Player of the Year: Marietta’s Erica Dawson notches district, ECOL honors

Erica Dawson is probably going to need a U-haul to transport all of the hardware that she's been collecting of late.

Also, maybe even an extra trophy room will have to be contructed and added to the home of Dawsons' parents.

Marietta High's 5-foot-9 junior basketball standout recently was honored as both an All-District 13 and East Central Ohio League (ECOL) Player of the Year.

Article Photos

KEVIN PIERSON The Marietta Times
Marietta's Erica Dawson (22) goes up for the basket during the second quarter of a girls' sectional final basketball game at Alexander High School on Feb. 18. Marietta won 63-61. Later, MHS was eliminated in a regional semi.

"We're pretty fortunate to have Erica. A player like her doesn't come around every year," said MHS girls' head basketball coach Scott Cozzenes. "We're hoping all of this will lead to first team all-state."

Averaging about 30 points per game, if Dawson doesn't make first team, it'll be a travesty.

Cozzens said his protege edged out Zanesville High senior Kailee Howe for the ECOL honor.

In district, Dawson was Division II Co-player of the Year with South Point senior Allison Mitchell.

"Thing is, Erica is a team player above all else," Cozzens said. "All of the kids like her, and they get along real well."

Dawson was very instrumental in leading the Lady Tigers (19-5) to a regional semifinal berth in Zanesville where they dropped a 70-60 decision to Jonathan Alder Tuesday night.

Incidentally, Dawson was the 2010-11 Southeastern Ohio Athletic League (SEOAL) Player of the Year.

Also making the All-ECOL Scarlet Division first team from Marietta were senior Amanda Brown and junior Kaitlyn Cozzens (the head coach's daughter).

In District 13, Brown, and Warren's Jordanna Rauch and Emma Ryan each was was a second-team honoree.

Like Dawson, Warren's Allie Grace Proctor was a first-team selection on the all-district team.

Warren girls head coach Amy Colgrove was named DII District 13 Coach of the Year. The first-year Lady Warrior boss - who guided the royal blue and white cagers to an 18-6 overall record, an SEOAL title, a sectional crown, a district championship, and a regional appearance - also was the SEOAL Coach of the Year.

In Division IV, Waterford's Brooke Drayer was District 13 Player of the Year and a first-teamer.

Also making the first team was Lady Wildcat senior Emily Brown. Teammates' Chelsey Paxton and Kaitlin Pottmeyer were second and third team, respectively.

Belpre's Allison Flowers and Kelsey Lerch made the second and third team, respectively, in district

Waterford girls' head coach Jerry Close was honored as DIV District 13 Coach of the Year. The veteran Lady Wildcats'mentor guided the green and white to a 20-4 mark and a Top-10 ranking in the state.

On the boys' side, Tim Grosel has a pretty nice collection of athletic hardware himself. The 5-foot-10, three-sport standout at Marietta made both the DII District 13 and ECOL first team.

Grosel was the leading Tigers' scorer this past winter, averaging 15.2 points per game. Last season, he was first-team All-SEOAL.

Also an all-league baseball and soccer standout, Grosel will have to make a difficult decision as to where he will be attending college upon graduation.

"Tim got a 34 on his ACT, and is also a 4.0 student in the classroom," said MHS boys' cage boss J.D. Secrest. "So, he can pretty much do or go wherever he wants to go after he graduates.

"He's definitely strong enough to play in whatever sport he chooses to play in."

Warren sophomore Evan French, who had a 40-point game against Chillicothe during the season, was also a first team All-District 13 pick.

Named to the all-district second team were Warriors' Tyler Ward, Jeremy Hastie, and Josh Windland.

Honored as a second teamer in the ECOL and a special mention on the district team was Marietta's Eli Lenington. The 6-foot Tiger sharpshooter averaged 14.2 ppg this past season.

Making ECOL honorable mention and district special mention was 6-4 MHS senior Nathan Williams, the Tigers' best pivot player and leading rebounder.

In their debut campaign in the ECOL Scarlet Division, the Marietta boys finished 10-11 overall and 7-6 in league play.

Warren boys' head coach Blane Maddox was honored as DII District 13 Coach of the Year. The veteran Warriors boss guided the royal blue and white to a 19-3 mark and a Top-10 ranking in the state.

In DIII District 13, Belpre's Jake Ullman was a second-teamer, and in DIV, Waterford's Tate Lang was first team.

Wildcats' Austin Hilverding and Austin Shriver each was a district honorable mention.