By Steve Pimper
MaxPreps.com
Senior Jenteal Jackson of 5A state champion Skyline has been singled out as the best of the best by being named Utah’s Ms. Basketball for the 2007-2008 round ball season.
The 5-foot-6 guard led her team to the championship by averaging more than 15 points per game and handing out 5.2 assists per contest. She has accepted a scholarship offer to join the Brigham Young University women’s program next season.
Skyline head coach Deb Bennett noted that Jackson’s on-court skills were only part of her success, even more notable was her total commitment to the "team comes first" attitude and the leadership to build up the confidence of all her teammates in improving with each and every practice or game.
While Jackson pulled down the state’s top honor, running mate Dani Peterson was also singled out as the 5A Most Valuable Player and joined Jackson as a first team All-State selection giving the champion Eagles the top two players in the big school classification.
Other members of the elite 5A team are seniors Dani Hosking of Davis, Amanda Farish of Lone Peak and Allie Finch of Riverton. Three underclass players were also selected to the first team with juniors Nicole Yazzie of Bingham and Haley Holmstead of American Fork joining the only sophomore, Nikki Yabarra of American Fork on the all star team. Yabarra was tabbed as the top defensive player in 5A.
In the 4A ranks, the MVP also came from that classification’s new state champion as sophomore Amy Andrus of the Sky View Lady Bobcats heads the 4A All-State team.
Joining Andrus were seniors Fusi Luti of West, Alexis Kaufusi of Timpview, Angela Walter of Snow Canyon and University of Utah bound Mandy Munns of Box Elder. The only junior selected to the first team was Ashley Kroneberger of Springville while another sophomore; Nicole Hansen of Sky View was selected as the top defender.
Looking at the 3A first team selections, the MVP came from the undefeated state champion Lady Wasps of Wasatch High School as 5-8 senior guard Tara Gehring averaged 17 points per game and pulled down 5 rebounds per contest to be named that classification’s best player.
Others making the 3A first team were seniors Chelsey Garfield of Morgan, Cassie Platt of Canyon View, and the 3A defender of the year, Shanai Viafanua of Hurricane. Three juniors, Sammie Jensen of Grantsville, Tina Fakahafua of Judge Memorial and Kim Parker of Wasatch round out the 3A All-State squad.
In 2A the most valuable honor went to junior guard Jaden Parsons of South Sevier with seniors Morgan Wood of Beaver, Amy Donaldson of North Summit, Dawn Nelson of Parowan and the top defensive player of the year, Chanda Hallows of North Sevier joining juniors Jaquel Christensen of Richfield and Aubrey Lindgren of South Sevier as first team selections.
The small school selections were headed by a duo from the northern Utah’s new state champion Lady Rebels of Rich High School.
Junior guard Allie Eastman was named as the 1A MVP while senior teammate Brittani Groll was selected as the top defender.
Other members of the 1A All-State squad are Ashley Dowell of Monticello, Monica Schwarz of Intermountain Christian, Savanna Giles of Tabiona, Krystal Taylor of Panguitch and freshman Kandice Gleave of Piute
