The word parity is thrown around a lot these days when it comes to sports, and it no doubt applies to the 2006-07 basketball season for our three local high schools.

We used it last year, in fact, saying there was never a season with more parity than the 05-06 campaign.

We stand corrected.

While parity doesnt necessarily apply to the teams from this past season, it certainly applies to the individual players. There were no gaudy numbers like Matt Andersons 22.6 points per game from a year ago but there was eerie-like balance on the Franklin County girls basketball team alone.

Thats why there are five count 'em five Lady Flyers on this years installment of the All-County Team. FCHS senior Nikki Bistline, the State Journal All-County Most Valuable Player, leads the group of seven total girls named all-county.

Bistline and Co. guided the Lady Flyers to 22 wins this season, the most theyve had since 1998. So it goes as no surprise that coach Joey Thacker is the girls Coach of the Year.

On the boys side, you could make a case for four different players as the MVP, but our choice is Frankfort Highs Zed Smith. This is the seventh year in a row an FHS boys player has been named as the all-county MVP. The string began in 2001 when Chris Current shared the honor with Western Hills Adam Simpson.

Wolverine coach Enoch Welch, who led his team to its first district championship in 18 years, is the boys Coach of the Year.

Boys All-County Team
ZED SMITH, MVP
Smith, a senior point guard at Frankfort High, was the Panthers go-to guy the entire season. He led Frankfort is scoring, averaging 13.9 points per game. He also averaged three steals and four assists per contest.

His season highlights included a game-high 20 points in the district tournament upset of Franklin County, a 23-point performance in the All A 11th Region finals, a 31-point effort in FHS season opener and a 27-point night against Western Hills.

Smith hopes to play college basketball but hasnt picked a school yet.

KAELIN AMMONS, FRANKLIN CO.
The senior football and baseball star ran the show for the basketball team this year, helping the Flyers to the top seed in the district tournament. Ammons averaged seven points and four rebounds per game. He also led the Flyers in minutes played, deflections (105, 6.3 ave.), steals (96, 3.7) and assists (172, 6.7) and he was second in free-throw percentage.

E.J. FIELDS, FRANKFORT
Fields, a football and track star in his own right, just missed averaging a double-double. The 6-foot-3 junior averaged 11.6 points and nine rebounds a game for the Panthers. Fields played very well down the stretch and was a force in the district tournament final, scoring 20 points in the overtime loss to WHHS.

DEMETRIUS HICKS, FRANKLIN CO.
The talented three-sport athlete was the top scorer for the Flyers this season, tallying 10.4 ppg for an extremely balanced offense. (Four players averaged between 10.4 and 9.6 ppg) A senior, Hicks also tallied 3.8 boards per game. He was third on the team in deflections.

CY HINES, FRANKLIN CO.
Hines, a 6-5 senior forward/center, was the top rebounder for FCHS, averaging 6.7 boards per game. He also scored 9.6 points per game with a 48 percent field goal percentage. He was second for Franklin County in steals with 63.

MATT HYATT, WESTERN HILLS
A 6-0 junior guard, Hyatt averaged 11.6 points and 3.4 rebounds per game. He shot well from the foul line, connecting on 77.1 percent of his tries. Hyatts best game of the season was a 33-point outing in a late-season victory over Franklin County and he scored 24 in a victory over FHS.

JAY VAN, WESTERN HILLS
Van, a 5-11 junior, led the county in scoring, tallying 15.6 ppg. He also contributed three and a half boards and two steals per contest. He shot 70.2 percent from the foul line. Van scored 28 points for WHHS in its district tournament opener against Woodford County and had a season high 29 points earlier in the year against Atherton.

Girls All-County Team
NIKKI BISTLINE, MVP
Being an all-county most valuable player runs in the family for Bistline, whose older sister Carrie was a two-time MVP in 2004 and 2005 and now plays basketball for Union College.

The 5-9 forward averaged 9.7 points and a county-best 7.2 rebounds for the Lady Flyers. She added 53 steals, 20 assists, 16 blocks and was a 65 percent free throw shooter.

Nikki will join her sister at Union next year, but Nikki will be playing on the volleyball team.

TARA ARNOLD, WESTERN HILLS
Arnold, a 5-7 point guard, had a solid season for the Lady Wolverines. She led her team in scoring with a 9.3 average and assists, with 51. She tallied 36 steals and pulled down two rebounds a game.

KATHRYN CLARK, FRANKLIN CO.
Clark, a junior guard, led FCHS in scoring average at 9.8 ppg. She also collected three rebounds per contest to go along with 29 assists and 55 steals. She was the teams best foul shooter at 77.9 percent.

ASHLEY DECKER, FRANKLIN CO.
Like Kaelin Ammons on the boys side, Decker led the county in both steals (88) and assists (87) on the girls side, and she led her team in minutes played. The 5-3 sophomore point guard also scored 5.7 ppg and pulled down 3.1 rebounds a game.

MEAGAN DOWNS, FRANKLIN CO.
Downs, a 5-6 junior guard, scored 8.2 points per contest and she grabbed 4.7 rebounds per outing as well. She was third in the county with 78 steals and she also contributed 29 assists. She was Franklin Countys second best free throw shooter, hitting 68.2 percent.

APRIL LANCASTER, WESTERN HILLS
The hard-nosed junior guard scored 8.9 points per game to go along with 4.3 rebounds per game. Lancaster, 5-6, was second in the county in steals, trailing Decker with 79, and she was third in assists with 49, trailing only Decker and Arnold.

ANNIKA RAMCKE, FRAKNLIN CO.
The 5-10 senior center finished second in the county behind Bistline in rebounds with a 5.7 average to go along with her 7.1 ppg. She led the county in blocked shots with 39 and she also collected 46 steals along the way.