This week's East-West All-Stars have a Forestview flavor
Forestview will be well-represented in this week’s East-West All-Stars Games — better than any school in Gaston County history.
The Jaguars are sending five athletes to the annual All-Star week in Greensboro, which begins with basketball on Monday and continues with soccer on Tuesday and football on Wednesday. Shannon Smith and Kelsey Harris will play in the girls basketball game, Jack Sumner in the boys basketball game, Danny Sassano in boys soccer and Kevin Jeter in football.
This marks the first time any school from Gaston or Lincoln counties have placed so many athletes on All-Star rosters in the same year.
In fact, only three times has a local school sent as many as three players to one East-West All-Star week:
1955 — The old Ashley High sent Doug Hoffman and Roger Sheppard to the football game and Charles Kelton to the basketball game.
1969 — The old Ashley High had Ronnie Phillips and Edward Adams in the football game and Andy Anderson in the basketball game.
1983 — Ashbrook sent John Montgomery and Jesse James to the football game and Vincent Walker to the basketball game.
The feat has been pulled off 22 previous times statewide, including four schools that sent six to the All-Star Games in single year: West Charlotte in 1992, Garner in 1993, Winston-Salem Mount Tabor in 1997 and Raleigh Broughton in 2006.
In all, the Gaston-Lincoln area will have eight athletes and coaches participating in this week’s games. Hunter Huss’ Ron Bray will serve as head coach of the West boys basketball team. East Lincoln will be represented by Lindsy Wright in the girls basketball game and Kendall Bethea in the boys basketball game.
You can reach Phillip Gardner at 704-869-1843.
East-West All-Star Games
This year’s local participants:
Kelsey Harris
School: Forestview
Sport: Basketball
Position: Guard
Height: 5-10
Notable: As a senior, named all-conference, West Regional all-tournament, all-district and all-region after averaging 15.4 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 3.9 steals. Helped team win 3A state championship. As a junior, named all-conference, all-district and Western Regional all-tournament after averaging 17.2 points, 7.1 rebounds and 1.3 blocks while helping Forestview reach the state title game. Forestview’s female athlete of the year. Student body vice president. Twice named school’s female academic athlete of the year. Plans to play at Elon.
Shannon Smith
School: Forestview
Sport: Basketball
Position: Guard
Height: 5-7
Notable: Two-time Gazette player of the year averaged 23.2 points and 7.2 assists while leading Jaguars to 3A state title. Named state championship MVP and AP state co-player of the year. As a junior, named AP all-state after averaging 26.3 points and 6.6 assists. Plans to play at North Carolina.
Lindsy Wright
School: East Lincoln
Sport: Basketball
Position: Forward
Height: 6-2
Notable: As a senior, named conference player of the year and first-team All-Gazette after averaging 21.2 points and 9.4 rebounds and leading East Lincoln to a conference tournament championship. Plans to play at Wake Forest.
Jack Sumner
School: Forestview
Sport: Basketball
Position: Guard
Height/weight: 6-1, 165
Notable: As a senior, named All-District, All-Conference and team offensive player of the year after averaging 9.8 points and 4.8 assists. As a junior, named regional tournament MVP and helped Jaguars reach 3A state title game. While at Forestview, he had 1,132 career points, 338 career assists and 187 career steals. Plans to play basketball at Hampden-Sydney College in Virginia.
Kendall Bethea
School: East Lincoln
Sport: Basketball
Position: Guard
Height/weight: 6-3, 205
Notable: Averaged 17.9 points, 6.8 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.7 steals as a senior. Named all-conference and all-district. Plans to play at UNC Greensboro.
Ron Bray
School: Hunter Huss
Sport: Basketball (West boys head coach)
Notable: Has coached past nine seasons at Hunter Huss, where his teams have gone 133-97. Has posted a career record of 194-152 in 14 seasons, also coaching at Rowland High, Green Sea (S.C.) High, South Park High, and York (S.C.) High. His teams have won two conference regular-season titles and three conference tournament titles. Has also served as head girls basketball coach at East Wilkes High and North Forsyth High and as head football coach at Rowland High, Carolina Military Academy, East Wilkes High, Monroe High and Cherryville High. A native of Elkin, N.C. and a 1963 graduate of Jonesville High, where he played football and baseball, and was named all-conference, all-tournament, and Journal-Sentinel All-Northwest in basketball.
Danny Sassano
School: Forestview
Sport: Soccer
Position: Midfielder
Height/weight: 5-11, 150
Notable: As a senior, named all-state and all-conference. As a junior, named all-state and all-conference. Plans to play at Northern Illinois.
Kevin Jeter
School: Forestview
Sport: Basketball
Position: running back
Height/weight: 5-6, 145
Notable: Jeter plans to play football this fall at Brevard. As a senior, he was named team MVP after rushing for 1,451 yards and 14 touchdowns as Forestview set a school record for wins and won a playoff game for the first time. Also ran track at Forestview, earned team MVP honors twice.
GENERAL GAME INFORMATION
Girls and boys basketball
When: Monday — girls at 6:30 p.m., boys at 8:30
Where: Greensboro Coliseum Main Arena
Parking: $5 per car
Admission: $10 adults, $5 students
Girls and boys soccer
When: Tuesday — girls at 6:30 p.m., boys at 8:30
Where: UNC Greensboro Soccer Stadium
Parking: Free
Admission: $10 adults, $5 students
Football
When: 8 p.m. Wednesday
Where: Jamieson Stadium, Grimsley High School, Greensboro
Parking: Free
Admission: $10 adults, $5 students
