By SCOTT MCKIE B.P.
ONE FEATHER STAFF
The Big Smoky Mountain All-Conference teams have been released, and the Cherokee Braves and Lady Braves are represented on both. The Lady Braves’ Deante Toineeta, Tori Teesateskie, and Naomi Smith were named All-Conference along with the Braves’ Josiah Lossiah and Sterling Santa Maria. Raylen Bark and Vivian Ross were named to the girls Honorable Mention team along with Blake Smith on the boys side.
“It’s a great honor to be All-Conference,” Chris Mintz, Lady Braves head coach, said of his team’s selections. “I feel we have one of the toughest conferences in the state and to be selected is quite an accomplishment. These girls did a great job this year and deserve everything they get.”
The Murphy girls, who won the conference regular season and tournament titles, swept the large awards with Aubrey Clapsaddle being named Big Smoky Mountain Conference Girls Player of the Year as well as to the All-Conference team and Ray Gutierrez being named Big Smoky Mountain Conference Girls Coach of the Year.
Other girls All-Conference selections include: Savannah Annis, Hayesville; Sydni Addison, Murphy; Torin Rogers, Murphy; Cambrie Lovin, Robbinsville; Kikayla Morgan, Robbinsville; and Mazie Helpman, Swain County. Other girls Honorable Mention nods include: Brooks Newton, Andrews; Paige Lindly, Andrews; Jade Patterson, Hayesville; Brianna Foster, Hayesville; Hailea Ricket, Hayesville; Makayla Anderson, Hayesville; Brianna Moore, Murphy; Ellie Martin, Murphy; Yeika Jimenez, Robbinsville; Brianna Ross, Swain County; and Liz Ayers, Robbinsville.
Kabe Ellis, Andrews, was named Big Smoky Mountain Conference Boys Player of the Year as well as to the All-Conference team and Michael Cottrell, Hayesville, was named Big Smoky Mountain Conference Boys Coach of the Year.
Other boys All-Conference selections include: Cody Mathis, Andrews; Dwain Cook, Hayesville; Kolby Ashe, Hayesville; Jake McTaggart, Hayesville; Abram Abling, Murphy; Hooper Thomas, Rosman; and Bradley Vestal, Swain County. Other boys Honorable Mention nods include: Tucker Holloway, Andrews; Eric Maennle, Andrews; Zach Sheppard, Andrews; Blake McClure, Hayesville; Hayden McClure, Hayesville; Tyler Simonds, Murphy; Micah Nelson, Murphy; Landon Orr, Robbinsville; AJ Ornelas, Robbinsville; Samuel Chappell, Rosman; and Jesse Waldroup, Swain County.
Deante Toineeta (#13), Lady Braves sophomore shown shooting in front of Lincoln Charter’s Natalie Hamlen (#10), has been named to the Big Smoky Mountain All-Conference team. (SCOTT MCKIE B.P./One Feather photos)
Tori Teesateskie, Lady Braves senior, has been named to the Big Smoky Mountain All-Conference team.
Naomi Smith (#12), Lady Braves sophomore shown shooting over Murphy’s Sydni Addison (#35), has been named to the Big Smoky Mountain All-Conference team.
Sterling Santa Maria, Braves junior, has been named to the Big Smoky Mountain All-Conference team.
Josiah Lossiah, Braves senior, has been named to the Big Smoky Mountain All-Conference team.
