Shelbee Cowart has accomplished much in her four years as a Laquey Lady Hornet.
She's been all-district in soccer and basketball, has three times made it to the state cross-country meet and was named the 2008-09 Frisco League MVP in basketball. This season she led the Lady Hornets to the state quarterfinals–only the second time the program had competed in the state tournament.
It's fitting, then, that on Wednesday one of the best athletes in Laquey's recent history was named to the Class 2 All-State basketball team and signed her college letter-of-intent on the same day.
"This is very big for our school and our community," said Laquey R-V school board member. "This is the first time we've done anything like this for a female athlete, so this is special for her."
With a bleacher section full of her friends and classmates behind her, Cowart made it official: next year, she'll play basketball at Mineral Area College (MAC).
"I wanted to get a good start on school, and I know that I'll get a lot of playing time here," Cowart said of her decision to attend the junior college in Park Hills. She plans on studying in criminal justice.
MAC head coach Gary Koch said that he and his staff have been interested in her for more than a year.
"We're very luck to get her," he said. "I think she can have a great career, both here and wherever she decides to go after playing with us.
"If I didn't think so, we wouldn't have stayed on her trail for so long."
"They have been after us," said Shelbee's mother Drucella with a laugh.
Drucella said that the entire family has spent a lot of time helping Shelbee reach her goal of playing at the collegiate level.
"A lot of time and a lot of money" she said. "But also a lot of enjoyment."
And when you add her all-state accomplishment to the list?
"It feels like a lot of my hard work has finally paid off," Shelbee said.
She’s played on an AAU team out of Lebanon for the past three summers and has travelled all over for basketball.
In her final Laquey season, she averaged nearly 18 PPG, 5 RPG and 5 APG, shooting 50 percent from the floor.
Koch noted that many of his players from Mineral Area have gone on to play Division I basketball at schools like Fordham, Duquense and Seton Hall. In other words, Shelbee has an opportunity to go far beyond MAC when she’s done there.
“I have girls playing professionally in Europe, and one will try out for the WNBA in a few months or so,” he said.
While Shelbee won’t play the sport at Mineral Area, she still has a soccer season to play.
The forward scored 18 goals in the 2008 season for the Lady Hornets–the first season of the team’s existence–and made the all-district team.
This season to date she has four goals for the Lady Hornets, who take on Belle today.
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Shelbee Cowart has accomplished much in her four years as a Laquey Lady Hornet.
She's been all-district in soccer and basketball, has three times made it to the state cross-country meet and was named the 2008-09 Frisco League MVP in basketball. This season she led the Lady Hornets to the state quarterfinals–only the second time the program had competed in the state tournament.
It's fitting, then, that on Wednesday one of the best athletes in Laquey's recent history was named to the Class 2 All-State basketball team and signed her college letter-of-intent on the same day.
"This is very big for our school and our community," said Laquey R-V school board member. "This is the first time we've done anything like this for a female athlete, so this is special for her."
With a bleacher section full of her friends and classmates behind her, Cowart made it official: next year, she'll play basketball at Mineral Area College (MAC).
"I wanted to get a good start on school, and I know that I'll get a lot of playing time here," Cowart said of her decision to attend the junior college in Park Hills. She plans on studying in criminal justice.
MAC head coach Gary Koch said that he and his staff have been interested in her for more than a year.
"We're very luck to get her," he said. "I think she can have a great career, both here and wherever she decides to go after playing with us.
"If I didn't think so, we wouldn't have stayed on her trail for so long."
"They have been after us," said Shelbee's mother Drucella with a laugh.
Drucella said that the entire family has spent a lot of time helping Shelbee reach her goal of playing at the collegiate level.
"A lot of time and a lot of money" she said. "But also a lot of enjoyment."
And when you add her all-state accomplishment to the list?
"It feels like a lot of my hard work has finally paid off," Shelbee said.
She’s played on an AAU team out of Lebanon for the past three summers and has travelled all over for basketball.
In her final Laquey season, she averaged nearly 18 PPG, 5 RPG and 5 APG, shooting 50 percent from the floor.
Koch noted that many of his players from Mineral Area have gone on to play Division I basketball at schools like Fordham, Duquense and Seton Hall. In other words, Shelbee has an opportunity to go far beyond MAC when she’s done there.
“I have girls playing professionally in Europe, and one will try out for the WNBA in a few months or so,” he said.
While Shelbee won’t play the sport at Mineral Area, she still has a soccer season to play.
The forward scored 18 goals in the 2008 season for the Lady Hornets–the first season of the team’s existence–and made the all-district team.
This season to date she has four goals for the Lady Hornets, who take on Belle today.
