Seniors Grace Meyer and Alyssa Perry each received two special honors during the Seymour girls’ basketball awards program held last week in the school cafeteria.
Meyer received the leading points and rebounds awards, while Perry received the assists awards and was named the recipient of the coach’s award.
Meyer scored 264 points for an average of 13.2 points per game this season. Her high-point games were 26 against Crawford County, and 18 against Columbus East. Her career high was 33 against Shelbyville her junior year. She had 137 rebounds this season.
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Meyer was also named to the Hoosier Hills All-Conference first team, averageinf 11.7 points per league game.
Meyer ranks ninth on Seymour’s career scoring list with 1,063 points.
Coach Jason Longmeier said in order to score more than 1,000 points, “It means you’ve got to play well for four years.” He said this year Meyer switched positions, moving to point guard and, “It cost her some points.”
Perry had 64 assists this season.
“The coaches award consists of a player that exhibits the characteristics that we as coaches look for in a player and display them at all times,” Longmeier said. “Great teammate, great student/athlete, community involvement, coachable and continued improvement.”
Perry commented to the group, “Coaches, you have coached me into the player I’ve become. I’m thankful to Seymour basketball and everything I have learned.”
Seniors had the opportunity to make some remarks to those in attendance.
Meyer said, “Seymour basketball has given me so many memories.”
Junior varsity coach Amanda Gerth said, “Grace always left it all on the court.”
Jamya Miller was the other senior on the team.
“We had three great seniors, and they meant a lot to the program,” Longmeier said.
Junior Grace Schrader was named all-HHC honorable mention. She averaged 9.4 points per league game with highs of 13 against Madison and Columbus East.
Brooke Trinkle was named the most improved varsity player and Journee Brown was named the most improved junior varsity player. Trinkle is a sophomore and Brown is a freshman.
The Owls were 10-10 this season, and 3-4 in the HHC.
Longmeier said he is not concerned with the won-loss record.
“We want to produce fine young women,” he said and noted it was an unusual year because of the COVID-19 pandemic. “We had a tight-knit group. They had to do their bonding in the locker room and on the court. The kids did a good job of handling the new norm.
“We were fortunate to have a season. The season started in turmoil,” Longmeier said, adding that several other states did not have high school basketball, or any sports, this winter because of the coronavirus.
He said it was hard on the team not being able to a summer schedule.
“We didn’t get the developmental time we needed,” Longmeier said. “I think we’ll find that this season had more of an effect on the players than we thought. So much was taken away from them.”
The junior varsity team, and most of the members of the coaching staff, were under quarantine during parts of the season.
“We play the 32{sup}nd{/sup} toughest schedule in the state,” Longmeier said, “We don’t have any off-nights.” He said five teams the Owls played won sectionals, two of them won regionals, and Silver Creek was a state finalist in Class 3A.
“The Seymour program is important to the assistant coaches. The team is great role models for the youth.”
Gerth said her players made a lot of improvement. “I’m super proud of our growth. I like what we did as a group.” The JV was 7-12.
Longmeier said he very much hopes next season is free of any virus concerns.
“My message to the returning players, he said: ‘If you learned anything about the season don’t take anything for granted.’ I pray that it gets back to normal.”