Big T Athletic Awards celebrates top athletes
Jun. 3—Tuscola's Big T Club held its annual Big T Athletic Awards on Thursday, June 2 in the Tuscola High School auditorium. The awards ceremony recognizes all 29 of the Mountaineers' athletic teams and the unified sports teams.
Tuscola High had 291 students participate in athletics this school year and 180 maintained a 3.5 or higher grade point average.
Two of the school's most distinguished sports awards highlighted the event as senior Delany Buchanan won the Susan Hartsell Female Athlete of the Year and senior Jared Penland won the C.E. Weatherby Male Athlete of the Year.
The Susan Hartsell Award is named for the former state champion volleyball coach, who is the winningest female coach in the history of Tuscola High School. This award is awarded to the top senior female athlete of the year.
Buchanan, who was a volleyball, basketball, and softball standout, will be attending Emory & Henry College in the fall and will play softball for the Wasps.
The C.E. Weatherby Award is named after the legendary former Tuscola High School coach and educator and is awarded to the top senior male athlete of the year.
Penland, who was a football, basketball, and baseball standout, will be attending the University of South Carolina Union in the fall and playing baseball for the Bantams.
Other award winners
Coach of the Year — Kevin Fitzgerald, track and field
Team of the Year — Cross Country
Volunteer of the Year — Joshua Mashburn
Most Dedicated Unified Player — Jonathan Justice
Most Enthusiastic Unified Player — Robin Ledford
Co-Freshman Male of the Year — Christopher Wells and Dominick Messer
Freshman Female of the Year — Ella Sutton
Sophomore Male of the Year — Graham McLelland
Sophomore Female of the Year — Karsen Cherry
Junior Male of the Year — Jett Benson
Junior Female of the Year — Eva Rinker
2021-22 sports highlights
Football, boys and girls soccer, volleyball, softball and baseball all made it to the NCHSAA 3A Playoffs.
Boys and girls golf, cross country, girls tennis, swim, track and field, indoor track and wrestling all sent players to the NCHSAA 3A State Championships.
McKenna Williams was Conference Champion in Golf and Conference Player of the year. She was also a finalist at the WNC Sports Awards.
The girls cross country team placed fourth in the state.
Cooper Richardson and Anneke Lam were semi-finalists at the State Tennis Doubles and Richardson was Conference Player of the year.
Football's Darien Lunsford was Special Teams Player of the Year.
Bryce Worley and Ben Mehaffey were All-Region selections in soccer.
Mason Baker and Jadon Mintz were State qualifiers in wrestling.
Dylan Lunsik, Trinity Wenzel, Abigail Jones, Hannah Wells and Ella Laursen were State Qualifiers in swim and Dylan Lunsik placed fifth.
Blaine Conard finished seventh in State in hurdles at indoor track.
Sam Decker was a State qualifier in boys golf.
Ella Sutton, Skylar Ball, Anneke Lam, Eva Rinker, Alexis Stevenson, Faith Doughtery and Luci Snyder-Lowe were State qualifiers in track and Eva Rinker placed third in 800-meter and Anneke Lam placed ninth in the high jump.
Hannah Wells, Cooper Richardson and Kate Clark were all-region selections in soccer.
