Kelly, five other Cougars named All-WBL

VW independent sports

All five Van Wert starters and the team’s top reserve all earned all-WBL honors in balloting done by league boys basketball coaches.

Cougar point guard Xavier Kelly was named first team All-WBL in balloting done by league coaches. Kelly led Van Wert’s balanced scoring attack with 11.5 points per game. Teammates Cohen Bragg (9.1 points, 5.2 rebounds per game) and Zach Crummey (11 ppg, 8.0 rpg) were named second team All-WBL, while Keaten Welch (10.2 ppg) and Griffin McCracken (9.2 ppg) was named third team All-WBL. Caden Collins, who came off the bench (3.4 ppg) was named honorable mention All-WBL. The Cougars finished the regular season 16-6 (8-1 WBL) and enter the tournament as the No. 1 seed in the Division IV Paulding district.

Shawnee brothers Beckett Bertke and Trevick Bertke were named WBL Co-Players of the Year and Shawnee head coach Mark Triplett was named WBL Coach of the Year. The Indians finished the regular season to a 17-5 regular season (9-0 WBL) and the program’s second straight WBL championship. 

First Team

Logan Markley, Bath

Josiah Schlatter, Defiance

Brody Fortman, Ottawa-Glandorf

Beckett Bertke, Shawnee

Trevick Bertke, Shawnee

Xavier Kelly, Van Wert

Second Team

Dagan Hawkins, Bath

Gavin Wicker, Celina

Jordan Schumaker, Ottawa-Glandorf

Cohen Bragg Van Wert

Zach Crummey, Van Wert

Ryan Richardson, Wapakoneta

Third Team

Josiah Clark, Bath

Jon Payne, Elida

Luke Marshall, Shawnee

Griff McCracken, Van Wert

Keaten Welch, Van Wert

Blake Rogers-Wapakoneta

Honorable Mention

Zach Welsch, Bath

Caleb Schlater, Celina

Will Horvath, Defiance

Marcus Hill, Elida

,Tay’Vion Glispie, Kenton

Adam Maag, Ottawa-Glandorf

Ashton Wright, Shawnee

Blake Dingledine, St. Marys Memorial

Caden Collins, Van Wert

Caleb Adams, Wapakoneta

Player of the Year

Beckett Bertke, Shawnee

Trevick Bertke, Shawnee

Coach of the Year

Mark Triplett, Shawnee