Local stars shine in NEC All-Star voting

The accolades for the English boys and girls basketball teams and the Swampscott girls team continue to pile up in 2009.Both the English girls and the boys went undefeated in conference play on their way to Northeastern Conference championships, both had three players named to their respective NEC All-Star teams, and most impressively, both NEC North Most Valuable Player recipients don Bulldog uniforms as Jeanette Anderson and Ryan Woumn were chosen by the conference’s coaches. English boys coach, Buzzy Barton, is the North Coach of the Year.In the NEC South, Swampscott’s Allie Beaulieu and Tara Nimkar, who both reached the 1,000 point milestone this season, were chosen as co-MVPs and their coach, Jack Hughes, took home NEC South Coach of the Year honors.The all-star festivities will be held at Marblehead High on Friday, Feb. 20 beginning at 6 p.m. where Woumn will be joined by coach Buzzy Barton, teammates Justin Young and Eugene Turner, and Lynn players, Jarell Byrd and Jasper Grassa of Classical. The remainder of the NEC North boys roster is composed of Beverly’s Curtis Manuel, Nate Knudson and Mike Clayton, Peabody’s Ryan English, Revere’s Trae Weathers, and Salem’s Bryan Ortiz and Antonio Reyes.The NEC South boys team will be coached by Gloucester’s Bill Cahill, who will arrive with Fishermen Brian Chianciola and Adam Philpott. NEC South MVP Dino Mallios of Winthrop will be joined his teammates Anthony Hatzisavas and Gavin Mahoney, Danvers’ Kevin Coughlin, a trio of Marblehead Magicians (Taariq Allen, Brandon Lee and Tom Powers), Saugus’ Brian Boyajian, and Swampscott’s Mike Nimkar and Doug Rodenstein.Anderson, who reached the 1,000 point and rebound plateau this season, will be coached by Salem’s John Fortunato and accompanied by her teammates Jenicia Duggins and LaShaunda Hogan. Beverly and Salem also had three players selected as the Panthers’ Jennifer Ashton, Meghan Chatellier and Jessica Shaw, and Witches’ Erica Mendez, Ashley White and Amanda Wilkins, will make their way to Marblehead. Classical’s Hannah Byrne, Peabody’s Janelle Rodriguez, and Revere’s Morgan Jenkins round out the remainder of the NEC North girls squad.For the NEC South girls, Swampscott will have the most representation of any team as Beaulieu, Nimkar and coach Hughes will be joined by Big Blue players Marissa Gambale and Kara Gilberg. Danvers, Gloucester, Saugus and Winthrop all had a pair of players chosen. They were Kellie MacDonald and Erica Veilleux, Falcons; Fishermen Hannah Cain and Lindsey Rogers, Sachems Liz Dean and Lauren Garchinsky, and Courtney Finn and Katerina Mallios, Winthrop.The Peabody and Danvers boys teams, and the Classical and Marblehead girls teams were the recipients of the Sportsmanship award. Phillpot and Beverly’s Kellie Shea were the free throw champions.