EVANSTON — Red Devil basketball celebrated the season past during an awards dinner at the Evanston Machine Shop on Tuesday evening, March 12. The freshman team was the first to be acknowledged by varsity head coach Lex Cornia, since freshmen coach Jerry carroll was not in attendance. Cornia praised Carroll as being a fantastic assistant coach to the varsity program for preparing freshmen players to be ready for junior varsity and varsity basketball, both physically and mentally, by having the proper mindset and understanding the expectations of Red Devil basketball. He also lauded coach Carroll for having one of, if not, the best, basketball minds in the community. 

“He gets guys ready to play 4A basketball,” Cornia said of Carroll. “He’s tough but he’s fair.We know that when we receive players from Coach Carroll, they’ll be tough, disciplined and will play as a team.”

Not all members of the freshman team were present, but those who were received a certificate. Freshman team members include Noah Conrad, Talen Critchfield, Payton Bybee, Domenique Mendez, Peyton Cornia, Jesus Quintero, Tanner Newsome, Brodan King, Jake Robinette, Jason Bowen, Junior Zermeno and Cooper Morrow.

“The future of Red Devil basketball is very bright, indeed,” Cornia told the crowd in attendance.

Junior varsity coach and varsity assistant Brian Barker then stepped forward to talk about the JV team. Barker first thanked his wife Jenny for allowing him the opportunity to do something he loves for the past 20 years, for keeping him in line and for her unwavering support. He then thanked coach Cornia for his innovativeness and the bond the two share for EHS basketball. Barker acknowledged this year’s senior class for being the special group he has been involved with since switching from coaching Lady Red Devil basketball to the boys’ program.

Barker shared the frustration of an inauspicious beginning to the season he and his players shared.

“We couldn’t score, we couldn’t rebound and we couldn’t defend,” Barker stated, describing the JV team’s 1-6 start to the season. 

“But then something changed, and we went 11-5 from that point on,” the coach said, as he spoke of the additional time and effort his players put forth and how they began to display their support for each other and evolve into a team.

“They decided winning was better than losing and really turned things around,” Barker affirmed.

Junior varsity players were then called forth to accept awards. The JV team was comprised of Wade Bowen, Carson Wall, Stetson Wiedrich, Logan Kennedy, Jagger Mitchell, Krish Ahir, Burke Thomas, Braxton Lind, Casey Periman, Latham Chandler and David Baxter.

A video produced by Ryan Richens honoring the seniors was played before Cornia stepped to the podium.

“I take a lot of pride in being associated with this program” Cornia told the crowd, elaborating on growing up and playing in nearby Rich County and how that program looked toward Red Devil basketball’s tradition as a benchmark.

“We knew how things were done here (in Evanston) and we respected it,” the coach added. Cornia spoke of his father coaching for 32 years and how he became a team manager when he was in kindergarten.

“It’s not an easy program to be a part of, but it’s something you can definitely take a lot of pride in,” Cornia said of the program he guides. Cornia issued some thanks before bringing his team forth, which included his wife, Lisa, for her unseen contributions to the program, and his kids for the sacrifices they make to allow him to coach. Cornia thanked the coaches’ wives and his coaches, with special praise for coach Barker, labeling him as a co-head coach, rather than an assistant. He again praised Carroll for his coaching career spanning 34 years.

Cornia then thanked student assistants Kaden Fry and Kyle Barker for the wide array of responsibilities and contributions the duo accomplish for the team.

“I really consider them as members of our coaching staff,” Cornia related.

Cornia had his players stand and give a round of applause to their parents and booster club members. He had special praise for senior mom Brenda Berger, as fellow senior mother Judy Hurd had given earlier, for all Berger had done to assist the boys’ basketball program.

Cornia told the crowd that Evanston had qualified for state for 19 consecutive years and that during his tenure the team is 52-30 over the past three years, along with boasting a 15-3 home record and a 6-3 mark during the state tournament.

“This is not an easy program to be a part of,” Cornia reiterated. “It takes a lot of courage to step on the floor for Evanston, and it’s not the same everywhere else in the state,” Cornia avowed, speaking again to the tradition and expectations of Red Devil basketball.

“It would have been very easy for these guys to pack it in and become individuals” (as opposed to playing as a team) the coach explained, referring to the slow start to the season, “and they didn’t.”

The five seniors — Lance Evans, Garrett Berger, Seth Lloyd, Brady Hurd and Chris Moeller — were asked to step forth, along with juniors, Dawson Crofts and Mason Ellingford, and student assistants, Fry and Barker.

Crofts received acknowledgement for being named all-conference honorable mention. Berger, Hurd and Ellingford received awards for being named to the all-conference, second team, while Evans and Lloyd were honored as first-team all-conference players along with second-team, all-state selections.

A follow-up story on the coach’s thoughts regarding the five departing seniors will appear in next Tuesday’s Herald.