Home Local Sports Mayo earns first-team all-state honors in girls basketball

Mayo earns first-team all-state honors in girls basketball

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Ber'Nyah Mayo

Ber’Nyah Mayo of St. Elizabeth leads the Catholic high school players on the 2018-19 all-state basketball teams, which were announced on March 15. Mayo, a junior guard, made the girls’ first team in a vote by the state’s head coaches and media members who regularly covered the sport.

The other Catholic school students to earn a position on the first three teams were Aniyah Patterson of St. Thomas More and Michelle Kozicki of Padua,both of whom were selected for the third team. Patterson is a senior, while Kozicki is a junior.

Mayo led the Vikings to a 17-3 record in the regular season. The team picked up two more wins in the state tournament before falling to Caravel in the semifinal round. Mayo continued with her strong scoring this season, but she also displayed her passing and defensive skills.

She averaged 24.5 points in two games against Caravel, had 27 against Hodgson and 25 at Sussex Central.

Lauren Park, a senior at state champion Sanford, was named the state’s player of the year. The other members of the first team are junior Julie Kulesza, Conrad; sophomore Stefanie Kulesza, Conrad; and senior Sasha Marvel, Caravel. Marvel played her freshman season at St. Thomas More.

The second team consists of Kayla Braxton-Young, senior, Hodgson; Ronnasia Blatch-Huggins, senior, Howard; Olivia Tucker, senior, Sanford; Allie Kubek, junior, Sanford; and Abbey Hearn, junior, Cape Henlopen.

Aniyah Patterson

Patterson helped St. Thomas More to a 16-4 regular-season record and a home game in the first round of the state tournament. The Ravens lost a tough 57-53 decision to Howard on March 1.

Patterson was the top scorer for the Ravens. She had 20 points in the tournament loss, and she also had 21 in a win over Hodgson, 20 in a defeat of Polytech, and 17 against Sussex Central and Dover.

Kozicki was a key contributor for Padua, which finished with an 11-9 record. She put up 23 points in a close loss at Cape Henlopen and 21 at Archbishop Prendergast. She was also a rebounding force for the Pandas.

Michelle Kozicki

Joining them on the third team are Ja’Nylah Whittlesey, sophomore, Conrad; Cha’Kya Johnson, sophomore, Woodbridge; and Janeira Scott, sophomore, Woodbridge.

The following Catholic school players earned honorable mention:

Emma McCann, senior, Archmere

Julie McCarron, junior, St. Elizabeth

Jessica Simmons, senior, St. Thomas More

Kay Wulah, senior, Ursuline

The other honorable mentions are:

Dania Cannon, junior, Cape Henlopen

Karli Cauley, senior, Caravel

Alyssa Faville, junior, Conrad

Da-qira Lancaster-Navarro, senior, Delcastle

Zaria Newson, senior, Mount Pleasant

Samanth Pollich, senior, Sanford

Jayla Smith, senior, Smyrna

Raeonna Stratton, senior, Sussex Central

Kendra Warren, senior, Caravel

Amber Washington, senior, St. Georges

Micah Yarbray, senior, William Penn