Winners for the elite and spirit awards at HighSchoolOT Honors presented by EPIC Physical Therapy and Two Men and a Truck have been announced for the 2023-2024 school year.

Throughout the school year, HighSchoolOT accepted nominations from the public for each of the categories. After the school year ended, our committee met and narrowed down the nominations to five finalists in each category.

Once the finalists were announced, the public voted on the winners for more than two weeks. People were allowed to vote once per day in each category.

Here are the elite and spirit award winners:

---

Spirit Awards

Best Marching Band

• Reidsville

Best Student Section

Cheerleading Team of the Year

• Weddington

Cheerleading Coach of the Year

• Angie McDuffie, Weddington

---

Elite Awards

Game of the Year

• Reidsville vs. Farmville Central in boys basketball — In the NCHSAA 2A boys basketball state championship game, Reidsville used a driving layup from Dionte Neal with 17 lefts in overtime to claim a 78-77 win. The game was a rematch of the state championship game in 2023 in which Farmville Central won, so Reidsville got revenge. Neal finished with 14 points and 10 assists, Johnniyus Sharpe Jr. had 20 points, and Kendre Harrison posted 19 points and 13 rebounds.

Upset of the Year

• Rolesville def. Cuthbertson in girls track — At the NCHSAA 4A state championship this spring, Rolesville took the state title by one point over Cuthbertson. The Cavaliers had won three straight girls track titles, including the last two 4A titles. Rolesville senior Joslyn Hamilton was named the MVP of the meet, setting a new meet record in the 300 meter hurdles, and winning the 100 meter dash and 100 meter hurdles.

Play of the Year

• Reagan baseball walk-off grand slam — In the first round of the NCHSAA 4A state playoffs, Reagan’s Charlie Stogner hit a walk-off grand slam to beat Lake Norman 8-7. The Raiders trailed 7-4 with two outs when Stogner’s grand slam advanced Reagan to the second round.

Record-Breaking Performance of the Year

• South Central baseball records three grand slams in a game — In the state semifinals of the 3A baseball playoffs, South Central recorded three grand slams in a 17-1 win over Terry Sanford. Christian Chance, Mason Hobbs, and Tyce Thompson each recorded a grand slam in the game. Three grand slams broke the NCHSAA record and tied a national record.

State Playoff Performance of the Year

• Isaiah Evans, North Mecklenburg — Isaiah Evans, a five-star player going to Duke, led North Mecklenburg to the 4A boys basketball state championship this season. Evans willed his team to the state title. In the quarterfinals, Evans scored 48 points – including 21 straight points in the third quarter – to lead North Meck to a win over top-seeded Myers Park. In the semifinals, he hit a shot from the elbow to send the game to overtime where North Meck beat Lake Norman. Evans finished the game with 30 points. Then in the state championship game, he posted 23 points.

Story of the Year

• Southern Durham boys soccer — The Spartans had their best season in school history with a 20-3-2 overall record and an undefeated 13-0-1 record in conference play. It was the first time in school history Southern Durham has won a conference title in boys soccer, and it came two seasons after going winless.
  The Spartans snapped Carboro’s 56-game conference winning streak to take home the title, and advanced all the way to the fourth round of the state playoffs as well.

Team of the Year

• Middle Creek volleyball — Middle Creek’s volleyball team won the NCHSAA 4A state championship last season, sweeping Cox Mill in the title match. The Mustangs finished the season with a 26-1 overall record, including a 13-1 mark in the Southwest Wake 4A Conference.

Best Overall Athletic Department

Stuart Scott Courage Award

• Reese Roper, Green Level — Reese Roper was diagnosed with leukemia in January 2023, but her teammates and school rallied around her. Green Level’s volleyball team even wore orange to show support. Roper returned to the court and competed with the Gators last fall.

Athletic Director of the Year

• Derek Butler, Salisbury

Female Coach of the Year

• Nikita Warren, Rolesville — Warren led the Rolesville girls basketball team to a the NCHSAA 4A state title this season. It was the best season in school history, and the first time the Rams advanced to the state championship game in girls basketball. Rolesville was 27-5 this season and 10-0 in the Northern Athletic Conference. The Rams beat Charlotte Catholic 65-58 in the state championship game.

Male Coach of the Year

• Donald Davis, Cummings — The Cummings girls track and field team won back-to-back state titles this season, recording six first-place finishes in the championship meet. D’Anna Cotton won four of those events for the Cavaliers. Cummings dominated the team standings with 103 points, while second place finished with 40. The Cavaliers also finished second in the indoor track championship this season.

Female Athlete of the Year

• Emma Clarke, West Rowan — Emma Clarke is a three-sport athlete at West Rowan, playing softball, basketball, and volleyball. She will play softball at Tennessee next year. She had a .542 batting average with 48 runs and 52 RBI, including 15 home runs on the softball field while also taking home all-state merits in volleyball and winning state championship MVP in girls basketball.

Male Athlete of the Year

• Truitt Manuel, West Henderson — Truitt Manuel is a three-sport athlete at West Henderson who will play college baseball at NC State. This past season, Manuel posted a 1.00 ERA with 100 strikeouts in 49 innings pitched. Manuel also plays basketball and football for West Henderson.

Source: highschoolot.com