Story and Photo by Rusty Ellis
The District 7/A awards have been announced, and Clay County’s Briley Burchett and Grant Strong were named the MVPs of the district after each team finished first in the league standings.
The All-District First Team consisted of Red Boiling Springs’ Claire Fleming, Pickett County’s Emmy Lowe and Shayla Wood, Clarkrange’s Mattie Bush and Gordonsville’s Lily Manor.
Second Team honorees were Clay’s Abby Head and Halle Buford, Clarkrange’s Addy Stowers, Pickett County’s Ella Kate Keisling and RBS’ Bailey Massengille.
The members of the Third Team included Pickett’s Callie Reeder and Allie Amonett, Clay’s Zoe Hayes, RBS’ Chloe Powell and Clarkrange’s Lauren Choate.
Clay’s Eliza Jenkins, Bella Ashlock and Cherokee Upton headed up the honorable mentions, which also featured Clarkrange’s Zoey Smith, Kacey Sells and Chloe Rogers, Pickett’s Kaylee Thompkins, Gordonsville’s Olivia Brown and Caiti Vaden and RBS’ Josie Green, Rhiannon Hix, Breanna Thompson and Grayce West.
The Defensive MVP was Pickett’s Keisling, while fellow Lady Bobcat Reeder, Clay’s Jenkins and Hayes, RBS’ Fleming and Clarkrange’s Bush.
Lowe was named the Freshman MVP, while the All-Freshman team consisted of Powell, Rogers, Thompkins, Clay’s Laci Wix and Gordonsville’s Kali Underwood.
Pickett County’s Brent Smith was named the District Coach of the Year.
Clay senior Grant Strong was named the District MVP for the second consecutive season, while the All-District First Team was headlined by teammate Jeff Spivey, Pickett’s Zach Amonett, Will Amonett and Hunter Wattenbarger and Red Boiling Springs’ Colton Copass.
The Second Team featured Clay’s Keaton Arms, Pickett’s Heath Wattenbarger, Gordonsville’s Austin DuCrest, Will Dudney and Brayden Holliman and RBS’ Zach Carter.
Clay’s Eli Smith and Jimmy Burchett made the Third Team, along with Pickett’s Jacob Amonett, Gordonsville’s Ryder Grisham and RBS’ Chris Hackney.
Honorable mentions included Clay’s Bryce Bailey, Pickett’s Caleb Lowhorn and Clarkrange’s Evan Cantrell, Case Cordell, Kris Beaty and Joshua Durham.
The Defensive MVP was Hunter Wattenbarger, and the All-Defensive Team featured Smith, Spivey, Lowhorn, Durham and Gordonsville’s David Driver.
Jacob Amonett was named the Freshman MVP, while teammate Eli Reagan, Clay’s Lance Burchett and Nate Adams, Clarkrange’s Logan Pannell and Gordonsville’s Brodie Sykes were named to the All-Freshman Team.
Clay’s Rob Edwards was named the Coach of the Year.
Thursday sees the beginning of the District 7/A semifinals, as the Lady Bulldogs of Clay will take on the Tigerettes of Gordonsville at 6 P.M. Pickett County will face Red Boiling Springs to follow.
The boys semifinals take place on Friday, with Clay taking on Red Boiling Springs at 6 P.M. Pickett County will play Gordonsville in the second game of the doubleheader.
All of the above games will take place at Livingston Academy.