Matthews named district Coach of the Year

Published 7:00 am Thursday, April 7, 2016

Bogalusa coach Ken Matthews was named the District 7-3A coach of the year and two Lumberjacks were selected to the first team.

Matthews helped the Lumberjacks win a co-district championship, as Bogalusa and Albany tied for the title.

Both teams posted a 6-2 record in the league. Both of Bogalusa’s losses were to Albany. The Hornets’ setbacks in district were against Independence and Amite.

This season, the Lumberjacks posted a 16-10 record overall and reached the bi-district round of the Class 3A playoffs as the No. 21 seed.

Bogalusa lost to 12th-seeded Green Oaks, 69-38, in the opening round.

Two players for Bogalusa made the first team, including Billy Mingo and Tramarcus Levi.

Bogalusa had one second-team player in Kenny Robertson.

Four more Lumberjacks are all-district honorable mention players, including Laster Hills, Ronald McMorris, D’Sean Crumedy and Kenyatta Scott.

Albany also had a pair of players on the first team — Sean Sykes and Dylan Hoyt.

Rounding out the first team is Independence’s Melvin Baker.

The league’s most valuable player is Amite’s Devonte Smith.

Teammate Izarius Grady made the second team, as five teams had one player each on the second team.

The rest of the group includes Independence’s Damien Morgan, Jewel Sumner’s Javarius Donnett and Albany’s Justin Thompson.

Sumner had four all-district honorable mention players, including Jacoby Holmes, Ricky Commodore, Charles Robertson and Keythe Vernon.

Amite had two players in Josh Montgomery and Tyrus Wheat.

Albany’s Quincy Sykes and Independence’s Chandon Spears also made the all-district honorable mention list.