscoe/Isston Phillips; blocks-Inscoe/ Phillips; leading scorer-Inscoe/ Phillips; best free-throw shooter-Brandon Albertson/ Dalton Kessner; up and comer-Xander Parish; hardest hustler-Wesley Goen/Kade King; sixth man award-Louis LePage/Ault Hineman; most improved-Aaron Mufflin/Bryton Ray; mental attitude-Dawson Cornett/King; captain’s award-Cornett/Waylon Burrell.
Junior high
Girls basketball: Most improved-Peyton Spence/Haylee Sons/Kiari Kinser; mental attitude-Laykin Hinderlider/Madison Reece; best field goal percentage-Aaralyn Hackney; leadership-Jenna Brown.
Volleyball
Eighth grade: Best serves-Aaralyn Hackney; best passes-Brooklyn Wilkerson; best hits-Jenna Bowers; best sets-Laykin Hinderlider; most improved-Zoey Ray.
Seventh grade: Best serves-Brelee Underwood; best passes-Alyssia Mullins; most team spirit-Ari Hollin; most improved-Desiree Parish; best attitude-Chloe Wagner; coach’s award-Winnie Thompson.
Junior high cheerleading
Zoey Ray, Chloe Wagner, Alyssa Mullins.