Club names finalists for high school athletics honors

ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — The Mountain Amateur Athletic Club has announced finalists for its annual awards honoring the top high school student-athletes in Western North Carolina.

The 62nd WNC Sports Award Banquet presented by Ingles is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. on Sunday, May 19, at the Omni Grove Park Inn.

The event, first held in 1959, features awards in 24 categories, 18 scholarships, plus the Riley Howell Courage Award and Special Olympics Scholarship.

The nominees in four female and male Athlete of the Year categories are:

* Apollo Flame Division II Female Athlete of the Year: Caroline Barton, Carolina Day; Zoie Shuler, Robbinsville; Eliza Perry, Hendersonville; Joscelyn Stamper, Cherokee; Virginia Thorsen, Asheville School.

* Young Transportation Division II Male Athlete of the Year: Cuttler Adams, Robbinsville; Justin Rowe, Asheville School; Jesse Shelton, Mountain Heritage; Connor Warren, Mitchell; Tyler West, Andrews; Kage Williams, Robbinsville.

* Lary & Jan Schulhof Division I Female Athlete of the Year: Eden Barnwell, North Buncombe; Avery Mays, North Buncombe; Tori Ensley, Franklin; Dot Mills, Pisgah; Avery Moffitt, Franklin.

* Henry Logan Division I Male Athlete of the Year: Truitt Manuel, West Henderson; Brandon Guest, Reynolds; Lex Dinwiddie, Roberson; Jackson Lyda, West Henderson; James Black, Reynolds.

More than 100 of the region’s top student-athletes have been invited to the event. Tickets are available to the public and cost $45 at wncsportsawards.org.

Finalists and scholarship recipients were selected from nominations made by coaches and athletic directors.
Other finalists include:

* Wells Fargo Advisors/Aiken, Meyer, Whatley Division II Female Athlete Major Sport: Zoie Shuler, Robbinsville; Dvdaya Swimmer, Cherokee; Whitney Rogers, Cherokee; Ryann Hernandez, Asheville School; Joscelyn Stamper, Cherokee.

* Northwestern Mutual/Carole Martin Division II Female Athlete Olympic Sport: Caroline Barton, Carolina Day; Virginia Thorsen, Asheville School; Eliza Perry, Hendersonville; Arizona Blankenship Swain, Zoie Shuler, Robbinsville.

* Homewood Suites Division II Female Team Major Sport: Brevard volleyball; Cherokee basketball; East Rutherford basketball; Mountain Heritage basketball; Polk County volleyball.

* Mills Manufacturing Division II Female Team Olympic Sport: Asheville School swimming; Hendersonville tennis; Swain cross country; Swain indoor track and field; Swain outdoor track and field.

* Nicole and Kyte Ferrell Division II Male Athlete Major Sport: Cuttler Adams, Robbinsville; Tyler West, Andrews, CJ Landrum, Hendersonville; Justin Rowe, Asheville School.

* Tara and Frank Burdette Division II Male Athlete Olympic Sport: Kage Williams, Robbinsville; Connor Warren, Mitchell; Dawson Reeves, Christ School; Parker Pulliam, Asheville Christian; Alexis Panama, Robbinsville; Jesse Shelton, Mountain Heritage.

* Fields Auto Group Division II Male Team Major Sport: Robbinsville football, Christ School basketball, Asheville School football, Owen soccer.

* Blue Ridge Division of EmergeOrtho Division II Male Team Olympic Sport: Mitchell golf, Robbinsville wrestling; Swain track and field.

* Ann Brandis Division I Female Athlete Major Sport: Avery Moffit, Franklin; Tori Ensley, Franklin; Emma Bryson, West Henderson; Dorothy Mills, Pisgah; Marianne Maxon, West Henderson; Bailey Rowe, North Henderson.

* First Citizens Bank Division I Female Athlete Olympic Sport: Emma Hall, West Henderson; Eden Barnwell, North Buncombe; Boston Stringer, Franklin; Avery Mays, North Buncombe; Hope Smith, Franklin.

* HomeTrust Bank Division I Female Team Major Sport: Asheville HS soccer; Reynolds basketball; Roberson volleyball; West Henderson soccer; North Henderson volleyball.

*Nat & Carolyn Arthur Division I Female Team Olympic Sport: Franklin tennis; Franklin outdoor track and field; North Buncombe track and field; North Henderson wrestling.

* Goforth Builders Inc. Division I Male Athlete Major Sport: Triutt Manuel, West Henderson; Jackson Lyda, West Henderson; Brandon Guest, Reynolds; Nick Parham, Roberson; James Black, Reynolds.

* Massasoit of North Carolina, Inc. Division I Male Athlete Olympic Sport: Elijah Cochran, Franklin; Bodhi McCormack, Enka; Tayman Howell, West Henderson; Logan Russo, Franklin; Reese Meadows, North Henderson.

* McKinney Insurance Services Division I Male Team Major Sport: Reynolds football; Roberson baseball; West Henderson baseball; West Henderson football.

* Rodeway Inn & Suites Division I Male Team Olympic Sport: Franklin outdoor track and field; Pisgah wrestling; Roberson cross country.

* Paramount Kia Division II Female Academic Award: Mary Grace Tisdale, East Rutherford; Kinleigh Queen, Andrews; Alexis Grayson, East Rutherford; Louisa Koon, Carolina Day; Lily Fender, Mountain Heritage.

* Blue Ridge Imaging Technologies Division I Female Academic Award: Tori Ensley Franklin; Emma Bryson, West Henderson; Avery Mays. North Buncombe; Hope Smith, Franklin; Katie Johnson, North Buncombe.

* Heath & Nikol Shuler Division II Male Academic Award: Josiah LaNave, Chase; Connor Warren, Mitchell. Jordan Dixon, East Rutherford; Manning Stewart, Carolina Day.

* Alan Tate Beverly-Hanks Realtors Division I Male Academic Award: Evan Byrd, Pisgah; Bodhi McCormack, Enka; Aaron Jennings, Franklin; Barrett Stork, Franklin.

Scholarship Winners are: Kage Williams (Robbinsville); Avery Moffitt (Franklin); Elijah Cochran (Franklin); Hope Smith (Franklin); Aaron Jennings (Franklin); Connor Ross Warren (Mitchell); Bohdi McCormack (Enka); Quinn Roberts (Roberson); Emmy Earnhardt (Swain); Connor Lambert (Swain); Memory Frapp (Robbinsville); Carson Heath (Roberson); Joshu Hernandez-Gomez (Andrews); Avery Mays (North Buncombe); Eden Barnwell (North Buncombe); Anna Wilcox (Reynolds); Nancy Perez-Ortega (North Henderson); Henry Stuart (Chris School).