Southern Wayne senior Ta’Niyah Glaspie, right, gets a hug from track coach Takisha Vann after she signed a national letter of- ntent to run indoor/outdoor track at UNC Pembroke next season. Glaspie was named the Saints’ Female Athlete of the Year. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
Southern Wayne senior Drew Bryan received the Male Athlete of the Year Award during a season-ending awards ceremony that recognized more than 100 athletes in 25 sports. (Submitted photo)
Southern Wayne junior Drew Sweet was named the 2023 Quad County 3A Pitcher of the Year in baseball. Sweet helped lead the Saints to 15 wins and a playoff appearance. (Submitted photo)
DUDLEY — Two student-athletes who made huge impacts in their respective sports garnered the highest honors possible during the season-ending awards ceremony held Tuesday evening.
Ta’Niyah Glaspie received the Female Athlete of the Year Award, while Drew Bryan was tabbed the Male Athlete of the Year.
Bryan participated and earned numerous awards in three sports — soccer, swimming and tennis.
In soccer, he earned a spot on the 2022 All-Quad County 3A Conference team and was selected Most Valuable Player (MVP). He received the Splash & Dash (fastest 50-yard freestyle), Sportsmanship and MVP accolades in swimming.
During the spring, Bryan picked up All-QCC honors and MVP in tennis.
Glaspie leaves as one of the most-decorated track athletes in school history.
Despite nagging injuries suffered in other sports, she collected six eastern 3A regional championships in the 100- and 200-meter dashes. Against conference opposition, Glaspie won five championships on the Eastern Carolina 3A-4A and QCC scenes.
“She’s been the center [of our program] and we build around her,” SW coach Takisha Vann said when Glaspie signed a national letter of intent to run indoor/outdoor track at UNC Pembroke.
“She’s a likable kid so people want to be around her and work. They see her working hard and it’s just contagious. She’s been a valuable asset.”
Saints junior Drew Sweet was named the QCC 3A Pitcher of the Year.
A right-hander, Sweet fashioned a 2.49 earned run average (ERA) and collected seven wins in 13 starts on the bump. He recorded 48 strikeouts in 64.7 innings of work.
At the plate, he batted .328 with 20 hits, 20 RBI and two home runs.
Southern Wayne won 15 games and advanced to the N.C. High School Athletic Association playoffs.
In all, more than 100 athletes were recognized for their achievements in 25 sports.
“Overall, we have had a successful year athletically,” SW athletics director David Lee said. “The vast majority of our teams improved their records and conference finishes from last year, and we have had several athletes sign to play at the next level.
“Many of our teams and individual athletes qualified for postseason play as well. This is a testament of the time and effort put in by the athletes, coaches, administration and parents of Southern Wayne High School.”
Here are the award recipients:
Cross Country: Evolution Award — Braxton Toler; Most Improved — Karen Flores-Gonzalez, Chris Carmen; Coaches Award — Elaina Lane, Gage Brewer; Sportsmanship — Sophia Marshall, Chris McDuffie; Most Valuable Player – Sophia Marshall, Dylan Tyndall.
JV Football: Most Improved — Tyler Speight; Coaches Award — Douglas Wallace; MVP – Dorien Toussaint.
Varsity Football: Offensive Player of the Year — D’Untae Wright; Defensive POY — Adam Cain; Special Teams POY — Tyquavious Williams; Most Improved — Nagha Miles; Coaches Award — Lamontez White; Sportsmanship — Malachi Bass; All-Quad County 3A — Adam Cain, D’Untae Wright; MVP — E’lla Boykin.
Girls’ golf: Most Improved — Catie Shallert; Coaches Award — Emily Webster; Sportsmanship — SW team; MVP — Reagan Stribble.
Boys’ Soccer: Newcomer of the Year — Alan Ponce; Breakout POY — Osbaldo Avila; Attacking POY Abram Sanchez; Most Improved — Ceasar Espinoza; Coaches Award — Alex Aldana; Sportsmanship — Wilberto Sanchez; All-Quad County 3A — Alex Aldana, Osbaldo Avila, Drew Bryan; MVP — Drew Bryan.
Girls’ Tennis: Rookie of the Year — Sarah Sutton; Extra Effort Award — Aracely Perez-Berrera; Saint Pride Award — Amy Lemus; Most Improved — Juliana Leon; Coaches Award — Allya Segura; Sportsmanship — Akeariana Jones; All-Quad County 3A — Charity Van Dyke; MVP — Charity Van Dyke.
JV Volleyball: Most Improved — Bescia Warner; Coaches Award — Quiniyah Stukes; MVP — Lesley Elizaide.
Varsity Volleyball: Defensive Award — Karlie Lane; Offensive Award — Jy’Asha Cousins; Best All-Around — Mylee Wiggs; Most Improved — Kara Davis; Coaches Award — Taylor Lee; Sportsmanship — Taylor Lee; All-Quad County 3A — Ta’Niyah Glaspie; MVP — Ta’Niyah Glaspie.
JV Girls’ Basketball: Most Improved — Ilescia Warner; Coaches Award — Morgan Brimberry; MVP — Aliyah Williams.
Varsity Girls’ Basketball: Hustle & Defense Award — Elaina Lane; 6th “Wo”Man Award — Kyren Strong; Queen of the Boards — Ta’Niyah Glaspie; Most Improved — Nygeria Thompson; Coaches Award — Nevaeh Hines-Bass; Sportsmanship — Ijahanay Warner; All-Quad County 3A — Jamaiya Bass, Ta’Niyah Glaspie, Nygeria Thompson; All-Quad County 3A Honorable Mention — Nevaeh Hines-Bass; N.C. Basketball Coaches Association All-District III team — Jamaiya Bass; MVP — Jamaiya Bass.
JV Boys’ Basketball: Most Improved — Manesse Remedor; Coaches Award. Jymeer Lee; MVP — Jayden Hardy.
Varsity Boys’ Basketball: 6th Man Award — Tyquavious Williams; “Mr. Do As We Ask” — Chris Carmon; Mr. Team Player — Jylon Council; Most Improved — E’lla Boykin; Coaches Award — Chris McDuffie; Sportsmanship — Pablo Leon; All-Quad County 3A — Chris Carmon, E’lla Boykin, DuJuan Armwood; MVP — DuJuan Armwood.
Cheerleading: Most Improved — Shaily Quim-King; Coaches Award — Kaylee Brock; Sportsmanship — Leslie Weaver; MVP — MaKayla Smith.
Girls’ Indoor Track: Extra Effort Award — Allya Segura; Most Improved — Edith Artega Martinez; Coaches Award — Angel Harmon; Sportsmanship — Olivia Ruiz; All-Quad County 3A — Jy’Asha Cousins; All-Quad County 3A Honorable Mention — Angel Harmon (300 meters-3rd), Ta’Niyah Glaspie (55 meters-2nd); MVP — Jy’Asha Cousins.
Boys’ Indoor Track: Extra Effort Award — Egan Hine; Most Improved — Jymeer Jones; Coaches Award — Jeremy Whitley; Sportsmanship — Brayden Maudin; All-Quad County 3A Honorable Mention — Malachi Bass (Triple Jump-2nd); MVP — Malachi Bass.
Swimming: Splash & Dash Award — Drew Bryan; Scholar Athlete — Daniel Weeks; Most Improved — Jonah Reyes; Coaches Award — Evan Williams; Sportsmanship — Drew Bryan; Girls’ MVP — Sarah Sutton; Boys’ MVP — Drew Bryan.
Wrestling: Most Pins Award — Eli Hulet; Most Dedicated — Mia Glaspie-Leach; Best Teammate — Matt Whitley; Most Improved — Sophia Marshall; Coaches Award — Omar Soler Sanchez; Sportsmanship — Amari Thomas; All-Quad County 3A Honorable Mention — Omar Soler Sanchez, Eli Hulet, Amari Thomas; MVP — Eli Hulet.
JV Baseball: Most Improved — Cole Lane; Coaches Award — Carlos Alvarez; MVP — Zach Aman.
Varsity Baseball: Top Hitter — Cuyler Daly; Gold Glove — Hayden Waller; Top Pitcher — Drew Sweet; Most Improved — Cuyler Daly; Coaches Award — Jake Coates; Sportsmanship — Jake Coates; All-Quad County 3A — Alex Ferrell, Cuyler Daly, Tyler Odom, Hayden Waller, Drew Sweet; All-Quad County 3A Pitcher of the Year — Drew Sweet; MVP — Alex Ferrell.
Boys’ Golf: Consistency Award — Anthony Culbreth; Hustle Award — James Faulk; Motivator Award — Issac Worth; Most Improved — Zyon Alston; Coaches Award — Joseph Strange; Sportsmanship — James Faulk; All-Quad County 3A Honorable Mention — Hunter Merritt, Joseph Strange; All-Quad County 3A Team Sportsmanship — Southern Wayne; MVP — Hunter Merritt.
Girls’ Soccer: Ubiquitous Award — Annette Castillo Vilchis; Defender Award — Ana Morales Gonzalez; Rookie of the Year — Kely Barrios; Most Improved — Kaylee Brock; Coaches Award — Aracely Perez-Berrera; Sportsmanship — Kaylee Brock; All-Quad County 3A — Amya Smith; MVP — Allya Segura.
Softball: All Hustle Award — Mckenzie Strickland; Outfielder Golden Glove – Laura Summerlin; Infielder Golden Glove — Jocelyn Bond; Most Improved — Makayla Smith; BW Coaches Award — Kylie Barwick; Sportsmanship — Laura Summerlin; All-Quad County 3A — Reagan Stribble; Mckenzie Strickland; Laura Summerlin; MVP — Reagan Stribble.
Boys’ Tennis: Rookie of the Year — Evan Williams; Extra Effort Award — Matthew Blizzard; Saint Pride Award — Cameron Jones; Most Improved — Hudson Hulet; Coaches Award — Aaron Whiting; Sportsmanship — Ian Whiskey; All-Quad County 3A — Drew Bryan; MVP — Drew Bryan.
Girls’ Outdoor Track: Rookie of the Year — Ameya Randolph; Extra Effort Award — Mia Glaspie-Leach; Evolution Award — Angel Harmon; Most Improved — Elaina Lane; Coaches Award — Jy’Asha Cousins; Sportsmanship — Iyahna Southerland; All-Quad County 3A — Ty’Niyah Glaspie (200 meters), Jy’Asha Cousins (300-meter hurdles); All-Quad County 3A Honorable Mention — Jy’Asha Cousin (100 hurdles), Ta’Niyah Glaspie (100 dash), Elaina Lane (long jump) 4×1 and 4×2 relay teams; MVP — Ta’Niyah Glaspie.
Boys’ Outdoor Track: Rookie of the Year — Gage Brewer; Extra Effort Award — Adam Cain; Most Improved — Gabriel Carmack; Coaches Award — Naeem Longmire; Sportsmanship — Manesse Remedor; MVP — Malachi Bass.
