A high-flying new face helped the Washington-Marion boys maintain their winning ways, while a veteran jack-of-all-trades at Sulphur helped the Lady Tors earn a place in the state semifinals.

For those achievements, W-M’s Mark Vital and Sulphur’s Hannah Cupit are the Most Valuable Players on the American Press All-Southwest Louisiana Big Schools basketball team.

Charging Indians boys coach Albert Hartwell and Lady Tors head coach Helen Lefevre are Coaches of the Year.

Vital, a freshman forward, averaged 18.2 points per game while leading the Charging Indians to the District 4-4A title. He is joined on the first team by South Beauregard center Chad Barmore, LaGrange forward Alonzo Pappillion, Westlake forward Jacory Washington and Sam Houston guard Kenny Waddell.

Hartwell gets the coaching honor after leading the Charging Indians to a 22-8 record.

Making up the second team are LaGrange forward David Griffin, Iowa guard Aaron Guillory, Jennings guard Chris Perkins, Barbe forward Anthony Pullard and W-M center Dedrick Richmond.

Cupit, a senior averaged 18 points per game while leading the Lady Tors, who were undefeated District 3-5A champions. She is joined on the first team by teammate Kristina Metoyer, a pair of St. Louis Saints in Jada Peltier and Hillary Henning and South Beauregard’s Morgan Dailey.

Lefevre guided a young Tors team to a 28-4 record and their first trip to the semifinals since 1998.

Making up the second team are South Beauregard’s Shanna Barrow, W-M’s Ashley Cherry, Sam Houston’s Nicole Clark and a pair of DeRidder Dragons, Pre’Franz Dominic and Tia Youngblood.

(mgnonline.com)