2015 SPRING SPORTS WINNERS

South Point High School held its annual spring sports awards banquet on Tuesday, May 26th. Awards were presented for junior varsity and varsity baseball, varsity softball, ladies junior varsity and varsity soccer, men's golf, men's tennis, and men's and women's track. Also, presented were the following major awards: the Jack Huss Scholar Athlete Award, Male and Female Sportsmanship awards, Male and Female Athlete of the Year awards, the Jack Lineberger Scholarship award and the Joe Steele Fan Appreciation Award. Also recognized was the Academic All Conference team for the fall sports season.

The Jack Huss Scholar Athlete Award is presented to a senior who has participated in at least two sports during the past year. The award winner must have the highest academic average of those who qualified. Jack Huss was a longtime resident of Cramerton, an outstanding athlete and coach and a WWII veteran. This is a very appropriate award to be named for Jack Huss because as a coach, he knew the value of athletics in the lives of our youth, and as a teacher and later principal at Cramerton High School, he also knew the importance of academics in the lives of young athletes to prepare them for their future. The winner of the award this year is Morgan Mahaffey. Morgan has been a NCHSAA Scholar Athlete all four years at South Point and has been named to the South Point Academic All Conference team 7 times. She was All Conference in cross country and softball and was named Co-Most Valuable Player and leading hitter for softball. She is second in her class. She was named one of the Gaston Gazette's Best n' Brightest and was also a recipient of one of the Myers Scholarships. She will attend Tusculum College on a softball scholarship.

Clay Julen is the winner of the Jack Lineberger Scholarship Award. The Jack Lineberger Scholarship is a $2500 scholarship presented each year to a senior member of the football team. It is given in memory of Jack Lineberger who played football at Belmont High School during 1953-54 and graduated in 1954. He was named to the 1953 All State Football team and played in the Shrine Bowl where he was the runner-up for the MVP award. He went on to play varsity football at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where he was the starting guard until an injury ended his career. Clay received the Gerald Cortner Award given to a football player for leadership, character, and scholarship. He was also named All Conference in football as an offensive tackle. He also received the Coach's Award in varsity basketball. He will attend NC State next year.

The Male and Female Sportsmanship Award are presented to a senior who has participated in at least 2 sports. Those nominated are then voted on by the coaches. This award expresses much more than physical achievement. It exemplifies and embodies the actions and attitudes of the recipient. To be chosen for this award, the student-athlete has to exhibit the qualities of fairness, courtesy and grace - in winning and in defeat - on and off the field. The recipient must be a person of integrity. To win this award you have to stand apart from the crowd. You have to lead others by your attitude, your hard work and your example. You cannot be like everyone else. You have to realize that, as someone wisely put it, "a man who wants to lead the orchestra must turn his back on the crowd."

The winner of the Female Sportsmanship Award is Morgan Mahaffey. She participated in softball and cross country. In softball she was named Co-Most Valuable Player. She has been an NCHSAA Scholar Athlete all four years in high school and is number 2 in her class. She will attend Tusculum College in the fall.

The winner of the Male Sportsmanship Award is Clay Julen. Clay participated in football and basketball. He is an NCHSAA Scholar Athlete. Coach Lineberger says about Clay, "He is an outstanding team player, leader and he has a tremendous work ethic. He makes everyone around him better. His morals and character are beyond reproach." A compassionate young man, he comes to serve. He volunteers with Special Olympics and tutors other members of the football team. After attending NC State University, he plans to teach Special Education and coach.

The Joe Steele Fan Appreciation Award is given by the South Point Booster Club to a volunteer who goes beyond expectation in support of South Point Athletics. The winners this year are Robin, Logan and Grace Tanner.

South Point also named its Male and Female Athlete of the Year. The Female Athlete of the Year is Morgan Mahaffey. Morgan was named to the All Conference team in both cross country and softball. Also, she was named Co-Most Valuable Player and leading hitter in softball. She will attend Tusculum College on a softball scholarship.

The Male Athlete of the Year is Tanner Muse. He was named All Conference in both football and baseball. He was also named to the Associated Press North Carolina High School Football team for the last two years and was named the Gaston Gazette's All Purpose Player of the Year in Football. He will attend Clemson University with the intent of playing both football and baseball. He is now playing for the Gastonia Grizzlies.


Listed below are the awards winners.



MAJOR AWARDS







Clay Julen - Jack Lineberger Scholarship Award

Clay Julen - Male Sportsmanship Award

Morgan Mahaffey - Female Sportsmanship Award

Morgan Mahaffey - Jack Huss Scholar Athlete

Robin, Logan and Grace Tanner - Joe Steele Fan Appreciation Award

Not Pictured: Tanner Muse, Male Athlete of the Year








Track

L-R - Back Row: Aurora Ziemer, Ladies Track MVP; Jeffrey Pearsall, Men's Track MVP; Kayla Karr, Ladies Field MVP

Front Row: Jailah Grier, Ladies Track Most Improved; Shania Crosby - Ladies Track Coach's Award

Not Pictured - Donovan Stowe - Men's Field MVP; Jaquan Brooks & Charleston Odom - Men's Track Co-Coach's Award





Men's Golf

Back Row: L-R - Zach Brewer - Unsung Hero Award; Max Neisler - Most Valuable Golfer

Front Row: Corey Hodges - Most Improved; Phillip Telsrow - Co-Coach's Award

Not Pictured: Landon Isaacs - Co-Coach's Award





Men's Tennis

L-R - Anthony Allen, Coach's Award; Neeral Patel, Most Improved Award

Not Pictured - Carlos Morales - MVP





Varsity Baseball

L-R Back Row - Matt Owens - Varsity Best Defense; Garrett Davila - Eddie Lineberger MVP (Varsity) & Big South Player of the Year; Logan Edgerton - Karl Witzke Best Hitter (Varsity) & Mary Scott Barnes Memorial Award (Highest GPA - Varsity)

L-R Front Row - Nick Farmer - JV Co-Best Defense; Scottie Lee - JV Baseball Best Offense; Jordan Lathe - JV Co- Best Defense

Not Pictured: Jarrett Cooper - Puddin Broome Most Improved (Varsity); Tanner Muse - Billy Potter Leadership and Priorities (Varsity)





Softball

L-R Back Row - Rachel Gordon - Varsity Co-Most Improved; Skyler King - Varsity Coach's Award; Abby Henry - Varsity Co-Most Improved

Front Row - Morgan Mahaffey - Varsity Co-Most Valuable Player & Leading Hitter; Hannah Brewer - JV Best Defensive Player; Katelyn Shipman - JV Best Offensive Player; Jaelin Griffin - Varsity Co-Most Valuable Player & Leading Pitching Award & Big South Conference Player of the Year

Not Pictured: Sierra Ghorley - Varsity Defensive Award; Alexa Leach - JV Coach's Award; Brittany Franks - JV Most Improved





Ladies Soccer

L-R - Back Row -Lexi Whitfield- JV Most Valuable Player; Allie Ross - JV Most Valuable Offense; Caroline Hyde - JV Most Valuable Defense; Grace Russell - Teammate of the Year (Varsity)

L-R - Front Row -Haley Stockton - Varsity MVP; Varsity Most Valuable Offense; Ella Dunham - Varsity Most Valuable Defense; Brianna Whitfield - Varsity Most Improved; Madison Davis - JV Most Valuable Offense

Not Pictured- Brooke Arnold - Varsity Heart and Hustle Award