Sports Awards winners prove grades and athletics can mix

For Ogonna Oreadu, Fridays were always the hardest.

The MUS senior said that day is usually test day. But Fridays also mean high school football, which is pretty important around campus too.

"You have the game on your mind and it just eats at you," he said. "But don't do anything halfway. I believe that anything you do, just do it to the best of your ability. Don't do anything halfway."

Oreadu's best paid off handsomely Friday as he was awarded the Division II scholar-athlete of the year at The Commercial Appeal Sports Awards, presented by Gossett Motor Cars.

Oreadu — who will play football at Columbia — lettered in three sports but still managed an accomplished academic career, scoring near perfect results on both the ACT and the SAT.

So what's the secret?

"Well, free periods help a lot," he said with a laugh.

Taylor Manley knows the feeling. A softball player of the year finalist, the Arlington senior pitcher won the public school scholar-athlete award. She spent all eight of her high school semesters on the principal's list honor roll.

"I pitched at least 30 games a year since I was a freshman ... but my mom's a teacher so studying comes first and foremost," said the CBU-bound Manley.

"I don't look at it as a challenge ... (but) like a priority."

Abby Heck of St. Agnes was the top private school girls scholar; the Notre Dame-bound senior was a state champion on the golf course and valedictorian of her class. Another valedictorian, Houston's Pat Gardner, was the public school scholar.

Kiara Rhodes of Whitehaven was the lone double winner of the evening; the Tennessee signee won the track award for the second consecutive year while also taking public school athlete of the year honors. Rhodes won the pentathlon and both hurdles races at Spring Fling last month and accounted for 44 points to lead the Tigers to their third straight Class AAA championship.

Other athlete of the year winners were Central's Rashad Haynes (public school boys), Chase Hayden of St. George's (private school boys) and Molly Martin of ECS (private school girls).

Elsewhere, East capped its banner year by taking home three premier awards. Marcus Wimberly, who guided his alma mater to its first state football championship since 1999, was named coach of the year.

Alex Lomax was named basketball player of the year and the Mustangs — two-time Class AAA champions, who ended the year ranked second in the nation according to USA Today — won team of the year honors. Olive Branch's Myah Taylor, who is headed to Mississippi State, won the basketball honor for the third year in a row, joining Central's Nina Davis and Jasmine James of Bartlett as the only players to achieve that feat.

Whitehaven linebacker Aubrey Miller — headed to Missouri — won the defensive award for football while Lausanne sophomore running back Eric Gray won the offensive award. Both players led their team to undefeated seasons and state championships in their respective classifications.

Other sponsors for this year's awards were sponsored Papa John's Pizza, WMC Action News 5 and the Memphis Sports Council.

Reach John Varlas at john.varlas@commercialappeal.com or on Twitter @johnvarlas.