By Bill Collmer, Hornell Sun Senior Sports Writer
The Steuben County Athletic Association recently announced their 2025-2026 All County Girls’ Basketball All-Star teams.
Avoca-Prattsburgh Sophomore Meyah Putnam was named Steuben County League MVP. Putnam is averaging 14.4 Points per game along with 6.6 rebounds, 4.3 steals and 4.3 assists while shooting 49% from the floor. She’s made 20 3-Pointers on the season. Putnam was a first team All-Star last season as a freshman.
“Steuben County has a wealth of talented players. That makes Meyah earning League MVP even more meaningful. She consistently impacts the game in multiple ways and demonstrates why she’s one of the most complete players in our conference. To stand out in a league with this kind of talent says a lot about the season she’s had,” Avoca-Prattsburgh Coach Trista Sullivan said.
Canisteo-Greenwood Senior Bailey Mullen was named First Team for the Second Consecutive season. She’s averaging 10.4 points per game and 5.7 Rebounds and often guards the opposing team’s best player. Mullen surpassed 1,000 career points last season.
Canisteo-Greenwood Coach Collin Button said, “Bailey has had an incredible career. She is not only a scorer, but one of the hardest working players on the court at all times. She’s willing to put her body on the line for every possession. Bailey has had to adjust to many changes over the years. She started out playing in the shadow of some very solid upperclassmen and was able to establish herself as an offensive threat as well. The next few years of her career she was looked at as the go to player and was under a lot of pressure to perform. She took on a bigger role offensively and had to grow, not only as a player but as a leader. This year she has more weapons around her and has continued to be solid in all phases of her game. She is a scorer, she defends the opposing team’s best guard, she plays multiple positions offensively, and she leads by example. She understands that this team is solid and she can rely on others to help her reach the team goals. That unselfish part of her personality and game is what sets her apart from others,”
Jasper-Troupsburgs Laura Hall and Leah Lawson were named first Team All-Stars alongside Canisteo-Greenwood Sharpshooter Kara Mahany and Avoca-Prattsburgh Center Evelyn Travis while Addison Senior Caidyn Jones rounded out the first team.
Travis a 6’2″ Junior, was also a first team All-Star last season and is averaging 11.6 points per game and 8.6 Rebounds.
“Evelyn being named First Team reflects the presence she gives us inside. As a post player, she anchors us in the paint, rebounds at a high level, and gives us a strong interior scoring option,” Sullivan said.
Mahany who is only an eighth grader averaged 13.4 PPG at Arkport-Canaseraga last season and scored 286 points; she’s scored 249 points this season and is averaging 15.6 PPG to lead the Lady Chargers. She already has 535 career points with several more games to play this season and four full seasons after this year.
Jones repeats as a first team All-Star this season.
Hall and Lawson both played J.V at Jasper-Troupsburg as they did not field a Varsity Girls team last season. They’ve helped lead the Lady Wildcats to a 16-3 record this season are a No.3 Seed for Sectionals and will play in the Steuben County Tournament Championship game.
Hall a sophomore leads the Lady Wildcats with 17.5 Points, 4.0 Assists and 4.6 Steals per game. Lawson a freshman averages, 14.4 Points, 3.8 Rebounds, 3.6 Assists and 4.5 Steals per game.
“We had a talented group in JV so I felt we could have a solid season, but they have definitely exceeded my expectations. Sitting at 16-3 our only losses were to Canisteo-Greenwood and Avoca-Prattsburgh which are both very solid teams. I am very pleased with our season and hope more is to come,” Jasper-Troupsburg Coach Don Lawson Said.
“We have a hard-working group of girls and start an 8th grader, two freshman and a sophomore, so I would like to think we are just getting started in what we can do. I think our future is bright. We hope to continue to build on what we have and have worked hard to ensure we have a good foundation at the lower levels,” Lawson Added.
Second Team All-County
Addison’s Marley Atherton repeats as a second Team All-Star, she was joined by Canisteo-Greenwood Freshman Grace Mahany, Avoca-Prattsburgh seniors A.J Mcintyre and D’Mariannah Hinson-Pike along with Addison’s Khloe Snow and Canisteo-Greenwood Senior Payton Bentley.
McIntyre a transfer from North Rose-Wolcott played her first full season at A-P after joining the team mid-season during her junior year. McIntyre is averaging 6.8 Points and 5.3 Rebounds per game.
Hinson-Pike is in her fourth season after being brought up as a freshman under then A-P Coach Jeff Gilbert, she’s averaging 7.3 points, 4.5 assists and 3.4 steals per game. She’s made 27 3-pointers on the season.
“D’Mariannah and AJ both earning Second Team honors highlights the strength of our guard play. D’Mariannah is our playmaker. She controls tempo, creates opportunities for others, and makes big decisions with the ball in her hands. AJ is our energy. She brings intensity every possession, defends, attacks, and shifts momentum with her effort,” Sullivan said.
“I’m extremely proud of all four of them and what they’ve contributed to our success,” Sullivan added.
Grace Mahany is averaging 7.9 PPG for Canisteo-Greenwood, she averaged 8.8 PPG last season as an eighth grader at Arkport-Canaseraga. She now has 496 career points and is only a freshman.
“Gracen and Kara have been a wonderful addition to our district since the summer. They have jumped into our sports world with both feet and haven’t looked back. Gracen is such a strong all-around player. She rebounds well, passes the ball all over the court setting her teammates up for fast break layups or open threes, and she is also a good scorer. She can stretch the defense with her 3-point shooting as well as take an opponent to the rim with her ball handling skills. Kara has a motor that does not stop. Her shot is the quickest I have ever seen at the high school level and if she gets hot from the outside, she can fill up the stat sheet very quickly. One thing people might not notice is how quick her hands are as well. She gets many deflections and steals that generate our break and open up our scoring. I am so excited to see how these two progress over the years. I anticipate outstanding careers for both of them at C-G. They have great teammates around them, who are also some of their best friends. This group of girls are very competitive and push each other each day,” Button said.
Bentley is averaging 6.4 Points and 6.4 Rebounds per game: she’s an 89% free throw shooter only missing three attempts on the season. She has 818 career points. Bentley teamed with fellow All-State Senior Bailey Mullen on a team full of underclassmen and excelled as the elder statesmen.
“Payton and Bailey are very different people but complement each other’s style wonderfully. Payton is a great rebounder, shot blocker, and finishes well around the rim. She brings the team energy, she is enthusiastic, cheers her team on, and is the first to celebrate another person’s accomplishments. Along with Bailey’s basketball skills, she is a serious person who brings the ‘business’ type attitude to every practice and game. She keeps people calm and focused on the goal at hand. Having these dynamic seniors together works out great for our team. They lead our energetic 8th graders and connect with our seasoned upperclassmen. They bring the team chemistry together when the girls need it most,” Button added
Canisteo-Greenwood (17-2) will play Jasper-Troupsburg Wednesday night February 18th at 5:45 p.m. for the Steuben County Tournament Championship.
The Steuben vs. Allegany Senior game will be Tuesday, March 17th at Cuba-Rushford. The Girls game will start at 6 p.m. The boys game is at 7:30 p.m.
