QB: Tye Mintz, a standout in football and basketball, was nominated in the Merrill Lynch 1A/2A Male Athlete – Major sport division and the Darlene and John McNabb Male Athlete of the Year category. (SCOTT MCKIE B.P./One Feather)
Two athletes and an entire team from Cherokee High School have been nominated in various categories for the 56th Annual WNC Sports Awards. This year’s awards will be given at a banquet, sponsored by the Mountain Amateur Athletic Club, on Sunday, May 7 at the Omni Grove Park Inn.
The Cherokee Lady Braves basketball team, who went 25-3 on the year, was nominated in the Homewood Suites 1A/2A Female Team – Major Sport division. Tye Mintz, a standout in football and basketball, was nominated in the Merrill Lynch 1A/2A Male Athlete – Major sport division and the Darlene and John McNabb Male Athlete of the Year category. Anthony Toineeta, who won his second consecutive state wrestling title this season, was nominated in the White & Williams 1A/2A Male Athlete – Olympics Sport division and also for the Blossman Gas Male Student Athlete Academic Award.
Other Smoky Mountain Conference and area nominees are as follows:
- Wells Fargo 1A/2A Female Athlete – Major Sport: Tiffany Holloway, Andrews basketball
- Northwestern Mutual 1A/2A Female Athlete – Olympic Sport: Emma Pinda, Swain Co. cross country and track; Shay Tisho, Smoky Mountain cross country and track
- Homewood Suites 1A/2A Female Team – Major Sport: Murphy basketball, Smoky Mountain basketball
- Mills Manufacturing 1A/2A Female Team – Olympic Sport: Smoky Mountain cross country, Swain Co. track
- Merrill Lynch 1A/2A Male Athlete – Major Sport: Joey Curry, Murphy football
- Skyland Automotive Group 1A/2A Male Team – Major Sport: Murphy football, Swain Co. basketball
- Blue Ridge Bone & Joint/Emerge Ortho 1A/2A Male Team – Olympic Sport: Robbinsville wrestling, Smoky Mountain cross country
- One Feather staff report
