Nine Westover players earn All-Region honors; William Chunn unhappy with coach selection

ALBANY — Five of the Westover boy’s players and four of the girls were named to the Region 1-AAAA All-Region teams this week, selected by the region coaches, and senior shooting guard Kemari Leverette earned the title of “Player of the Year.” However, Bainbridge head coach Kelvin Cochran took the title of “Coach of the Year.” Hardaway girl’s head coach Kelly Ellison and two of her players, Mikayla Johnson and Adazha Burrell were named co-players of the year.

The selection of Cochran didn’t sit well with Westover principal William Chunn. Chunn believed that Westover head coach Dallis Smith should have earned that honor because Westover won the region championship.

“I applaud the work of Bainbridge coach Kelvin Cochran, he did an outstanding job this year but I truly feel the Coach of The Year should be the coach with the region championship,” Chunn said in a statement. “This is the second consecutive year that Westover’s coach, Dallis Smith has won the region championship and not been named region Coach of The Year,” said the principal. “In football, the Coach of The Year is the coach with the region championship. If this was a court of law, I would object!”

Bainbridge led the region most of the season and was seeded first heading into the region tournament. Westover beat Bainbridge for the region title and is now the only region team still in the state tournament. The Patriots will host McDonough Wednesday night at Westover in the Elite Eight.

Leverette leads the Patriots with 15 points per game heading into the Elite Eight Wednesday night against McDonough. Kavon Johnson was also named first team for Region 1-AAAA averaging 13 points per game. Anthony Milton, Travion Wheeler, and Jeremiah Waters were all named to the second team.

Senior guard Rayven Thurston and junior Jada Landers earned first-team honors for the girls while LaDaja Caldwell and Tejah Lawson were named to the second team.

Boy’s All-Region

1st Team — K J Cochran- Bainbridge, Kavon Johnson-Westover, Keshen Spence- Cairo, Amari Powell- Cairo, Artavious Ellison- Shaw

2nd Team — Kendrick Bryant- Bainbridge (Tie), Travion Wheeler- Westover (Tie),AJ Grant- Bainbridge, VJ Ervin- Bainbridge, Anthony Milton- Westover, Jeremiah Waters- Westover

Honorable Mentions: Zion Douglas- Hardaway, Antonio Dortch- Hardaway, Dante Broadnax- Bainbridge, Fabian Yarborough- Cairo, Lamell Mims- Hardaway

Girl’s All-Region

1st Team — Akilah Shelton- Hardaway, Toni Tucker- Shaw, Tiara Tucker- Shaw, Rayven Thurston- Westover, Jada Landers- Westover

2nd Team — Zoe Wells-Bainbridge, Jenaiya Hardy- Hardaway, Ky’Synthia Butler- Cairo Ladaja Caldwell- Westover, Tejah Lawson- Westover

Honorable Mentions: Elexis Warner- Bainbridge, Jordyn Askew- Hardaway, Shaquara Mills- CairoQuishyi Walcott- Shaw, Shawnyea Majors- Shaw.

Westover High SchoolJoeWhitfield[email protected]