PARKER TO REPRESENT MARYLAND IN ANNUAL ALL-STAR CONTEST

by Derek Toney

Border bragging rights will be at stake as a group of boys’ and girls’
high school senior basketball players representing Maryland take on
Pennsylvania Saturday evening at Steelton-Highspire High in Harrisburg,
PA. The girls’ contest is at 7:15 p.m. followed by the boys’ at 8:30
p.m.

Kandice Green, who helped St. Frances Academy to a sixth straight IAAM
A Conference championship and the No. 1 ranking by DigitalSports, will
be on the Maryland roster along with Oakland Mills’ guard Miriam
McKenzie, arguably the best player in the Baltimore region this past
season. Class 4A state runner-up Arundel will have Ayanna Randolph and
Danielle McFadden while Brittany Coughlan will represent 3A runner-up
Atholton. McDonogh School coach Tom Gizzi will guide the squad.

The Pennsylvania squad will feature University of South Carolina-bound
guard Becky Burke from Abington Heights, and Renee Brown, who led
Pittsburgh’s Mount Alvernia to the state Class A semifinal and Western
Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League title. Burke (Class AAAA)
and Brown were first-team All-State selections in their respective
classification.

Lindsey Meyer from Central Dauphin (Class AAAA) and Ashton Bankos of
York Catholic (AA) helped their respective team to state crowns.
Pennsylvania won 89-84 victory as St. Frances’ Tanika Jeffers (now at
Garrett Community College) led Maryland with 17 points and Southside
Academy’s Sheree Ledbetter (St. John’s) receiving Most Valuable Player
honors for Maryland.

The trio of Devon Lesniak, Rashad Blackwell and Cammeron Woodyard from
Class 2A state champ Winters Mill will head up the Maryland boys’
squad. Woodyard, a 6-foot-5 guard/forward should draw some interest
from the locals as he’s given a verbal commitment to play for Penn
State University next season.

Obi Ukwuoma, who led Long Reach to the 3A state finals, will play along
with Coppin State-bound guard Justin McCoy from MIAA A and Baltimore
Catholic League power Mount St. Joseph. The MIAA will also have Evan
Williams from Glenelg Country School. Glenelg High coach Jeremy Snyder
will guide the Maryland team.

The Pennsylvania squad will feature Karon Burton and Russell Johnson
from Chester, which won the Class AAAA title and is ranked No. 3
nationally by USA Today. Class AAA champ Steelton-Highspire will have
Josh Proctor and Lance Chisholm, who was a first-team All-State AAA
selection.

Another AAA all-state first-teamer Dametric Scott from
Greencastle-Antrim will play for the Keystone State along with AA
all-state guard Jacob Iati from York Catholic. Iati has signed with
High Point.

Pennsylvania posted a 92-86 victory last year as Atholton’s Torey
Fassett (Harford Community College) was Maryland’s most valuable player
with a team-leading 17 points.

31st Maryland-Pennsylvania All-Star games
When: Saturday
Where: Steelton-Highspire High, Harrisburg, PA

Girls’ game
Time: 7:15 p.m.

Maryland roster
Coach: Tom Gizzi (McDonogh School)
Katie Biggs, Glenelg, guard/forward; Brittany Coughlan, Atholton,
guard; Becky Cox, McDonogh School, guard; Kandice Green, St. Frances
Academy, center/forward; Bethany Hart, Old Mill, center; Destiny
Jacobs, McDonogh School, center; Danielle McFadden, Arundel, forward;
Miriam McKenzie, Oakland Mills, guard; Danielle Parker, Dulaney,
guard/forward; Ayanna Randolph, Arundel, guard; Gabrielle Styles,
Towson Catholic, center/forward; Arika Ullman, Seton Keough, guard

Pennsylvania roster
Coaches: Vince Bucciarelli (Abington Heights) and Becky May (Milton Hershey)
Ashton Bankos, York Catholic, guard; Renee Brown, Mount Alvernia,
forward; Becky Burk, Abington Heights, guard; Kelsey Caruthers, Penn
Manor, forward; Shakara Goodling, Steelton-Highspire, guard; Kelly
Jamison, Jim Thorpe, guard; Jillian Keefer, Palmyra, guard; Caitlyn
Lowe, Gettysburg, forward; Vanneea McFarland, Allderdice, forward;
Lindsey Meyer, Central Dauphin, forward; Teasia Myers, Lancaster
McCaskey, guard; Angie Proper, Bellefonte, guard; Brittany Ryder,
Lancaster Catholic, forward; Meghan Tait, Oxford, guard; Shawnice
Wilson, Westinghouse, center

Boys’ game
Time: 8:30 p.m.

Maryland roster
Coach: Jeremy Synder (Glenelg)
Guy Barnes, Frederick, guard; Rashad Blackwell, Winters Mill, forward;
Deyon Cook, Atholton, forward; Anthony Jones, Atholton, center; Chris
Leggin, Century, forward; Devon Lesniak, Winters Mill, guard; Justin
McCoy, Mount St. Joseph, guard; Bruce Richardson, Glenelg, forward;
Kevin Seker, Marriotts Ridge, guard; Obi Ukwuoma, Long Reach, forward;
Evan Williams, Glenelg Country School, forward; Cammeron Woodyard,
Winters Mill, guard

Pennsylvania roster
Coaches: Fred Pickett (Chester) and Mike Pilsitz (Steelton-Highspire)
Karon Burton, Chester, guard; Lance Chisholm, Steelton-Highspire,
guard; Brett Derr, Millersburg, guard; Garrett Derr, Millersburg,
guard; Darren El, Oxford, guard; Jordan Gembe, Greencastle-Antrim,
guard/forward; Quion Gunning, Central Dauphin East, forward; Jerren
Harris, Lancaster McCaskey, forward; Jacob Iati, York Catholic, guard;
Russell Johnson, Chester, forward; Ryan Murphy, Delaware Valley, guard;
Jamaal Parker, Lancaster McCaskey, guard; Josh Proctor,
Steelton-Highspire, center; Dametric Scott, Greencastle-Antrim,
forward; Pat Sharr, West Mont Christian Academy, guard; Brett Young,
Penn Hills, forward