Arkadelphia Athletics

The Arkadelphia High School Athletic Department staff recognized its students and teams Monday night at the annual Athletic Awards Ceremony held in Arkansas Hall on the campus of Henderson State University.

APSD coaches presented team, conference and state awards to athletes from all 19 teams that compete representing Arkadelphia each year.

APSD Athletic Director Chris Babb welcomed the crowd, thanked parents, donors and the entire community for supporting its students throughout the year. Babb encouraged the students to take some time to thank those who help make their experiences possible.

"Students, if you hear nothing else tonight, hear me when I beg you to take time to thank your parents for all of the miles traveled, dollars spent, uniforms washed and other things they do for you," said Babb. "Take time to say think you now before you don't have the chance to. You'll look back years from now and realize how much they do for you."

Babb went on to thank the APSD coaching staff and their families for the time they spend working with student-athletes in the APSD athletic program.

"I'm blessed to work with such a great coaching staff that cares about the growth of their students," said Babb. "Wins and losses matter in the athletic world, but what matters most are the values that our coaches try to instill in our students. I'm thankful for our coaches being ones who want to teach students character and things such as responsibility. That will pay dividends in the future."

Babb also took time to thank the spouses and family members of the coaches who sacrifice much, often behind the scenes. "These coaches often times spend more time with your children than they do their own during the school year," explained Babb. "Families, think you for supporting your family member in their work with our students.:

After highlighting some of the successes of the department over the last year, Babb thanked donors and sponsors who made facility improvements possible such as AllCare Pharmacy at Badger Stadium, the renovated floor of the AHS gym and the soon-to-be used baseball and softball fields at the Arkadelphia Youth Sports Complex.

After a special recognition of the AHS Cheer squad and Dazzler dance team, AHS golf and boys' soccer coach Steve Patterson served as the master of ceremonies during the ceremony which honored over 100 students for their accomplishments during the 2014-15 school year. The awards presented are listed below.

2014-15 Arkadelphia High School Athletic Department Awards(sports in alphabetical order)

BASEBALL – 4A-7 Conference Champion; 4A State Runner-Up
Silver Bat Award Clay Wilson
Badger “Ace” Award Dylan Weems
Gold Glove Award J Brooks Burnham
“Play Loud” Award Austin Bethell
Team First Award Cody Bethell
4A-7 All Conference J Brooks Burnham, Cody Bethell, Brandon Matros, Cutter Jester, Dylan Weems
4A All-State Ty KostersDanny SpradlinClay Wilson

BOYS’ BASKETBALL – 4A-7 District Tournament Champions
Most Improved Josh Williams
Most Dedicated Kevin Lewis
Sixth Man Preston Crowder
Team Player Jacob Coon
Offensive Spark Adrian Barrett
Mr. Intensity Nathan Jones
Badger Award Jeff Blake, Nathan Carter
Most Valuable Player Bryant Robinson
2^nd team All-Conf. Adrian Barrett
4A-7 All-Conference Jeff Blake, Nathan Carter, Bryant Robinson
4A All-State Bryant Robinson
4A All-State Tourney Bryant Robinson
Coca-Cola Classic All-Tourney Bryant Robinson

GIRLS’ BASKETBALL
Miss Hustle Angel Eley
Most Improved August McClure
Rookie of the Year Indesia Eley
Bleeding Blue Jenesis Mitchell
Outstanding Defense Brenna Smith
Offensive Spark Madeline Bray
Lady Badger Award Kaitlyn Williams
Most Valuable Player Victoria Lewis

BOYS’ CROSS COUNTRY – 8^TH in the state at 4A meet
Badger Award Matt Savage
Summ. Mileage Award Nathan Gerber
Leadership Award Matt Savage
All-Conference Parker Henley, Lance Morvin, Matt Savage, Nathan Warner

FOOTBALL – 2^nd straight 4A Quarterfinalist appearance
Honey Badger Award Adrian Barrett
Practice Player of the Year Shemar Dickens
Most Improved Griffin Brown
John Outlaw Offensive Ty Kosters
Player of the Year
Willie Tate Defensive Anthony Jenkins
Player of the Year
Most Valuable Player Alex Buckley
4A-7 Honorable Mention Adam Birdwell
All-Conference Cameron Breashears, J Brooks Burnham, Nathan Carter, Chris Cervantes, Bailey Goza, Kameron Hall, Bryant Robinson
4A-7 All-Conference Adrian Barrett, Jeff Blake, Alex Buckley, Emmanuel Cooper, Ty Kosters, Anthony Jenkins, Branndon Moore, Brannon Rogers
4A-7 Outstanding Lineman Emmanuel Cooper
4A All-State Emmanuel Cooper
Farm Bureau 4A Def. POY Emmanuel Cooper
LR TD Club 4A POY Emmanuel Cooper

BOYS’ GOLF
Outstanding Short Game Tyler Freeman
Outstanding Long Game Colin Parnell
Most Improved Grant Hughes
Outstanding Freshman Parker Davis
Outstanding Freshman Harrison Shuffield
Badger Award Colin Barnes
Woody Epperson Outstanding Bradley Shuffield
Team Leader
John Atkins Outstanding Golfer Colin Parnell

GIRLS’ GOLF
Outstanding Short Game Andrea Brown
Outstanding Long Game Baileigh Nix
Most Improved Sami Shepherd

Badger Award Baileigh Nix
Woody Epperson Outstanding Lauren Quillin
Team Leader
John Atkins Outstanding Golfer Lauren Quillin

BOYS’ SOCCER – 4A State Tournament Qualifier
Captains Chris Cervantes, Anthony Jenkins, Matt Savage
Outstanding Forward/Wing Matt Savage
Outstanding Midfielder Eliseo Ramirez, Bradley Shuffield

Outstanding Defender Xavier Jones
Most Encouraging Player Anthony Jenkins
Most Improved Player Landon Simmons
Assists Award Mathis McDill
Scoring Award Matt Savage
Statistics Award Matt Savage
Best All-Around Player Chris Cervantes
Most Valuable Player Chris Cervantes, Anthony Jenkins, Matt Savage
4A-2 2^nd team All-Conference Hank Gardner, Mathis McDill, Jackson McGraw, Tyler Sanders, Bradley Shuffield, Nathan Warner
4A-2 All-Conference Chris Cervantes, Anthony Jenkins, Xavier Jones, Brady Purifoy, Eliseo Ramirez, Matt Savage
All-State Tournament Team Tyler Savage
Honorable Mention All-State Anthony Jenkins
4A All-State Chris Cervantes, Matt Savage

GIRLS’ SOCCER – 4A State Tournament Qualifier
Lady Badger Spirit Award Kimberly Avila
Most Improved Player Leslie Loe
Game Changer Award Samantha Dixon
Outstanding Offensive Player Maddy Durrett
Outstanding Defensive Player Hevelyn Avila
Leadership Award Madeline Wallace
Most Valuable Player Erica Dixon
4A-2 2^nd-team All-Conference Estefany Cardona, Madison Ledford, Leslie Loe, Blanca Rodriguez, Elizabeth Zuniga
4A-2 All-Conference Samantha Dixon, Maddy Durrett, Madeline Wallace
4A All-State Tournament Team Maddy Durrett
4A All-State Hevelyn Avila, Kimberly Avila, Erica Dixon

SOFTBALL
Outstanding Manager Kristin Bell
Miss Hustle Sallie Matthews
Most Improved Player Jenesis Mitchell
Rookie of the Year Mollie Daniell
Bleeding Blue Award JaNeeshia Harvell
Gold Glove Award Ashlyn Taylor
Silver Bat Award Victoria Lewis
Lady Badger Award Sealy Thigpen
Most Valuable Player Ashlyn Taylor
4A-7 Hon. Mention All-Conf. Sealy Thigpen, Victoria Lewis
4A-7 All-Conference Ashlyn Taylor

SWIMMING AND DIVING
Most Improved Sallie Matthews
Most Dedicated Kayla Thompson
Best Team Member Hailey Zeiler
Badger Award Taylor Savage
Stave Diving Qualifiers Taylor Savage – 3^rd place
and Medalists Matt Savage – 4^th place
Nathan Gerber – 5^th place
Girls’ Outstanding Swimming/ Diving Award Alexandria Hunter – 1A-5A State Diving Champion
Boys’ Outstanding Swimming/ Diving Award David Lloyd – 2^nd place in Backstroke/3^rd place in Butterfly

TENNIS
Badger Award Katy Dickerson
4A-7 Girls’ All Conference Addisan Forthman, Rebecca Fellers
4A-7 Boys’ All-Conference David Lloyd, Johnathan Miles

TRACK AND FIELD
Boys’ Outstanding Runner Cameron Kennedy
Boys’ Outstanding Field Event Nigel White
Girls’ Outstanding Runner Angel Eley (4A Girls 1,600 State Champion)
Girls’ Outstanding Field Event Tessa Yelverton (4A Girls Pole Vault State
Champion)
4A State Meet Qualifiers:
Angel Eley
Jasmine Gordon
Keyasha Jones
Emilee Roberson
Tessa Yelverton

VOLLEYBALL
Most Improved Emilee Roberson
Hustle Award Jenesis Mitchell
Lady Badger Award Cassidy Witherspoon
4A-West All-Conference Sealy Thigpen

ALL-ARKANSAS PREPS SELECTIONS
Emmanuel Cooper – Football
Ashlyn Taylor – Softball
Clay Wilson – Baseball

FOUR-YEAR LETTER WINNERS
Jenesis Mitchell – Softball
JaNeeshia Harvell – Softball
Addisan Forthman – Girls’ Tennis
Matt Savage – Boys’ Soccer

THREE-YEAR LETTER WINNERS