Thompson and Marsh named top athletes at 2017 banquet
A pair of athletes who won their conference's top honors in multiple sports added to their trophy cases Sunday night at the 56th WNC Sports Awards Banquet presented by Ingles.
C.J. Thompson of Erwin High and North Henderson's Caroline Marsh were selected as Male and Female Athletes of the Year in front of a capacity crowd of 850 at Omni Grove Park Inn.
The Mountain Amateur Athletic Club, which hosts the event, also honored three new inductees into the NC Sports Hall of Fame presented by Dixon, Hughes, Goodman - Murphy High football coach David Gentry and former Asheville Tourists executives Carolyn and Ron McKee.
Jennifer Roberts of Qualla Boundary, Cherokee was given the Special Olympics Award and her local organization was presented with a $1,000 grant.
Long-time semi-pro football coach Phil Lytle was presented the Moog/Gene Ochsenreiter Award for Lifetime Achievement and the Robbinsville High football program that has won 14 state 1-A titles was recognized as a MAAC Dynasty Program.
Thompson and March were among 20 award winners from a list of 95 high-school finalists who were honored at the banquet, which began in 1957.
The MAAC also awarded 10 scholarships of $1,500 each.
Thompson, who has signed with Mars Hill, received the Darlene and John McNabb Male Athlete of the Year Award after being named Player of the Year in basketball and football in the Mountain Athletic Conference.
He had 88 receptions for 1,247 yards and 18 touchdowns as a receiver and averaged 24.5 points per game for the Warriors' basketball team.
Marsh, who has signed with UNC Wilmington, received the Asheville Citizen-Times Female Athlete of the Year Award. She was the WNC Athletic Conference Player of the Year in basketball and volleyball.
She was the Citizen-Times Player of the Year in violleyball the past two seasons and finished her career with 2,281 kills, 772 digs, 414 blocks and 136 aces.
In basketball, she led the Knights with 15.9 points and 11 rebounds per game.
ward winners for the 56th WNC Sports Awards Banquet presented by Ingles include:
ells Fargo 1A/2A Female Athlete - Major Sport: Alysha Floyd, Hiwassee Dam basketball.
Northwestern Mutual 1A/2A Female Athlete - Olympic Sport: Ralene Kwitakowski, Carolina Day cross country and track.
Homewood Suites 1A/2A Female Team - Major Sport: Carolina Day basketball.
Mills Manufacturing 1A/2A Female Team - Olympic Sport: Brevard cross country.
Merrill Lynch 1A/2A Male Athlete - Major Sport: Tanner Ellenberger, Brevard baseball and football.
White & Williams 1A/2A Male Athlete - Olympic Sport: Noah Graham, Brevard cross country and track.
Skyland Automotive Group 1A/2A Male Team - Major Sport: Murphy football.
Blue Ridge Bone & Joint/EmergeOrtho 1A/2A Male Team - Olympic Sport: Robbinsville wrestling.
Jan and Lary Schulhof 3A/4A Female Athlete - Major Sport: Camryn Jansen, Roberson basketball.
First Citizens Bank 3A/4A Female Athlete - Olympic Sport: Michelle Cobb, Roberson track and Callista Rice, North Buncombe golf.
Home Trust Bank 3A/4A Female Team - Major Sport: Enka softball.
Arcadia Farms, Inc. 3A/4A Female Team - Olympic Sport: Roberson swimming and diving.
Goforth Builders Inc. 3A/4-A Male Athlete - Major Sport: Caleb Ferguson, Tuscola football.
Massasoit of North Carolina, Inc. 3A/4A Male Athlete - Olympic Sport: Noah Shore, Asheville High track.
McKinney Insurance 3A/4A Male Team - Major Sport: Reynolds soccer.
Rodeway Inn and Suites 3A/4A Male Team - Olympic Sport: Enka wrestling.
Blue Ridge X-Ray Female Student Athlete Academic Award: McKinley Morris, Tuscola.
Blossman Gas Male Student Athlete Academic Award: Chris Bang, Enka.
Asheville Citizen-Times Female Athlete of the Year: Caroline Marsh, North Henderson basketball and volleyball.
Darlene and John McNabb Male Athlete of the Year: C.J. Thompson, Erwin basketball and football.
Scholarship Winners:
Darren Blankenship, Swain County; Teegan Bullock, North Henderson; Caleb Ferguson, Tuscola; Alysha Floyd,
Hiwassee Dam; Samantha Fortner, Mitchell; Justin Greene, Mitchell; Callie Rhea, North Buncombe; Sophie Robinson, North Buncombe; Todd Self, Mitchell; LesLeigh Tabor, Franklin.