THE SPORTS REPORTS: HORSEHEADS' BONNELL NAMED ZIFF LAW FIRM 'GIRLS BASKETBALL PLAYER OF YEAR;' CORNING'S STARNS, HORSEHEADS' RIBBLE, COACHING STAFF ALSO EARN ALL-REGION TOP HONORS (April 30, 2026)

The Sports Reports
It was a big season for area basketball teams, making for some tough choices for The Sports Reports / Ziff Law Firm All-Region Girls’ Basketball team.

Headlining the team, as the "Player of the Year" is a freshman. Samantha Bonnell had an outstanding season to lead the Horseheads Blue Raiders to their first regional title in 24 years and a trip to the state final four. 

Bonnell averaged 17 points a game, along with five assists, four steals and four assists a game. She had a 3-to-1 assist to turnover ratio and hit 41 3-pointers on the season, and made 80 percent of her free throws. 

She had the highest assist-to-turnover ratio of any point guard that Horseheads coach Andy Scott has had in 27 years. She helped the Blue Raiders finish the year as the No. 2 overall ranked team in the state rankings in Class AA.

There are "Co-Offensive Players of the Year" as Charlise Starns of Corning and Haley Litzeman of North Penn-Liberty share the honor.

Starns, a junior, averaged 20.7 points, 13.4 rebounds, three blocks and 1.8 steals a game. She helped Corning win the sectional title and scored 33 points against Elmira in the sectional final, including the 1,000th point of her career.She scored 12 straight points in the fourth quarter of that final. 

She has double digit Division I offers, including an SEC offer from Mississippi State. At 6-5, she was a force on the defensive end as well, blocking and altering shots. 

Litzelan scored in double-figures in all but one game for the Lady Mounties and had 30 or more four times. She averaged 22.4 points a game, finishing her career with a school record 1,400 points. 

She had 18 scoring-rebounding double-doubles, a rebounding-assist double-double and a triple-double. She averaged 13.2 rebounds a game, finishing her career at 979 boards. She added 4.5 assists, 3.7 steals and 2.6 blocks per game. 

Maddie Ribble of Horseheads is the "Defensive Player of the Year." The junior is tenacious and always guards the opponents' best player, holding them well below their averages. 

She was also very disciplined on defense, never getting in foul trouble and outworking her opponent night-in and night-out. She is "tough as nails" and led the team in deflections and was second in steals. She also turned her defense into offense averaging double digits in scoring and helping her team to a third straight sectional title. 

The "Newcomer of the Year" is Jenna Morningstar of Wyalusing. The freshman made an impact with her athleticism and size, averaging 9.2 points and 9.7 rebounds a game. 

The "Breakout Player of the Year" is Kyah Renzo of Troy. She went from being a bench player last year to the co-Bradford County All-Stars "Player of the Year" this year. She averaged 12.8 points, 6.1 assists and 3.6 steals a game.

The "Coaching Staff of the Year" is at Horseheads. Coach Andy Scott and assistants Pat Bonnell and Jerry Laney turned what looked to be a developmental year with a young group into a historic season. 

They won their fifth straight STAC West Division title, their third straight Section 4, Class AA championship and their first regional championship in 24 years. The team ended ranked No. 2 overall in Class AA in the state rankings, their highest ranking since 2002. 

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PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Samantha Bonnell, Horseheads;
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Charlise Starns, Corning, and Haley Litzelman, North Penn-Liberty;
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Maddie Ribble, Horseheads
NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR: Jenna Morningstar, Wyalusing;
BREAKOUT PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Kyah Renzo, Troy;
COACHING STAFF OF THE YEAR: Andy Scott, Horseheads, and assistants Pat Bonnell and Jerry Laney.

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2025-26 ALL-REGION
GIRLS BASKETBALL
FIRST TEAM
Samantha Bonnell, Horseheads: See above.
Charlise Starns, Corning: See above.
Mariah Matias, Elmira
Haley Litzelman, NP-Liberty: See above.
Emmie Makie, Candor
Gianna Renzi, Troy
Kyah Renzo, Troy
Maddie Ribble, Horseheads: See above.
Leah Beebe, Northeast Bradford
Ryleigh Judson, Waverly
Meya Smith, Elmira
Kalysta DeMark, Notre Dame

SECOND TEAM
Deanna Shaddock, Corning
Mali Hüfner, Edison
Cailyn Van Boy, Canton
Brynn Woodruff, Towanda
Alysha Potts, Wyalusing
Kam Lightner, North Penn-Mansfield
Jenna McEvoy, Owego
Marielle Searles, Owego
Kam Short, Newark Valley
McKenna Jarvis, Athens
Maddie McNamara, North Penn-Mansfield

THIRD TEAM
Evelyn Starns, Corning
Payton Sutryk, Notre Dame
Payton Perry, Towanda
Emily Johns, Wyalusing
Adrianna Rich, Newark Valley
Megan Williamson, Candor
Jenna Morningstar, Wyalusing
Kendall Graham, North Penn-Liberty
Kenna Thomas, Williamson
Giana Hughey, Horseheads
Mallorie Maynard, Northeast Bradford

ALL-REGION NEWCOMERS
Jenna Morningstar, Wyalusing: See above.
Giana Hughey, Horseheads
Maggie Tremaine, Horseheads
Ellie Jankowski, Horseheads
Avery McCauley, Elmira
Payton Grant, Elmira
Ava Roberts, Elmira
Katie Grover, Corning
Alissa Vough, Athens
Hailey Clark, Edison
Maci McWhorter, Notre Dame
Lauren Coseo, Notre Dame
Raelyn Woodward, Troy
Haidyn Watson, Troy
Izzy Renzi, Troy
Kara Dughi, NEB
Maris Cobb, Towanda
Julia Kaczyński, North Penn-Mansfield
Irie Lynch, Tioga
Kate Kithcart, Tioga

ALL-REGION DEFENSIVE TEAM
Maddie Ribble, Horseheads: See above.
Char Starns, Corning
Evelyn Starns, Corning 
Rylee Lantz, Sayre
Kaylin Twedt, Waverly
McKenna Jarvis, Athens
Mariah Matias, Elmira
Kam Lightner, North Penn-Mansfield
Cailyn Van Noy, Canton
Gianna Renzi, Troy
Jhamariah Maxwell, Notre Dame
Addison Vendzules, Edison
Sadie Gustin, Horseheads
Ashlyn Dalton, Owego
Maci Wheeler, Waverly
Alissa Vough, Athens

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