Ferrell contributed 11 points, eight rebounds and five assists in the Division I-II contest as the South soared to a 131-77 triumph. Murray had eight points and a rebound in the Division III-IV nightcap, a 72-70 win for the South.
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“South side both times, we’ll take it,” said Murray, a 5-foot-6 guard who’s committed to play NCAA Division II hoops at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Fla. “It’s just an honor to be selected and play. It was a pretty cool experience.”
Ferrell, a 6-1 guard, will move on to play NCAA Division I ball at Akron.
“This was definitely my favorite one,” Ferrell said of her fifth and final all-star game since Franklin lost to Carroll 57-43 in a Division II regional final March 8. “I just liked all the girls and everything about it. It’s really fun to play with people this good.”
The games consisted of four 10-minute quarters, and Ferrell did all of her scoring in the second half. She hit one of the South’s 15 treys in the first game of the evening.
“I had to try to get a feel for the game,” Ferrell said of her slow start. “Practice was really good last night. We all got along well and played well together. There was really nothing bad.”
The players arrived on campus at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday and practiced, then had dinner and some bonding time. On Friday, they had breakfast and a shootaround before doing some pregame bowling.
Ferrell was happy to be on the same floor with a future Zips teammate. That was the North’s Lonasia Brewer, who played at Akron Hoban and made her official Akron visit with Ferrell.
“This is the last time for me in high school basketball,” said Ferrell, who plans to major in early childhood education at Akron and will start taking classes in July. “I’m ready for college. Well, I think I’m ready for college.
“I’m proud of what I did at Franklin. I’m proud of all my teammates and how far we went. We all bonded together, and I know I have lifelong friends. But it’s time to move on. I’m excited for the next step.”
Murray led Waynesville to the brink of the Division III state championship, with the Spartans losing to Columbus Africentric 51-47 in the title game March 16.
She said Friday’s second game wasn’t a nerve-wracking situation for her.
“I didn’t really feel any nerves,” Murray said. “In all-star games, it’s always kind of hard to play with people you’ve never played with before. But having some time with each other before the game, spending the night with each other, I think that helped for sure.”
She played in four all-star contests and felt much like Ferrell after the last one. High school was memorable, but the future seems very bright.
“I don’t think it could’ve ended a better way at Waynesville,” Murray said. “I’m really happy with how everything turned out. I’m going to miss it so much, but it’s time. I’m excited for where I’m going next.”
She chose Embry-Riddle over West Liberty (W.Va.) and is undecided about her major, mentioning business finance and the possibility of becoming a pilot.
“I’ve always wanted to go south. That was a really big goal of mine,” Murray said. “I started talking to the coaches at Embry-Riddle and went on a visit there and just fell in love with it. Even though it’s pretty far away, it just felt more like home to me. I’m really happy with the choice I made.”
Murray doesn’t have to report to Embry-Riddle until August, but said she’s been given a workout schedule by the coaches and will start following it Monday.
“It’s very detailed, but it’s good for me,” Murray said. “I need it.”
Dublin Coffman’s Jacy Sheldon (34 points, eight rebounds) was the Division I-II Most Valuable Player as the South had five players with double-digit points, including Newark’s Katie Shumate (26 points, eight rebounds). Walnut Hills’ Kennedi Myles (nine points, 13 boards) was the South’s top rebounder.
Lynchburg-Clay’s Peyton Scott (11 points, six rebounds) was the Division III-IV MVP. South teammate Samantha Whiteman of Covington added 12 points and eight caroms.
Division I-II Game
South 131, North 77
South 28-33-34-36—131
North 17-24-14-22—77
SOUTH (131): Madison Greene (Pickerington Central) 6 4 18; Kassidy Betzing (Pomeroy Meigs) 3 0 6; Corinne Thomas (Tecumseh) 3 0 7; Jacy Sheldon (Dublin Coffman) 15 0 34; Katie Shumate (Newark) 10 0 26; Hannah Haithcock (Washington Court House Washington) 3 2 8; Kennedi Myles (Walnut Hills) 4 1 9; Layne Ferrell (Franklin) 4 2 11; Mikala Morris (Kenton Ridge) 5 1 12. Totals: 53 10 131
NORTH (77): Constance Chaplin (Euclid) 6 2 15; Annie Roshak (North Canton Hoover) 8 3 19; Kamryn Dziak (Amherst Steele) 3 0 7; Aaliyah Currence (New Philadelphia) 3 1 7; Talayzha Catchings (Mansfield Senior) 1 1 3; Lonasia Brewer (Akron Hoban) 2 1 5; Sabria Hunter (Austintown Fitch) 7 6 21. Totals: 30-14-77
3-point goals: S 15 (Shumate 6, Sheldon 4, Greene 2, Thomas, Ferrell, Morris), N 3 (Chaplin, Dziak, Hunter)
Division III-IV Game
South 72, North 70
South 22-19-22-9—72
North 17-20-21-12—70
SOUTH (72): Mallory Garbe (Columbus Tree of Life) 4 0 8; Alyssa Evans (Amanda-Clearcreek) 2 0 5; Rachel Richardson (Albany Alexander) 3 0 7; Peyton Scott (Lynchburg-Clay) 5 1 11; Lauren Flannery (Hannibal River) 2 1 5; Samantha Whiteman (Covington) 6 0 12; Amil Ali-Shakir (Purcell Marian) 2 1 6; Morgan Haney (Miami East) 3 0 6; Rachel Murray (Waynesville) 3 1 8; Katie Dettwiller (Portsmouth Notre Dame) 2 0 4. Totals: 32-4-72
NORTH (70): Celeste Ryman (Loudonville) 2 1 7; Larnae Vance (Rocky River Lutheran West) 5 0 13; Morgan Leppelmeier (Pettisville) 3 0 8; Ashley Hall (Andover Pymatuning Valley) 1 0 3; Bailey Drapola (Brookfield) 5 0 15; Savanah Richards (Findlay Liberty-Benton) 2 0 5; Mikaila Carpenter (Orrville) 5 0 10; Courtney Prenger (Minster) 0 1 1; Courtney Pifher (New Washington Buckeye Central) 3 0 8. Totals: 26-2-70
3-point goals: S 4 (Evans, Richardson, Ali-Shakir, Murray), N 16 (Drapola 5, Vance 3, Ryman 2, Leppelmeier 2, Pifher 2, Richards, Hall)
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