Area players selected to coaches all-state teams

Caitlin Anderson of Jefferson City is among the area players selected to the Missouri Basketball Coaches Association's all-state teams.
Caitlin Anderson of Jefferson City is among the area players selected to the Missouri Basketball Coaches Association's all-state teams.

Ten area basketball players were recognized on the all-state team selected by the Missouri Basketball Coaches Association on Wednesday.

Of the 10 players, six are returning all-state players from 2017. Six of the players also led their teams to district championships this season.

Jefferson City junior Caitlin Anderson was honored on the Class 5 team, earning her second all-state award. She guided the Lady Jays to a 20-7 record and their second straight district title.

California senior Elizabeth Lutz and South Callaway senior Adrian Mann were both honored on the Class 3 girls team.

Lutz, who has signed with Western Illinois, led the Lady Pintos to a 26-5 season, a Tri-County Conference championship and a second-place finish in state, their best finish in program history.

Mann, who has signed with Nicholls State, helped the Lady Bulldogs to an undefeated regular season, a Show-Me Conference title and their first district title in program history.

Both Lutz and Mann were MVPs of their respective conferences.

New Bloomfield senior Jak Kitchens and Vienna senior Isaac Weider were recognized on the Class 2 boys all-state team, while New Bloomfield senior Madi Craighead and Tipton sophomore Abby Backes were named to the Class 2 girls team.

Kitchens, a returning all-stater, finished his career with more than 2,000 points and 1,000 rebounds. He helped the Wildcats to a 21-7 record and a district runner-up finish.

Weider, who was a 2016 all-state selection but missed most of last season due to injury, also surpassed the 2,000-point milestone this past season. He guided the Eagles to a 19-8 record.

Craighead earned her second straight all-state honor after helping the Lady Wildcats to a 19-9 record and a district runner-up finish.

Backes, the only area underclassman to make the all-state team, led the Lady Cardinals to a 19-11 record and a state quarterfinal appearance.

In Class 1, Chamois senior Aaron Brandt and Jamestown senior Trenton Barbour were honored on the boys team, while St. Elizabeth senior Brooke Struemph made the list on the girls team.

Brandt, the Show-Me Conference MVP, led the Pirates to a 21-11 record and a fourth-place finish in state in the program's first Final Four appearance. The returning all-stater finished his career with more than 2,000 points and 1,000 rebounds.

Barbour was also a significant part of the Eagles' historic season, which ended with a 26-3 record and the team's first district title since 1980. Barbour also eclipsed 1,000 points for his career.

Struemph, a returning all-stater, broke the Lady Hornets' all-time scoring record Feb. 1 and finished with more than 1,700 points in her career.