NORWICH – The Southern Tier Athletic Conference (STAC) released the 2019-2020 season All-Stars last week and five players from both the Norwich boys and girls basketball teams received honors for their play for the year.
Lady Tornado members Abby Flynn and Margaret Dougher were named while JT Vinal, Carson Maynard and Tommy Flanagan were selected on the boys side.
Flynn, a senior for the Norwich squad, helped lead the Lady Purple Tornado to their second consecutive Section IV Class B Championship by nearly averaging a double-double in both points and rebounds. The senior scored an average of 12.4 points per game this season and grabbed 9.6 boards each time she stepped on the floor.
One of the many sophomores on this year’s roster, Dougher led Norwich in the scoring column with 12.6 points per game. Many of her points came from behind the 3-point arc as the youngster knocked down a total of 43 shots in the 22 game schedule (an average of two per game).
The Lady Purple Tornado had a record of 16-6 this season and were set to take on South Jefferson for a rematch of last year’s New York State Regional finals on March 15 but the chance to reach the final four as well as a shot at state title were cut short due to COVID-19.
The Norwich boys team ended the year with an overall record of 17-5 before falling in a matchup with Seton Catholic in the Section IV Class B finals. Leading them to the record were the three seniors named to the All-Star team – Vinal, Maynard and Flanagan.
In his fourth season on the varsity team, Vinal averaged a double-double with 11.1 points and 12.8 rebounds a game. The senior forward recorded 13 double-doubles for the year and added two single season records (101 steals and 282 rebounds) while taking over as the program all-time steals leader, grabbing the reigns from Tornado stand-out Charlie Wightman after many years.
Vinal tallied 22 points on February 28 for a season high. He also pulled down 22 rebounds on two different occasions – both times against Seton Catholic during the regular season – while averaging 24 minutes a game.
Maynard registered double figures in 19 of Norwich’s 22 games this season to average 16.5, leading the team in the scoring column. The senior saw an average of 28 minutes on the floor and was able to score 20 or more points in seven different contests throughout the year. His season high was 27 points in a game against Chenango Forks on January 9. Maynard also recorded three double-doubles.
Flanagan put up 15.5 points a game for Norwich this season, scoring double digits in 20 out of 22 games. The Tornado senior was a sharp shooter, hitting a total of 75 3-point field goals for the year – an average of 3.4 per contest. Scoring 20-plus points in four different games, Flanagan’s season high of 26 came on February 4 against Chenango Valley.