Carroll County Times 2023-24 girls basketball All-County teams: Gerstell’s Shane Stem named Coach of the Year

Here are the All-County honorees for the 2023-24 girls basketball season:

Coach of the Year

Shane Stem, Gerstell Academy

From the opening moments of this season, Shane Stem had to face adversity to lead his Falcons.

Starting the season with his leading scorer from a year ago at the school, but not on the roster, Stem relied on his collection of talented newcomers early in the 2023-24 campaign. By the first half of the season, perhaps the most talented of the new arrivals, Taylor Moran left the school for undisclosed reasons.

She was the county’s leading scorer at the time.

“We just had to pivot,” Stem said. “We lost so much when Taylor left, but I knew we still had a chance to accomplish all of our goals this season.”

After reaching the IAAM semifinals the last two seasons and looking to send a senior class that won just three games their freshman year out the right way, Stem and Gerstell ran from no one.

Missing a good portion of his projected scoring load, Stem and his program responded. They defeated eventual county public school champion Westminster on the road, two IAAM A Conference teams and went undefeated in the IAAM B Conference for the program’s first conference championship.

For his efforts, Gerstell Academy’s Shane Stem has been named Carroll County Times girls basketball Coach of the Year.

“It was a magical year,” he said. “It was the result of several years of hard work and tough times that went into this success.”

Adjusting to life without Moran, Stem turned to his all-time leading scorer, Annie Jackson, and dominant post presence, Eniyah Stinnette; however it was the emergence of Miley Alguire that solidified the new look Gerstell team.

“We saw she was being misused as a guard this entire time,” Stem said. “So we put her down low and Miley and Eniyah became the most dominant post tandem in the conference.”

The impact was instant as the defense got stingy just in time for conference play. Gerstell finished the year, giving up less than 30 points per game in every regular season conference game, riding that defensive wave all the way to the championship game where that same freshman class, found themselves ending their careers as members of the best team in school history.

“This award is cool and I honored to win it, but 2023-24 will be about the girls,” Stem said. “We had such a great year and are in a great position to build and establish ourselves even more as a program.”

All-County first team

Summer Brooks, Francis Scott Key, junior

Brooks is one of two players from the Class 2A runner-up Eagles to be named first team. She earns her selection after a junior season that saw her average 11.8 points, 4.9 rebounds and 4 assists per game, showcasing her ability to lead an explosive offense with 11 points and 10 assists against Winters Mill. Brooks proved she was more than ready when the lights were the brightest, scoring a game-high 25 points in the state semifinals against Wicomico.

Harli Hamlett, Century, senior

Hamlet, who also earned first team All-County girls soccer honors in the fall, showcased her elite athleticism all winter on the hardwood. Already used to being at the top of the county soccer leaderboards, the senior finished the season as the county’s leading scorer with 17.1 points per game. One of her season’s best games was a 22-point performance in a win against Poolesville.

Annie Jackson, Gerstell, senior

The all-time leading scorer in school history, Jackson finishes with a first team spot after leading the Falcons to an undefeated conference record and the programs first IAAM B Conference championship. Jackson finished with 10.8 points and 2.7 steals per game, leading the Falcons despite only being the definitive No. 1 option for a short stretch. When she was relied on to score, she did just that, finishing with 24 points in a road win against county champion Westminster.

Harley McKee, South Carroll, sophomore

Shooters shoot and McKee shot as well as anybody this year. Finishing as the leading scorer for a pesky South Carroll squad, the sophomore finished top five in the county after scoring 15 points per game. Her sharpshooting from deep was often on display as she hit five 3-pointers in games against FSK and Middletown. McKee’s best performance may have been her 16 points in a win against FSK that shook up the county standings.

Drew Watkins, Francis Scott Key, senior

Repeating her first team selection from last season, Watkins led the Eagles with 15.2 points and 4.9 rebounds per game. Her 28-point effort against Middletown clinched the Eagles’ first regional title in 26 years. Watkins was also stellar down low on the boards, notching double-doubles with 11 points and 12 rebounds against Manchester Valley and 12 points and 10 rebounds in a win against Century.

All-County second team

Reese Kresslein, Manchester Valley, senior

Julianna Lesher, Westminster, senior

Leah Miller, South Carroll, junior

Abby Reiger, Francis Scott Key, junior

Eniyah Stinnette, Gerstell Academy, senior

All-County third team

Miley Alguire, Gerstell Academy, sophomore

Alyssa Golombeck, Liberty, junior

Kiara Hardy, Gerstell Academy, junior

Caroline Kohr, Francis Scott Key, junior

Autumn Stottlemire, Manchester Valley, senior

Honorable Mention

Century: Rylee Lownsbury and Raegan Edwards; Francis Scott Key: Kensi Bancroft; Liberty: Kourtney Goff, Gigi Hall and Allison Bald; Manchester Valley: Molly Smith; South Carroll: Jenna Todd and Charlotte Harrington; Westminster: Brinley Boag; Winters Mill: Hannah Neske and Marissa Alomary

Editors Note: All-County teams are compiled by the Carroll County Times sports staff after observing games and consulting with coaches.