Seniors receive awards

A recap of Albany High’s athletic success during the 2018-2019 school year was given at the annual All-Sports Banquet on Tuesday, including the announcement of several special memorial awards.

Coaches for each sport also recognized their teams, along with handing out various sport-specific awards.

A total of 10 senior athletes were presented a total of 13 special awards in memory or honor of local citizens that exemplified special qualities.

The banquet was sponsored by the Albany Athletic Booster Club.

Both the Lions and Lady Lions are ending another stellar school year, with teams and individuals advancing in every in every sport.

Memorial Awards

The overall outstanding male and female athletes were recognized with honors given in memory of former students or fans in acknowledgment of special qualities, traits or abilities.

All the recipients this year were seniors.

The oldest of the memorial awards is the Jay Wood Memorial, given to the top overall male and female athletes.

Cameron Dacus was tapped for the award as the outstanding boy, while Caroline Masters was named the outstanding girl.

The Carl Gene Edgar “Lion Pride” Awards were given to Cutter Edgar and Jillian Guinn. The honor is reserved for seniors who participate in a varsity sports who have a love of competition and give full effort in each sport in which they participate.

Selected this year for the Kirk Holson “Rope Holder” Award were Payne Hebel and Cassidy Schedule. The honor is given to students that “you would want holding the other end of a rope if you were hanging off a cliff.”

The Rob Shack “Fighting Heart” was presented this year to Ryan Hill and Cassidy Schedule. The award is given to students who “keep on fighting and trying no matter what happens.”

The Ben Carlile “Hustler” Awards went to Kade Everitt, Cutter Cowart, and Jillian Guinn. As the name suggests, the award is given to students who demonstrate the most hustle in their sport during the season.

Finally, the newest of the honors is the Junior Garcia “Leave No Doubt” Awards, which are given to the athletes who give all they have for their team or sport. This year, the recipients were Joshua Dyer and Caroline Masters.

MVP and outstanding player awards for each sport were also announced by the coaching staff, as well as introductions of the teams.

FOOTBALL

Outstanding Offense Line – Payne Hebel. Outstanding Defensive Line – Tyler Beard. Outstanding Defensive Back – Payne Hebel. Offensive MVP – Cameron Dacus. Defensive MVP – Cutter Edgar. Outstanding Skilled Player – Ben West. Football MVP – Ryan Hill.

VOLLEYBALL

Offensive MVP – Torie Fuentes. Defensive MVP – Hannah Trail. Volleyball MVP – Allison Hill. Playmaker – Mady Connally. Newcomers of the Year – Ansleigh Garcia, Ana Balliew. All-In Award – Taylor Scott. Hustle Award – Blanton Belcher. Manager’s Awards – Cassidy Schedule, Hannah Snyder, Sidney Bartee. Favorite Fan Awards – Jennifer Corbin, Gregori Mikeska, Briley Tabor.

BOYS BASKETBALL 

Offensive Players of the Year – Cutter Cowart and Joshua Dyer. Defensive Player of the Year – Ben West. Most Improved – Derek Isbell. Lion Pride – Kade Everitt. Newcomer of the Year – Blaine Kayga. 6th Man – Coby Knight. Basketball MVPs – Cameron Dacus and Ryan Hill.

GIRLS BASKETBALL 

Offensive MVP – Torie Fuentes. Defensive MVP – Elia Hebel. Newcomer of the Year – Sarah Cotter. Black and Blue – Carley Green, Aubrey Moon, Cydney Nelson. Most Improved – Allison Hill. Leadership – Jillian Guinn. Basketball MVP – Jaleigh Morales.

GOLF 

MVP – Alayna Koemel.

TENNIS

Outstanding Girls Doubles – Mady Connally and Landree Connally. Outstanding Boys Doubles – Luke Ivy and Cooper Fairchild. Outstanding Mixed Doubles – Cutter Cowart and Susie Cormack. Outstanding Singles – Sarah Cotter. Tennis MVP – Sarah Cotter.

BOYS TRACK 

Outstanding Runner – Blaine Kayga. Outstanding Jumper – Colby Hargett. Outstanding Thrower – Tyler Beard. Newcomer of the Year – Luke Ivy. Lion Pride – Payne Hebel. Track MVPs – Cameron Dacus and Cutter Edgar.

GIRLS TRACK

Newcomer of the Year – Sarah Cotter. Outstanding Runner – Torie Fuentes. Outstanding Hurdler – Ansleigh Garcia. Outstanding Multi-Event Athlete – Jaleigh Morales. Outstanding Jumper – Allison Hill. Most Improved Awards – Taylor Scott, Blanton Belcher, Tana Thompson. Track MVP – Caroline Masters.

BASEBALL

Firearm Awards – Ben West and Cade Neve. Big Stick – Jackson Chapman. Golden Glove Awards – B.J. Morris and Blaine Kayga. Brian Wilson “Go Big or Go Home” – Kade Everitt. Baseball MVP – Joshua Dyer.

SOFTBALL

Defensive MVP – Torie Fuentes. The “Be Albany” Award – Aubrey Moon. Big Stick – Caitlyn Holson. Softball MVP – Caitlyn Holson.

CROSS COUNTRY

Girls MVP – Sidney Bartee. Boys MVP – Derek Isbell.

CHEERLEADERS

Alayna Koemel, Kam Brown­ing, Lizzie Chavez, Sarah Cotter, Savannah Hobbs, Caitlan Lee, Sara Smith, Mascot – Isela Flores.