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By ALEC ETHEREDGE | Managing Editor

Four girls basketball players were honored on Friday, March 13, when the 2019-20 All-State basketball team was named featuring two athletes from Spain Park, one from Shelby County and one from Westminster at Oak Mountain.

All three of those teams made it to at least the Elite Eight, while the Shelby County Wildcats advanced to the Final Four for the first time in school history and the Spain Park Jaguars won their second Class 7A state championship in three years.

A big reason for the historic season from several county teams was thanks to the talent of several special players, who were honored as the state’s top players on the All-State team.

For the Jaguars, Sarah Ashlee Barker and Camille Chase both earned a spot on the Class 7A team following their special run to the state championship.

It not only marked the second title in three years for both athletes, but also the third trip to the state championship game in the last four years.

Barker led the way again this year, as the University of Georgia commit averaged 23.3 points, 10 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game. She also had 69 steals and 40 blocks on the season, while ending her career with more than 2,000 points and 1,000 rebounds.

That was more than enough to earn her a spot on the Class 7A First Team, as arguably the state’s best player.

While it was Barker’s senior year, Chase will have the opportunity to come back next year to compete for another championship, but she’ll have to do so off a torn ACL that she suffered in the semifinal game.

That prevented her from playing in the championship game against crosstown rival Hoover, but Chase was lifted up by her teammates following the win while hoisting the trophy high in the air.

A big reason for that special moment was because of Chase’s effort throughout the season to help the Jags try to claim another title. She averaged 7.3 points, 2.4 rebounds and two assists per game, but more importantly she was one of the top defenders in the state, which earned her a spot as an honorable mention player on the 7A All-State team.

In the 5A classification, Shelby County’s Maggie West was honored after leading the Wildcats to the Final Four this season, marking their first trip in school history.

West earned a spot on the Class 5A third team for her efforts, which included averaging 19.7 points, 8.3 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game. She also finished her career with 2,153 points as a four-year player.

The final player from Shelby County to earn a spot on the All-State team came in Class 1A from Westminster at Oak Mountain’s Morgan White. As the team’s leader and main scoring threat, she faced double teams all season and still averaged 14.4 points, 4.2 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game.

That was enough to earn her a spot on the 1A Third Team. She finished her career as Westminster’s all-time leader in points (1,657), steals (330) and assists (279).