Darius Thompson (left) won the James “Hogeye” Taylor Memorial Athlete of the Year Award and Avery Mintz won the Bertha Saunooke Memorial Athlete of the Year Award at the Cherokee High School Athletic Awards program on Friday, May 23. (SCOTT MCKIE B.P./One Feather photos)
By SCOTT MCKIE B.P.
ONE FEATHER STAFF
Cherokee High School seniors Darius Thompson and Avery Mintz were named the Athletes of the Year at the annual Athletic Awards program held Friday, May 23 at the Chief Joyce Dugan Cultural Arts Center. Thompson won the James “Hogeye” Taylor Memorial Male Athlete of the Year Award and Mintz won the Bertha Saunooke Memorial Female Athlete of the Year Award.
Thompson was on the Braves varsity boys basketball team that won the Smoky Mountain Conference regular season title, and he was also a stand-out soccer player. Mintz, who is headed to Lenoir-Rhyne College on a full basketball scholarship, helped lead the Lady Braves varsity girls basketball team to its fourth straight Sectional Championship. She was also a stand-out performer in soccer and track.
Rod Cooper receives a standing ovation as his #45 jersey is retired during Friday’s event.
A highlight of the evening was the retiring of two jerseys of former Braves varsity football players. Rod Cooper, CHS Class of 1990, had his #45 jersey retired along with CHS Class of 2006 alumni Johnathon “JD” Davis, who passed away earlier this year and had his #4 jersey retired.
Cooper, currently waging a courageous battle with Lou Gehrig’s disease, ran for over 2,700 yards in his career as a Braves running back. His former coach, Mitch Myers, said on Friday night, “I am not sure who the best football player is that I’ve ever coached, but I can say without a doubt who the best running back is, #45, Rod Cooper.”
After leading western North Carolina in rushing his junior and senior years, Cooper entered the U.S. Army upon graduation and served in the Gulf War. Following his stint in the military, he returned to Cherokee where he joined the Cherokee Police Department and became instrumental in helping literally thousands of Cherokee youth through the D.A.R.E. program.
Davis also excelled in the backfield and amassed a total of 1,803 rushing yards and 3,027 passing yards during his three years on the varsity Braves team. “Johnathon Davis was a tremendous running back,” said Craig Barker, then-head coach of the Braves. “He was a tough football player; one of the toughest players I’ve ever been around.”
Shawn Crowe, emcee for the evening, thanked the community and families for their involvement in the programs this past year, “All of you have a part in these athlete’s achievements, especially the parents.”
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A full listing of awards is as follows:
Charlie Stamper Memorial Academic Athlete
Female – Taran Swimmer
Male – Jaylon Lossiah
Most Determined Athlete
Barbara Sequoyah Memorial (Female) – Madison Long
Ray Owle Memorial (Male) – Jaron Bradley
Vernon Hornbuckle Memorial Christian Athlete
Female – Dre Crowe
Male – Hunter Lambert
Noah Powell Memorial Leadership Award
Female – Peri Wildcatt
Male – Tagan Crowe
Ray Kinsland Honorarium Best Sportsmanship
Female – Lacey Arch
Male – Silas Reed-Littlejohn
Chief John A. Crowe Memorial Most Dedicated Athlete
Female – Kendall Toineeta
Male – Jason McMillan
John Davis Memorial Hard Work Award
Female – Bree Stamper
Male – Gabe Crow
Peaches Squirrel Honorarium Miss Brave
Taran Swimmer
Noland Crowe Honorarium Mr. Brave
Jesse Toineeta
Junior Varsity Volleyball
Offensive MVP – Kieran Sequoyah
Defensive MVP – Kristen Driver
Coach’s Award – Alea Shockey
Most Improved – Lucy Reed, Kyleigh Wiggins
Varsity Volleyball
Offensive MVP – Kayla Pheasant
Defensive MVP – Taran Swimmer
Coach’s Award – Madison Long
Most Improved – Kelly West
Varsity Cheerleading
MVP – Andrea Cedillo
Coach’s Award – Shadow Long
Girls Golf
MVP – Ashlyn Spicer
Coach’s Award – Peri Wildcatt
Boys Soccer
MVP – Tommy Lossiah
Most Tenacious – E.J. Carroll
Offensive MVP – Raven Frankiewicz
Defensive MVP – Wade Wolfe
Coach’s Award – Kenzie Garcia
Most Improved – Davis Littlejohn
Outstanding Leader – Darius Thompson (All-Conference)
Varsity Cross Country
Male MVP – Brock Powell
Female MVP – Kendall Toineeta
Coach’s Award Female – LeLe Lossiah
Coach’s Award Male – Gabe Crow
Junior Varsity Football
Offensive MVP – Tye Mintz
Defensive MVP – Will Davis
Coach’s Award – Jay Swimmer
Best Back – Isiah Evans
Hardest Hitter – Steve Swayney
Varsity Football
Offensive MVP – Brandon Buchanan
Defensive MVP – Kennan Panther
Coach’s Award – Jason McMillan
Lineman – Silas Reed-Littlejohn
All-Conference – Derrick Ledford
Junior Varsity Girls Basketball
Offensive MVP – Kyleigh Wiggins
Defensive MVP – Alyssa Land
Coach’s Award – Kendra Panther
Junior Varsity Boys Basketball
Offensive MVP – Steven Straughan
Defensive MVP – Brock Powell
Coach’s Award – Logan Teesateskie
Varsity Girls Basketball
Offensive MVP – Avery Mintz
Defensive MVP – Kendall Toineeta
Coach’s Award – LeLe Lossiah
Most Outstanding Shooter – Bree Stamper
Most Improved – Peri Wildcatt
Varsity Boys Basketball
Offensive MVP – Dustin Johnson
Defensive MVP – Jason McMillan
Coach’s Award – Jesse Toineeta
Best Rebounder – Eli Littlejohn
Leadership Award – Darius Thompson
Most Improved – Brandt Sutton
Rookie of the Year – Simon Montelongo
Varsity Wrestling
MVP – Jaron Bradley, Levi Swearengin
Coach’s Award – Anthony Toineeta
Girls Soccer
Offensive MVP – Taran Swimmer
Defensive MVP – Peri Wildcatt
Coach’s Award – Avery Mintz
Leadership Award – Anna Cline
Most Improved – Bea Grant
Most Tenacious – Samantha Rauch
Boys Golf
MVP – Tagan Crowe
Coach’s Award – Derrick Ledford
Junior Varsity Softball
Offensive MVP – Megan Howell
Defensive MVP – Shelby Driver
Coach’s Award – Amber Beck
Junior Varsity Baseball
Offensive MVP – Menoch Grant
Defensive MVP – Nick Hill
Coach’s Award – Nesta Bradley
Varsity Softball
Offensive MVP – Lacey Arch
Defensive MVP – Dre Crowe
Coach’s Award – Kelly West
Varsity Baseball
Offensive MVP – Trystan Mullen
Defensive MVP – Jeff Girty
Coach’s Award – Jace Watty
Overall MVP – Jason McMillan
Varsity Girls Track/Field
MVP Field – Stevi Sutton
MVP Track – Kendall Toineeta
Coach’s Award – Avery Mintz
Varsity Boys Track/Field
MVP Field – Anthony Toineeta
MVP Track – Xan Sadongei, Gabe Crow
