68 finalists selected for WNC Sports Awards Banquet
Finalists have been selected for the 53rd WNC Sports Awards Banquet, with more than 60 high school athletes and teams to be honored May 4 at the Omni Grove Park Inn.
A total of 13 athletes and eight teams will win awards at the event, which also includes the induction of former UNC Asheville basketball coach Eddie Biedenbach into the WNC Sports Hall of Fame.
The Citadel football coach Mike Houston is the featured speaker and Clear Channel Radio’s Brian Hall will serve as master of ceremonies for the banquet, which has been revived after a three-year absence by the Mountain Amateur Athletic Club.
Biedenbach, 68, led Asheville to eight Big South Conference championships (five regular-season, three tournament titles) in 17 seasons with the Bulldogs (1996-2013).
He directed the program to three NCAA tournaments and a NIT bid and is the program’s all-time leader in victories (256-258).
A former all-ACC basketball player at N.C. State, he was named the Wolfpack’s top player for the 1960s decade.
“It’s a humbling honor to go into the WNC Hall,” said Biedenbach, who lives in Wilmington and is contemplating a return to coaching after being let go as an assistant at UNC Wilmington.
He left the program after Asheville native Buzz Peterson was fired as head coach following last season.
“To be part of something that people like (banquet founder) Gene Ochsenreiter and Joe Eblen were involved in, something that those two and so many others worked so hard for, makes me very proud,” said Biedenbach, who will be inducted into the N.C. Sports Hall of Fame on May 9.
Houston’s first head coaching job was at Roberson High, where he posted a 42-18 record from 2001-05.
The Franklin native and Mars Hill graduate was 29-8 in three seasons at Lenoir-Rhyne, with three South Atlantic Conference championships.
After leading the Bears to the NCAA Division II national championship game last season, Houston took the job at The Citadel.
Southeastern Sports is the $5,000 title sponsor for the banquet.
In addition to the awards, four scholarships totaling $3,000 will be awarded — the Joe Eblen Memorial ($1,000), the Bill Owen Memorial ($1,000) and Southeastern Sports (two at $500 each).
And Moog Music gave a $1,000 sponsorship to present the Gene Ochsenreiter Lifetime Achievement Award to a community leader.
Duke Energy will award a $1,000 grant to the Special Olympics and will also make a $1,000 donation to the MAAC. Mission Health made a $1,500 donation for the banquet.
The 17 high school awards are named for sponsors who contributed $1,000.
For more information on the banquet, contact MAAC president Billy Cooper at 210-3805 or billy.cooper@nm.com.
“It’s great that the banquet is back; I hope they can do it for another 50 years,” said Owen High football coach Kenny Ford.
“It’s neat to have something where the kids can go to the Grove Park, dress up nice, take their parents and be recognized for their accomplishments.”
Finalists for the fall and winter sports are from this academic year; the spring sports’ finalists are from the 2012-13 academic year because this year’s spring season sports aren’t completed.
Sports Award Banquet Finalists
Finalists selected by the MAAC Board of Directors based in part from nominations by WNC high school coaches and athletic directors represent 22 schools:
Wells Fargo 1A/2A Female Athlete-Major Sport: Michaela Drewnoski, Madison softball: Allie Leake, Madison softball; Meghan McQuade, Hayesville basketball; Cameron Pryor, North Henderson volleyball.
Northwestern Mutual 1A/2A Female Athlete-Olympic Sport: Hailey Cook, Hendersonville track & field; Ralene Kwiatkowski, Carolina Day cross country; Emma May, Carolina Day swimming; Anni Neiss, Franklin tennis.
Joe Eblen Memorial 1A/2A Male Athlete-Major Sport: Jordan Couch, Smoky Mountain soccer; Tyler Hoffman, Madison football; Samuel Linn, Hendersonville baseball; Raymius Smith, Swain football and basketball.
White & Williams Co. 1A/2A Male Athlete-Olympic Sport: 1A/2A Male Athlete-Olympic Sport: Daniel Bomar, Mitchell wrestling; Zach Boone, Mitchell track; Tony Kostov, Carolina Day swimming; Spencer McCoy, Swain wrestling.
Dixon, Hughes Goodman 3A/4A Female Athlete-Major Sport: Megan McAllister, Reynolds soccer; Izzy McCurry, Roberson softball; Natalie Montini, Reynolds volleyball; Sheridan Pressley, Pisgah basketball.
First Citizens Bank 3A/4A Female Athlete-Olympic Sport: Lily Anderson, Roberson cross country; Alyssa Arwood, Roberson swimming; Adrienne Haynes, Asheville High tennis; Callista Rice, North Buncombe golf.
Goforth Construction 3A/4A Male Athlete-Major Sport: McKinley Brown, Pisgah football; Alex Destino, North Buncombe baseball; Raekwon Miller, McDowell basketball; Austin Stamey, Roberson soccer.
Massasoit 3A/4A Male Athlete-Olympic Sport: Tanis Baldwin, East Henderson cross country; Luke Lechner, Asheville High swimming; Mikhail Simonovich, North Buncombe wrestling; Mitchel Langford, North Henderson wrestling.
Hampton Inn 1A/2A Female Team-Major Sport: Carolina Day basketball; Franklin basketball; Hayesville basketball; Hendersonville volleyball.
Mills Manufacturing 1-A/2-A Female Team Olympic Sport: Asheville Christian Academy cross country; Carolina Day field hockey; Smoky Mountain cross country; Swain cross country.
Home Trust Bank 3A/4A Female Team-Major Sport: Franklin soccer; McDowell basketball; Pisgah basketball; Roberson volleyball.
Arcadia Farms, Inc. 3A/4A Female Team-Olympic Sport: Asheville tennis; Roberson cross country; Roberson swimming and diving; West Henderson golf.
BMW of Asheville 1A/2A Male Team-Major Sport: Murphy football; Smoky Mountain baseball; Smoky Mountain basketball; Swain football.
Blue Ridge Bone & Joint 1A/2A Male Team-Olympic Sport: Carolina Day swimming; Franklin cross country; Mitchell track; Mitchell wrestling.
Rodeway Inn and Suites 3-A/4-A Male Team Olympic Sport: Asheville cross country; Enka wrestling; North Buncombe wrestling; Roberson cross country.
David L. Cappiello, MD 3A/4A Male Team-Major Sport: Asheville football; Erwin basketball; Pisgah basketball; Roberson soccer.
David L. Cappiello, MD Academic Excellence: Lily Anderson, Roberson cross country; Emma May, Carolina Day swimming; Sarah Spiro, Smoky Mountain cross country and track; Mitchel Langford, North Henderson wrestling.