Seeing their respective seasons end in the district semifinals, Ashley Aaron’s Hermann Lady Bearcats and Drew Lansford’s Hermann Bearcats had five players between their two teams earn postseason recognition from the Four Rivers Conference (FRC) following voting by the conference coaches last Wednesday.

Ending their season at 17-11 overall and tied for second in the FRC at 5-2 with St. James, Lansford’s Bearcats saw junior Kohlt Witthaus earn All-FRC First Team honors while fellow junior Myles Stiers was an All-FRC Second Team selection.

Second in scoring averaging 14.1 points per game behind Stiers’ 17.5 points per contest, Witthaus reached double figures scoring at least 10 points in 22 of Hermann’s 28 games played.

Witthaus netted a season-high 30 points against North Callaway in the South Callaway Boys Basketball Tournament.

On the glass, Witthaus led the Bearcats averaging 7.4 rebounds per game while also dishing out 2.4 assists per game good for second on the team behind Ryker Ash’s three assists per contest.

Posting double-digit rebounds in seven games, Witthaus pulled down a season-high 15 rebounds in their road win over Owensville in early February.

He also scored 14 points against the Dutchmen in one of his six double doubles on the season.

His first double double game against Clopton during the Montgomery County Invitational Basketball Tournament in which he had 15 points and 12 rebounds.

Prior to the South Callaway Tournament, Witthaus’ next double double came at the expense of Cuba’s Wildcats when he finished with 21 points and 11 rebounds.

Before posting a double double against the Dutchmen, Witthaus went for one of them during the Hermann Invitational Boys Basketball Tournament with 21 points and 14 rebounds helping them claim third-place hardware over Warrenton’s Warriors.

Witthaus’ final double double of the season came against Pacific when he had 13 points and 11 rebounds.

Dishing out a season-high seven assists in late November against Wright City, Witthaus also had three steals in action against Belle and Wright City.

Joining Witthaus on the All-FRC First Team were St. Clair sophomore Carson Roemer, Union junior Cameron Servais, St. James senior Tate Gruver, Owensville junior Brady Watson, Pacific senior Gage Clark, St. James sophomore Isaac Smith and Union senior Cannon Brown.

Roemer was named the FRC Player of the Year while Union Wildcat head boys basketball coach John VanLeer was named the FRC Coach of the Year leading the Wildcats to an outright FRC Title.

Sidelined due to a leg injury sustained during football season, Stiers averaged a team-leading 17.5 points per contest in just 15 games played.

While Witthaus had his best rebounding game against Owensville, Stiers also had similar success against the Dutchmen scoring a season-high 30 points.

Of the 15 games he played in, Stiers reached double digits in scoring during 11 of them.

Grabbing 7.3 rebounds per game, Stiers wound up five double doubles with his first one coming against St. Francis Borgia with 13 points and 11 rebounds.

Stiers then closed the month of January with another double double in the third-place game of the Hermann Tournament with 19 points and 12 rebounds against Warrenton.

Three days before his 30-point effort against the Dutchmen, Stiers recorded a double double of 26 points and 10 rebounds against Sullivan.

His remaining double doubles came against Pacific with 22 points and 14 rebounds before putting in 23 points and 10 rebounds in Highway 100 hardwood action against New Haven.

In the assist department, Stiers also dished out a season-high five assists against Sullivan while recording two steals in action against Warrenton and North Callaway.

All-FRC Second Team selections alongside Stiers include Owensville junior Chase Crosby, St. James senior Aiden Boone, New Haven sophomore Drew Gildehaus, Sullivan senior Mitchell Garner, Union senior Tucker Mabe and St. James senior Nick Gleason.

Boone was selected as the FRC Defensive Player of the Year while St. Clair senior Landon Rulo was named the FRC Sixth Man.

Along with Stiers and Witthaus, fellow junior Ryker Ash was also selected to the Missouri Basketball Coaches Association (MBCA) Class 3, District 7 Boys All-District Basketball Team.

Ash averaged 8.7 points, 2.8 rebounds and a team-leading three assists per game for the Bearcats.

Scoring a season-high 21 points against Russellville at the South Callaway Boys Basketball Tournament, Ash also pulled down a season-best nine rebounds against Fatima’s Comets at the Montgomery County Boys Basketball Tournament.

In the assist department, Ash saved his best night for the regular-season finale with a season-high eight dimes against New Haven.

He also had a season-best three steals in regular-season action at South Callaway.

Joining the Bearcat trio on the MBCA Class 3, District 7 Boys All-District Team were Centralia freshman Oliver Bohlmeyer, Central senior Anthony Ford, Centralia junior Ethan Ross, Montgomery County senior Adrian Combs, North Callaway junior Jake Blevins, North Callaway junior Jamarion Glover and South Callaway senior Graden Pontius.

Centralia head boys basketball coach Brandon Crites was named the District Coach of the Year while Ford was also named the District Player of the Year.

Finishing with a similar overall record of 16-12, Aaron’s Lady Bearcats ended up 6-1 in FRC play good for sole possession of second place behind St. James’ Lady Tigers who had a perfect 7-0 run.

Earning All-FRC honors for Aaron’s Lady Bearcats were junior Kealie Lane and freshman Andrea VanBooven on the All-FRC First Team in addition to freshman Brynlee Ash on the All-FRC Second Team.

Playing in all 28 games, Lane led the Lady Bearcats averaging 13.1 points, 8.9 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 3.8 steals per game.

Scoring in double figures during 19 of Hermann’s 28 games, Lane posted a season-high 29 points against Mexico’s Lady Bulldogs during the Montgomery County Invitational Girls Basketball Tournament.

On the glass, Lane reached double digits on the boards in 11 games grabbing a season-best 14 caroms in contests against Liberty (Wentzville) and South Callaway.

Opening her season with a double double of 17 points and 10 rebounds against Washington’s Lady Blue Jays, Lane went on to record seven more double doubles which included a pair during the Montgomery County Tournament with 25 points and 13 rebounds against Fatima in addition to 29 points and 12 boards against Mexico.

Lane nearly recorded a triple double against Vienna at South Callaway finishing with 22 points, 11 rebounds and a season-high seven assists.

Defensively, Lane posted a season-best eight steals against Lutheran St. Charles in the semifinals of the Hermann Invitational Girls Basketball Tournament.

Making a huge impact to the Lady Bearcats inside, VanBooven finished a solid freshman season averaging 8.3 points. 7.9 rebounds and a team-leading 2.82 blocked shots per game

Her overall total of 79 blocked shots and her average of three per game placed her sixth in the St. Louis metropolitan area according to stlhighschoolsports.com.

VanBooven season-high in the scoring department came during the South Callaway Tournament with 18 points against Russellville’s Lady Indians.

She also grabbed 13 rebounds helping her to one of six double doubles on the season.

Pulling down at least 10 rebounds in 10 games, VanBooven’s season-high rebounding total came against Lutheran St. Charles at the Hermann Tournament where she had 12 points and 15 rebounds.

In addition to her six double doubles, VanBooven narrowly missed a triple double during her freshman season finishing with eight points, 13 rebounds and a season-high 10 blocked shots against St. Clair.

Earning All-FRC First Team honors along with the Lady Bearcat duo were St. James junior Payge Kemnitzer, St. Clair junior Lila Hinson, St. Clair senior Emma Talleur, Union sophomore Kyndal Brown, Sullivan junior Karlee Head and St. James junior Adalee Richardson.

Kemnitzer was named the FRC Player of the Year while Brown and Head were both selected Co-FRC Defensive Players of the Year.

St. James head girls basketball coach Terry Wells was named the FRC Coach of The Year leading the Lady Tigers to an outright conference title.

Chipping in 7.4 points per game, Ash also averaged 2.5 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.3 steals per game as a freshman for the Lady Bearcats.

Scoring a season-high 16 points against Russellville at the South Callaway Tournament, Ash also grabbed a season-best seven rebounds against the Lady Indians.

Dishing out a season-high six assists against Southern Boone in early January, Ash also recorded four steals in games against Borgia, Vienna, Owensville and South Callaway.

Joining Ash on the All-FRC Second Team were Owensville junior Cameron Ryerson, Pacific freshman Myla Miller, St. James senior Avery Campbell, Union freshman Tyler Steele and St. James senior Sophie DeLuca.

Pacific’s Lili Douglas was selected the FRC’s Sixth Girl of the Year.

Released Monday morning by the MBCA, Lane and VanBooven were also selected to the MBCA Class 3, District 7 All-District Girls Basketball Team.

All-District honorees in addition to the Lady Bearcat duo included Centralia sophomore Ealynne Bostick, Centralia senior Braylin Brunkhorst, Centralia junior Ryenn Gordon, Father Tolton junior Ava Kotovsky, Father Tolton sophomore Jordan Wray, Montgomery County junior Aubrey James, Montgomery County sophomore Emma Rodgers and North Callaway sophomore Sophia Olsson.

Centralia Lady Panther head basketball coach Megan Brinkmann was named the Class 3 District 7 Girls Coach of the Year while Gordon was named the District Player of the Year.