CHS Athletes honored at Banquet
Davis, Bradley named Athletes of the Year
By SCOTT MCKIE B.P.
ONE FEATHER STAFF
“You’re all going to play for a pro team, every one of you, and it’s called life,” said Randall McGinnis, president and CEO of Echota Technology Corporation and the guest speaker at the annual Cherokee High School Athletic Banquet held Friday, May 13 at Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Hotel.
Greg Bradley (left) won the James "Hogeye" Taylor Memorial Male Athlete of the Year award and Rayna Davis won the Bertha Saunooke Memorial Female Athlete of the Year award at the annual CHS Athletic Banquet held Friday, May 13. (SCOTT MCKIE B.P./One Feather photos)
“Sports teaches you not to give up,” said McGinnis. “I got to where I am today from playing sports.”
Numerous awards were given out on Friday including seniors Rayna Davis and Greg Bradley being named athletes of the year with Davis winning the Bertha Saunooke Memorial Female Athlete of the Year award and Bradley taking home the James “Hogeye” Taylor Memorial Male Athlete of the Year award.
Davis was a multi-sport standout having played volleyball and basketball for four years, track for two years, and softball and soccer for one year each. This past season, she was named to the 1A All-State Basketball team as well as being selected to the Blue/White All-Star Game in Asheville.
Buster Arch (right) receives the Noah Powell Memorial Leadership Award from Tuff Jackson.
Bradley was also a multi-sport standout and participated in basketball and track for four years and football for two years. This past season, he was named to the Honorable Mention All-Conference team in basketball.
Kathi Littlejohn, CHS Booster Club, commented on Friday, “What a year this has been. We’ve had our ups and downs.” She thanked everyone who worked with the Booster Club this past year and commended the work of Edith Crowe and Buttons Long specifically. “I won’t say they worked tirelessly. They did get tired, but they kept going. We couldn’t have done it without them.”
CHS Athletic Director Ian Roper reads a plaquard on a photo honoring Will Bird (center) for winning the 2011 1A State Wrestling Championship in the 189lb. division as teammate Tavi Rivera looks on.
Principal Chief Michell Hicks told the athletes, “We have opportunity in front of us that not many people have. We have resources and we’ve been blessed by these resources.”
“Being average is not good enough anymore. The day is here to where we have to reach for above average.”
Chief Hicks stressed the need for a good education and related that there are currently 460 EBCI tribal members pursuing higher education. “You cannot achieve what you want in athletics without achieving in academics.”
Jesse Blanton won the Chief John A. Crowe Memorial Most Dedicated Male Athlete Award and Kayla Smith won the Ray Kinsland Honorarium Most Dedicate Female Athlete Award.
Several other major awards were given out during the banquet including the Peaches Squirrell Honorarium Miss Brave award which went to Paige Jackson and the Noland Crowe Honorarium Mr. Brave award which went to John Roper.
Wrestling standout Will Bird also received special recognition in the form of a ring, a photo plaque and an embroidered jacket for winning the 1A state championship in the 189lb division.
Awards List
JV Volleyball
Offensive MVP – Ashley Bolt
Defensive MVP – Taylor Wilnoty
Coach’s Award – Taran Swimmer
Varsity Volleyball
Offensive MVP – Rayna Davis
Defensive MVP – Celine Lambert
Coach’s Award – Amy Lincoln
Best Sportsmanship
Male – Kelsey Jackson
Female – Troy Arch
Varsity Cheerleading
MVP – Madison Crowe
Coach’s Award – Chelsey Martinez
Ladies’ Golf
MVP – Hannah Youngdeer
Coach’s Award – Ellen Bradley
Charlie Stamper Memorial Academic Athlete
Female – Rayna Davis
Male – John Roper
Varsity Soccer
Offensive MVP – Colby Yanez
Defensive MVP – Raven Frankiewicz
Coach’s Award – Levi Swearengin
JV Football
Offensive MVP – Silas Littlejohn
Defensive MVP – Taylor Davis
Coach’s Award – Austin Padilla
Barbara Sequoyah Memorial Most Determined Female
Avery Mintz
Raymond Owle Memorial Most Determined Male
Dorian Walkingstick
Varsity Football
Offensive MVP – Dorian Walkingstick
Defensive MVP – Forrest Stamper
Coach’s Award – Jesse Blanton
Varsity Cross Country – Boys
MVP – Gerald Mahan
Coach’s Award – E.J. Carroll
Varsity Cross Country – Girls
MVP – Jordyn Thompson
Coach’s Award – Shayna Ledford
Vernon Hornbuckle Memorial Christian Athlete
Female – Hannah Youngdeer
Male – Forrest Stamper
JV Girls Basketball
Offensive MVP – Angel Squirrel
Defensive MVP – Taran Swimmer
Coach’s Award – Ellie Bradley
JV Boys Basketball
Offensive MVP – Dylan Saunooke
Defensive MVP – Darius Thompson
Coach’s Award – Silas Reed-Littlejohn
Noah Powell Memorial Leadership Award
Female – Celine Lambert
Male – Buster Arch
Varsity Girls Basketball
Offensive MVP – Rayna Davis
Defensive MVP – Paige Jackson
Coach’s Award – Celine Lambert
Varsity Boys Basketball
Offensive MVP – Greg Bradley
Defensive MVP – Tsaladi Sequoyah
Coach’s Award – Buster Arch
Varsity Wrestling
Most Outstanding Wrestler – Will Bird and Tavi Rivera
Coach’s Award – John Roper
Mens’ Golf
MVP – Ray Smith
Coach’s Award – Jeremy Wolfe
JV Softball
Offensive MVP – Ashley Smith
Defensive MVP – Kristen Kirkland
Coach’s Award – Amy Lincoln
JV Boys Baseball
Offensive MVP – Isaiah Smith
Defensive MVP – Justin Buchanan
Coach’s Award – Derrick Ledford
Ray Kinsland Honorarium Most Dedicated Female
Kayla Smith
Chief John A. Crowe Memorial Most Dedicate Male
Jesse Blanton
Varsity Softball
Offensive MVP – Hannah Youngdeer
Defensive MVP – Jessica McCoy
Coach’s Award – Brianna Smith
Varsity Baseball
Offensive MVP – John Roper
Defensive MVP – Jesse Blanton
Overall MVP – Troy Arch
Coach’s Award – Buddy Arch
Girls Soccer
Offensive MVP – Avery Mintz
Defensive MVP – Taran Swimmer
Coach’s Award – Anna Cline
Girls Track
MVP Field – Kelsey Jackson
MVP Track – Paige Jackson
Coach’s Award – Abigail Long
Boys Track
MVP Field – Dylan Saunooke
MVP Track – Greg Bradley
Coach’s Award – Greg Tisho
For more photos of this event, visit:
https://www.theonefeather.com/photo-galleries-2/?album=130&gallery=137
