SPRING GARDEN – WEIS Radio Sports Director Shannon Fagan presented two All-Cherokee County Girls Basketball Most Valuable Player awards at the Spring Garden athletic banquet Monday evening.

The first award was for the 2019-20 season, and that honor went to Neely Welsh. As a sophomore forward, Welsh averaged 12 points, six rebounds, two assists and two steals for the Class 1A state champion Lady Panthers (35-2).

Fagan did not have the opportunity to present Welsh with last year’s MVP honor because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The second award Fagan presented was for the 2020-21 basketball season, and that went to eighth grade point guard Ace Austin. Austin averaged 16.6 points, 7.4 assists and seven rebounds per game in leading the Lady Panthers to a 32-3 record last season, their first in Class 2A.

Special thanks to Jason Howard of Rock Run Awards for the design and furnishing of the awards.