Pelham named to All-District 7-AAA team

By ROB NUNLEY / Sports Editor for the Southern Standard

Warren County High School sophomore guard Leanne Pelham fires a pass to Leah Cunningham during the Lady Pioneers’ game at White County this season. (Rob Nunley photo)

While the Lady Pioneer basketball team finished a tough season with no wins in District 7-AAA play, the young team’s offensive leader received an individual nod of praise from the league’s coaches.

Leanne Pelham was named to the All-District squad, which was released over the weekend following the conclusion of Oakland’s run at the TSSAA state tournament.

In a poll of district coaches, Pelham received the sixth-highest amount of votes cast for the 11-member team.

The Lady Pioneer sophomore amassed 479 points this season (17.1 per game), connecting on 56.4 percent from of her shots from 2-point range, 38 percent from behind the 3-point arc, and 79 percent from the free-throw line. In addition to her scoring numbers, Pelham pulled down 185 rebounds, with many coming off the offensive glass.

“Offensively, she was the total package for us this year,” said WCHS head coach Ann Eades. “And as good as these statistics are, the thing that makes me the happiest is she’s just a sophomore.

“She did a great job for us. She stepped up and had to be a leader, but she handled that role well, and I’m looking forward to two more years with her.”

Riverdale’s Krystle Horton was voted the district’s Most Valuable Player, with Cora Beth Smith of Oakland, Cookeville’s Ashley Taylor, Oakland’s Jenne Webb and Riverdale’s Melissa Weiland rounding out the top five vote-getters.

Pelham was followed in the selection order by Oakland’s Taren Hayes, Cookeville’s Stacey Moss, White County’s Amanda Lewis and Natalie Anderson, and Lebanon’s Kristen Kirkland.