61st WNC Sports Awards Banquet Set for May 7 at Grove Park Inn
The 61st WNC Sports Awards Banquet presented by Ingles will be held on Sunday, May 7 at the Omni Grove Park Inn.
The banquet, first held in 1959 and conducted by the Mountain Amateur Athletic Club, honors the area’s top high school athletes and teams with 24 awards, 20 scholarships, the Riley Howell Courage Award, and a Special Olympics Scholarship.
More than 100 of WNC’s top student-athletes are invited to the banquet, which begins at 5:30 p.m. in the Omni Grove Park Inn’s Grand Ballroom.
Tickets are available to the public and can be purchased for $35 at wncsportsawards.org.
Finalists for the awards and scholarships recipients were selected from nominations from WNC coaches and athletic directors, who received their nomination forms in March.
For more information, contact Martha Gates at marthagates18@gmail.com or go to wncawards.org.
Below is a list of finalists for each award that will be handed out on May 7.
Wells Fargo Advisors/Aiken, Meyer, Whatley Division II Female Athlete Major Sport: Katie Alexander, Asheville Christian; Halle McFarland, East Rutherford; Zoie Shuler, Robbinsville; Mahala Stewart, Blue Ridge Early College; Desta Trammell, Robbinsville.
Northwestern Mutual/Carole Martin Division II Female Athlete Olympic Sport: Caroline Barton, Carolina Day; Ella Jane Osada, Asheville Christian; Eliza Perry, Hendersonville; Amelia Rogers, Swain County; Alana Warren, R-S Central.
Homewood Suites Division II Female Team Major Sport: Asheville Christian volleyball, Cherokee basketball, East Rutherford basketball, Robbinsville basketball.
Mills Manufacturing Division II Female Team Olympic Sport: Hendersonville tennis, Swain cross country, Swain indoor track & field, Swain outdoor track & field.
Nicole and Kyte Ferrell Division II Male Athlete Major Sport: Reagan McCranie, Chase; Eric Rasheed, Hendersonville; Isaac Weaver, Andrews; Cooper King, Hendersonville; Derin Saran, Asheville School; Davis Kendall, Owen Soccer.
Tara and Frank Burdette Division II Male Athlete Olympic Sport: Matthew Gray, Swain County; Rocky Hansen, Christ School; Jesse Shelton, Mountain Heritage; McKee Thorsen, Asheville School; Tucker Valliere, Asheville School; Kage Williams, Robbinsville.
Fields Auto Group Division II Male Team Major Sport: Andrews football, Christ School basketball, Mountain Heritage basketball, Owen soccer. Blue Ridge Division of EmergeOrtho Division II Male Team Olympic Sport: Asheville School swimming, Christ School cross country, Owen cross country.
Ann Brandis Division I Female Athlete Major Sport: Chloe Burch, Pisgah; Tori Ensley, Franklin; Evangelia Paulk, Asheville; Halle Skibo, Reynolds; Tymber Thompson, Roberson.
First Citizens Bank Division I Female Athlete Olympic Sport: Jenna Barnes, Reynolds; Emma Hall, West Henderson; Hope Smith, Franklin; Boston Stringer, Franklin; Emma Warren, Enka; McKenna Williams, Tuscola, Emma Hall, West Henderson.
HomeTrust Bank Division I Female Team Major Sport: Pisgah basketball, Reynolds basketball, Roberson volleyball, West Henderson soccer.
Nat & Carolyn Arthur Division I Female Team Olympic Sport: Franklin indoor track and field, North Buncombe indoor track and field, West Henderson cross country, West Henderson outdoor track and field.
Goforth Builders Inc. Division I Male Athlete Major Sport: Chad Clark, North Buncombe; Asher Cunningham, Reynolds; Sean Green, Reynolds; Lukas Kachilo, West Henderson; Dashawn Stone, Reynolds.
Massasoit of North Carolina, Inc. Division I Male Athlete Olympic Sport: Evan Byrd, Pisgah; Blake Cassada, Franklin; Damon Landreth, West Henderson; Noah Tocaben, Enka; Jack Vess, Reynolds.
McKinney Insurance Services Division I Male Team Major Sport: Reynolds football, Reynolds soccer, Roberson baseball, West Henderson baseball.
Rodeway Inn & Suites Division I Male Team Olympic Sport: Enka wrestling, Franklin indoor track and field, Pisgah wrestling, Reynolds outdoor track and field.
Paramount Kia Division II Female Academic Award: Willa Gettys, East Rutherford, Eliza Perry, Hendersonville; Desta Trammell, Robbinsville; Melodi Van’t Hoff, Hendersonville.
Blue Ridge Imaging Technologies Division I Female Academic Award: Kennedy Barker, Pisgah; Anna Grace Eling, North Buncombe; Catherine Rehm, Asheville; Alyssa Smith, Franklin.
Heath & Nikol Shuler Division II Male Academic Award: Trevor Coldren, Rutherford Early College; Luke Collier, Asheville Christian; Cooper King, Hendersonville; Jackson Knox, R-S Central; Matthew Gray, Swain County.
Beverly-Hanks Realty Division I Male Academic Award: Davis Anders, Franklin; Jacob Asbill, Roberson; Evan Byrd, Pisgah; Jackson Duchesne, West Henderson.
Apollo Flame Division II Female Athlete of the Year: Katie Alexander, Asheville Christian; Caroline Barton, Carolina Day; Zoie Shuler, Robbinsville; Desta Trammell, Robbinsville.
Young Transportation Division II Male Athlete of the Year: Matthew Gray, Swain County; Caden Hilemon, Madison; Rocky Hansen, Christ School; Eric Rasheed, Hendersonville; Isaac Weaver, Andrews.
Lary & Jan Schulhof Division I Female Athlete of the Year: Jenna Barnes, Reynolds; Chloe Burch, Pisgah; Lexie Gunter, North Henderson; Evangelia Paulk, Asheville; Tymber Thompson, Roberson.
Henry Logan Division I Male Athlete of the Year: Evan Byrd, Pisgah; Blake Cassada, Franklin; Sean Green, Reynolds; Lukas Kachillo, West Hendersonville; Dashawn Stone, Reynolds.
Scholarship Winners: Jenna Barnes, Reynolds; Ainsley Cannon, Enka; Chad Clark, North Buncombe; Roman Coxie, Asheville Christian; Sarah Kate Dobbins, Thomas Jefferson; Nidrea Gray, Reynolds; Lexie Gunter, North Henderson; Rocky Hansen, Christ School; Israel Jackson, Franklin; Will Johnson, Murphy; Marqies McCombs, Chase; Rylie McDonald, Andrews; Bekka Mull, North Buncombe; Lucas Parker, Enka; Eva Rinker, Tuscola; Amelia Rogers, Swain; Evan Smalley, Tuscola; Tymber Thompson, Roberson; Ty Turbyfill, Mitchell; Kirsten Watt, Asheville High.