Bernbeck earns player of the year honors–Audio

Garden City, Kan (westernkansasnews.com)-While her team ultimately fell short of their ultimate goal, Jaymie Berbeck never disappointed. 

On Monday, the Lady Buffs junior post was named the Western Athletic Conference girls basketball player of the year. 

“I feel blessed and really honored to get this award,” Berbeck said.  “It just didn’t happen all on my own. My team was there for me. Someone set the screen to get me open. My coaches did a really good job of drawing up the plays.”

Berbeck thrived in her second full year on varsity. She scored in double figures in all but one game and recorded her first career double-double against Denver South with 20 points and 10 rebounds on December 13.

Senior guard Taryn Tempel earned first team honors. The four-year varsity member broke the school’s all-time scoring record-passing Deana Craft February 14 vs. Great Bend. She also became the first Lady Buffs player to hit 1,000 career points-doing so against Liberal on Feb. 25. 

Other players to make the first team: Dodge City’s Katrina Renfeldt, Jai Chapman from Liberal and Great Bend’s Morgan Harwood. Lady Panthers leader Carrie Minton was named coach of the year. Honorable mentions: Garden City’s Tionnia McKee, Jessie Harshberger from Dodge City, Taryn Steuder, Regan Unruh and McKenna Mauler-Great Bend along with Hays Audra Schmeidler.

On the boys side there weren’t any surprises. Hays junior Brady Werth, who directed the Indians to the 5A state semifinals, was named player of the year for the second consecutive season.

Garden City’s Caleb Tramp made the all-conference team. The junior had a breakout season after coming on strong at the end of his sophomore campaign. He averaged 11.3 ppg and 5.7 rpg and closed the year by scoring in double figures in four out of his last six games. the all-conference receiver also chipped in two double-doubles.

Other players to make the first team: Jordan Windholz from Hays; Austin Weiser-Dodge City and freshman sensation Kody Crosby from Great Bend who dropped 28 points in an upset win over Garden City on Feb. 14. Hays Rick Keltner was named coach of the year. 

Honorable mentions: Garden City’s Tristan Nanninga, Hays Lane Clark and Kyler Nierenberger, Jace Larson from Dodge City and Liberal’s Hayden Coker.