Simmons

HERMISTON — Hermiston has one of the most exciting basketball players to watch in Izzy Simmons. The 5-foot-6 junior guard put on a show this year, earning her second-team Mid-Columbia Conference honors.

“Her numbers really speak for themselves,” Hermiston coach Jay Ego said. “I am always impressed when a player can put up those kinds of numbers when every team is coming after her and out to stop her. It’s also impressive that she is such an efficient scorer with a 42% field goal percentage. For all of her accomplishments she is a very unselfish player.”

Simmons was second in the MCC in scoring at 17.9 points a game. She was first in steals (3.5), second in assists (4.3), and fourth in rebounding (7.2).

Simmons was the lone Hermiston player to earn all-conference honors. The Bulldogs finished 7-9 in MCC play and made the District 8 playoffs.

“It’s always great to make the playoffs and hope we are playing our best basketball at the end of the season,” Ego said. “The MCC and the GSL are easily two of the top 3A leagues in the state. If you can get out of districts you have a real shot at winning games at the state tournament. Each of my first three years here we have managed to get younger as a team. That youth is maturing and we are set up to make a good run next year.”

Simmons also set a single-game scoring record with 40 points on Jan. 2, breaking her mom’s record of 38 points. Alissa Edwards Simmons had held the record since 1998.

She surpassed the 1,000th point mark on the same night, and has 1,190 points heading into her senior season. Alissa Edwards Simmons holds the school scoring record with 1,491.

“Izzy’s accomplishment of reaching the 1,000-point club wasn’t really a question of would she hit the benchmark, but by what game her junior year would it happen,” Ego said. “The same goes for the single-game scoring record. I’m sure Izzy will be quick to acknowledge that none of this happens without great teammates.”

The Bulldogs lose just two seniors off this year’s team — Sydney Parker and Sydney Stocker. They return three juniors and five sophomores, most of whom played significant minutes this season.

“The best is ahead of this group,” Ego said. “We will miss the senior leadership of our two Syds. They have both been great steady contributors. We had a slow start to begin the season and then went on a strong run of games in late December through late January going 8-3.”

Chiawana junior Malia Ruud was named player of the year, while Kamiakin’s Lane Schumacher was selected as coach of the year.

Player of the year: Malia Ruud, jr., Chiawana

Defensive players of the year: Emaunii Smith, so., Kamiakin; Aubrey Herrin, jr., Kamiakin

Coach of the year: Lane Schumacher, Kamiakin

First team

Malia Ruud, jr., Chiawana; Nicole Wertenberger, sr., Kamiakin; Haylee Johnson, sr., Kennewick; Emaunii Smith, so., Kamiakin; Lynnea Moran, sr., Hanford.

Second team

Madison Reibel, sr., Walla Walla; Kaia Foster, jr., Chiawana; Izzy Simmons, jr., Hermiston; Mackenzie Schulz, jr., Richland; Dylyn Dress, jr., Kennewick.

Honorable mention

Aubrey Herrin, jr., Kamiakin; Macie Milu, sr., Richland.

All-defensive team

Emaunii Smith, so., Kamiakin; Aubrey Herrin, jr., Kamiakin; Lynnea Moran, sr., Hanford; Mackenzie Schulz, jr., Richland; Madison Reibel, sr., Walla Walla; Baylee Maldonado, so., Chiawana.