Matthew's Ellison High Basketball Team Photo Album

Ellison's Manley is district coach of the year again

By Evan Ren

Killeen Daily Herald

For the seventh time in the last decade, Ellison coach David Manley has been voted district coach of the year by his peers.

Manley, who earned his latest accolade on Tuesday, guided the Eagles to a 26-9 record and a third-straight district title in the 2003-2004 season, eventually falling to Houston Wheatley in the Region III semifinals on Friday.

"I take it as a compliment and it's always an honor to be voted in by your fellow coaches," Manley said. "But it's more of a compliment to the players and the team you have."

After dropping two of their first three games, Manley's Eagles recovered to win 25 of their last 32 contests, including 13 of 14 in District 17-4A.

The only league loss Ellison suffered was a 42-30 setback at Marble Falls on Feb. 6, snapping a school-record 27-game district winning streak.

"He's certainly deserving," said Shoemaker coach Rick Kirkpatrick, a longtime friend and former assistant of Manley's. "He took a group of kids that nobody thought would do anything and got them into the regional tournament.

"He always gets the most out of his kids, no matter what he's given. That's why he's been in the playoffs for 10 straight years."

Manley wasn't the only part of the Ellison team honored Tuesday.

Senior center Chris Montgomery took the District 17-4A Most Valuable Player award, seniors Deontra Levi and senior Chris Gallon were both named to the first team, and senior Matthew Addison was named to the second team. Guards Taurren Miller and Jayme Price both earned honorable mention.

"As long as I coach, I'll always remember this team," Manley said. "It was one of the funnest I've ever had."

Other first-team honorees include Lampasas' forward Keith Null, Pflugerville Connally's Chris Irvin, Marble Falls' Bryan Smith and Carter Tynes, Shoemaker's Cleveland Zeigler and Killeen's Juaquin Iglesias.

Rounding out the second team were Shoemaker's Gabe Haskins, C.J. Rainey and Charles James, Falls' Eric Sanchez, Harker Heights' Frankie Brown, Taylor's Ernest Miller and Killeen's Larry Gordon.

Killeen's Trey DeBose and Miguel Reyes both earned honorable mention, as did Trevon Hocutt, Marquis Newby and Michael Straughn of Heights, and Jeremy Rankin and Tre Black of Shoemaker.

The district's All-Defensive team consisted of Ellison's Miller, Lampasas' Nick Stripling, Killeen's Calvin Fleming, Falls' Jason Mandel, Connally's Kenny Fontenette, Heights' Dustin Allen, Taylor's Michael Campos, and Shoemaker's Rainey.

Local female first-team honorees included Nyesha Adams and RaShea Bell of Shoemaker, Killeen's Jaquenta Richard and Latoya Gill, Lampasas' Wendy Null and Dusti Urofsky, and Ellison's Nicole Crane.

Named to the second team were Shoemaker's Jessica Perry, Ellison's Jacque Johnson, Killeen's Deasia Johnson, and Heights' Brittany Parham.