Meet the West Michigan Conference Player of the Year finalists for 2022-23 winter sports

The 2022-23 Michigan high school winter sports season officially wrapped up last Saturday with the conclusion of the boys basketball state finals.

We’re not quite done with winter sports yet at CatchMark SportsNet, however.

In seven winter sports, a CatchMark panel consisting of Scott DeCamp, Conner Raeth and Tate Stine selected three finalists for the Player of the Year award. Players of the Year will be determined by fan polls.

Fan polls originally opened at 8 a.m. Thursday, March 30, but because of technical difficulties, we had to relaunch new polls at 1 p.m. Thursday, March 30. Because of the technical difficulties and inconvience, we are extended the voting time until noon on Thursday, April 13.

The banquet will be held at the Viking Athletic Center on Saturday, April 22, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Below are the Player of the Year finalists for girls basketball, boys basketball, girls wrestling, boys wrestling, girls bowling, boys bowling and competitive cheer, along with brief capsules describing each of the finalists:

GIRLS BASKETBALL

ABBY HICKS, Hart: The 5-foot-7 junior point guard was the straw that stirred the drink for the Pirates, who went unbeaten in the WMC Rivers Division, captured district and regional titles, knocked off top-ranked Buchanan in the Division 3 state quarterfinals and advanced to the semifinals at the Breslin Center for the first time. Hart finished with a 24-4 record. Hicks averaged 15.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, 6.0 steals and 3.9 assists per game. 

ADDI HOVEY, Hart: The 5-foot-9 sophomore forward was the best pure athlete for the Pirates, who went unbeaten in the WMC Rivers Division, captured district and regional titles, knocked off top-ranked Buchanan in the Division 3 state quarterfinals and advanced to the semifinals at the Breslin Center for the first time. Hart finished with a 24-4 record. Hovey averaged 17.9 points, 8.7 rebounds, 2.5 steals and 2.0 assists per game. She was voted an Associated Press Division 3 first-team all-stater.

ANNA LUNDQUIST, Oakridge: The 6-foot-2 junior forward was a double-double machine and proved to be an inside-outside threat for the Eagles, who finished the season with a 16-7 overall record and placed third in the WMC Lakes Division. Lundquist averaged 15.3 points, 11.5 rebounds, 3.3 steals, 2.4 blocks and 1.5 assists per game. 

BOYS BASKETBALL

CAMDEN THOMPSON, Whitehall: The 6-foot-5 sophomore wing/forward led the Vikings to a 17-6 record and share of the WMC Lakes Division title along with Ludington. Thompson averaged 23.6 points, 14.4 rebounds (6.3 offensive), 3.4 assists, 2.5 steals and 2.2 blocks per game. He broke Whitehall’s single-season scoring record with 496 points. He was voted the CatchMark SportsNet WMC Player of the Year last winter as a freshman.

PARKER HOVEY, Hart: The 6-foot-5 senior point guard/point forward led the Pirates to a 22-0 regular season (first in school history, at least in the modern era), the outright WMC Rivers Division title and a spot in the Division 2 district finals. They finished with a 23-1 overall record. Hovey averaged 24.9 points, 12.5 rebounds and 9.0 assists. He totaled 1,029 career points. After the season ended, Hovey announced his commitment to Hope College.

DAVID SHILLINGER, Ludington: The 5-foot-8 junior guard had a big season for the Orioles, who finished 20-3 with a share of the WMC Lakes Division title along with Whitehall. Shillinger averaged 22.1 points, 3.3 rebounds, 3.8 steals and 2.2 assists per game. He totaled 509 points on the season and eclipsed the 1,000-point milestone in his career despite only being a junior. He’s currently sitting at 1,127 career points, which ranks him No. 6 all-time and quickly climbing the list.

GIRLS WRESTLING

SAVANNAH WINKLEBLACK, Montague: The Wildcats junior placed sixth at 110 pounds in the MHSAA girls individual state finals, which is one open division as opposed to four divisions. She finished the season with a 23-4 record. Last winter, Winkleblack was voted the CatchMark SportsNet Player of the Year after finished sixth in the state at 110 pounds.

EMMA PENDELL, Montague: The Wildcats junior placed fifth at 140 pounds in the MHSAA girls individual state finals, which is one open division as opposed to four divisions. She finished the season with a 21-10 record. Last winter, Pendell became Montague’s first girls wrestling state champion and her school’s first overall wrestling state champ since 1989 in winning the 140-pound title.

NYVEAH WENDT, Mason County Central: The Spartans sophomore placed eighth at 110 pounds in the MHSAA girls individual state finals, which is one open division as opposed to four divisions. She finished the season with a 29-20 record. Last winter, Wendt became the first Mason County Central female wrestler to qualify for the all-female individual state finals.

BOYS WRESTLING

SHANE COOK, Whitehall: The Vikings senior completed a dream run in his final season in the program. Cook captured the 285-pound state championship in Division 3 and finished with a flawless 62-0 record. He was the lone state champion from the West Michigan Conference. Cook is the fourth Whitehall wrestler to finish a season as an undefeated state champion, joining Ira Jenkins (2021, 2022) and Tim Cooper (1980). He closed his high school career 172-16 with 118 pins, 42 of them this season.

TEE WARD, Fremont: The Packers junior was a top-four state finals finisher for the third time in as many seasons. Ward placed third in the 138-pound weight class of Division 2 at the state finals this season and boasted a 57-3 record. He finished second in the state last year and fourth as a freshman. All that’s left for him is to win the state title as a senior. (No pressure, Tee.)

DARNELL MACK, Whitehall: A few wrestlers in the West Michigan Conference could have laid claim to this spot among the finalists, but the panelists opted for this Vikings junior. Mack placed fourth in the 150-pound weight class of Division 3 at the state finals this season. He finished his season with a 50-9 record.

GIRLS BOWLING

AVA GARCIA, Whitehall: The Vikings junior averaged 146 and had a total pinfall of 2332 in 16 games during West Michigan Conference competition this season. Garcia finished fifth in the Greater Muskegon Athletic Association tournament. She also is a top-10 golfer in the West Michigan Conference.

KIRA TWINING, Oakridge: The Eagles junior averaged 168 and had a total pinfall of 2013 in 12 games during West Michigan Conference competition this season. Twining was champion of the Greater Muskegon Athletic Association tournament. At the Division 3 state finals, she finished fourth in the qualifying block and advanced to bracket play. Twining was a Player of the Year finalist last year.

MAE MABRITO, Ravenna: The Bulldogs senior averaged 168 and had a total pinfall of 2345 in 14 games during West Michigan Conference competition this season. Mabrito was a key member of Ravenna’s team, which captured a Division 4 regional championship and competed in the state finals.

BOYS BOWLING

CHASE ALBRIGHT, Holton: The Red Devils senior averaged 180 on the season. He was a team captain, a first-team All-West Michigan Conference selection and placed fifth in the Greater Muskegon Athletic Association tournament. Albright, who also played basketball, rolled a school-record 279 in the Reeths-Puffer Invitational at Northway Lanes.

DYLAN GORDON, Ravenna: The Bulldogs senior averaged 193 and had a total pinfall of 3083 in 16 games during West Michigan Conference competition this season. Gordon finished runner-up in the Greater Muskegon Athletic Association tournament. He placed fifth in the Division 4 regional and qualified for the state finals. Gordon was a bowler of the year finalist last winter.

KORBIN TENBRINK, Orchard View: The Cardinals senior was a key component of his team winning West Michigan Conference and Greater Muskegon Athletic Association titles this season. TenBrink averaged 176 and had a total pinfall of 2465 in 14 games during West Michigan Conference competition. He placed fourth in the GMAA tourney, and at the Division 3 state finals TenBrink placed 11th in the qualifying block to advance to bracket competition.

COMPETITIVE CHEER

EMILY ADAMS, Mason County Central: The Spartans junior tumbler was a big reason why MCC teams each of the last two seasons qualified for the state finals. The strong, athletic and spunky Adams led the Spartans to the program’s first district title and an eighth-place Division 4 state finals finish last winter. This season, Adams helped MCC get back to the state finals for another eighth-place finish.

AVERY RAMSEYER, Hart: The Pirates senior competed in all three rounds throughout her competitive cheer career at Hart. She held down the Pirates’ back spot, according to coach Jen Hlady. “I’m not sure who I’ll find to replace her. She was phenomenal behind the stunts and truly held ours together,” Hlady said. Ramseyer helped Hart get back to the Division 4 state finals, where the Pirates placed fourth.

NORA CHICKERING, Hart: The Pirates enjoyed a big season, winning a West Michigan Conference title as well as Division 4 district and regional championships en route to a state finals berth, and Chickering played a key role. The sophomore tumbler competed in all three rounds and performed all of the Round 3 passes for the Pirates, who finished fourth at the Division 4 state finals.