Sewell named Courier-Journal's 7th Region Player of the Year
Szabo named Courier-Journal's 7th Region Coach of the Year
More details to come....
TRINITY ATHLETICS
February 26, 2010
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Shamrocks Sweep Top Regional Honors
Sewell, Epley Named First Team All-Region; Szabo Named Coach of the Year for Second Time
LOUISVILLE, Ky. â Trinity senior Josh Sewell was named Seventh Region Player of the Year by the Louisville Courier-Journal in their annual survey of regional coaches released Friday, the outlet has announced.
In addition, Sewell and Taylor Epley were awarded First Team All-Region honors and head coach Mike Szabo was named the Seventh Region Coach of the Year for the second time in his career.
It marks the first time since 2004-2005 that Trinity has placed multiple players on the first team. Zach Berry, Kyle Saxton and Bret Saxton all made first team honors that year, a school record.
Sewell, a leading candidate for the Mr. Basketball award in the state of Kentucky, has led the Shamrocks in scoring at just under 20 points per game. Earlier this season, he earned Most Valuable Player honors in the stateâs top three in-season tournaments, the 2009 Canfield Development King of the Bluegrass, 2009 Republic Bank Holiday Classic and 2010 Coca-Cola/Republic Bank Louisville Invitational Tournament.
Sewell earned the top vote on 10 of the 14 ballots cast to earn top player honors. He is the first player in program history to earn the honor.
Epley has been one of the Shamrocks most consistent weapons throughout the season. He was named to the All-Tournament team of all three in-season tournaments that Trinity claimed this season. Epley registered 18 points on Wednesday in a 73-60 win over Seneca in the opening round of the 27th District Tournament.
Szabo earned top honors in the region for the second time in his career. He also earned the honor in 2004-2005 after finishing the year with a 29-4 record.
He received eight of the 14 votes cast.
Szabo, now in his ninth season at Trinity, is the only coach in state history to lay claim to championships in the King of the Bluegrass, Louisville Invitational Tournament and Republic Bank Holiday Classic (formerly Fifth Third Bank Classic). He lays claim to one King of the Bluegrass title, two Louisville Invitational Tournament titles and two Republic Bank Holiday Classic titles. He is also the only coach to reach the finals of all three events in the same year, having achieved the feat twice in his career.
Szabo led the Shamrocks to the 2004 KHSAA/National City Sweet 16 Boyâs State Basketball Tournament for the first time in school history after winning the schoolâs first regional title. The Shamrocks reached the state quarterfinals before falling to eventual state runner-up Mason County. Szabo has produced nine McDonaldâs All-American Candidates and five Kentucky All-Stars in his first nine years with the program.
Trinity (26-2) finished the regular season ranked number one in the state of Kentucky by the Associated Press and Bluegrass Preps. Trinityâs 26 wins are the second most in program history. The Shamrocks have won 24 consecutive games entering the 27th District Championship game on Friday.
Earlier this season, Trinity claimed the âTrinity Trifecta,â becaming the first team to win Kentuckyâs three most prestigious in-season tournaments in the same season, the 2009 Canfield Development King of the Bluegrass at Fairdale High School, 2009 Republic Bank Holiday Classic at Lexington Catholic High School and the 2010 Republic Bank/Coca-Cola Louisville Invitational Tournament. In winning the Louisville Invitational Tournament, Trinity defeated Ballard, Eastern and Jeffersontown in a 29-hour period. The trio of teams, along with the Shamrocks, are generally considered the top four teams in the Seventh Region in the state of Kentucky, one of the toughest leagues or regions in the nation this season.