PEPSI BEST OF THE PREPS 2016
Local high school athletes honored with awards at annual ceremony.
Briarcrest soccer standout Alyssa Neuberger took home three awards at the 47th annual Pepsi Best of the Preps, presented by The Commercial Appeal at the Germantown Performing Arts Center on Friday night.
Neuberger, who will attend Dartmouth to play soccer, was named the girls soccer player of the year for the second consecutive year. She also won the female athlete of the year award and the female scholar-athlete award for private schools.
“It’s a huge honor and I’m really grateful,” Neuberger said. “It took a lot of hours, but there were a lot of coaches who were pushing me and supporting and a lot of teammates who were supporting me. I wasn’t alone through it all.”
St. George’s, Houston, CBHS and MUS led the way Friday night, each with three individual sports award winners.
Alex Lomax of the state titlewinning East Mustangs won the boys basketball award, and Olive Branch junior Myah Taylor won in girls basketball for the second consecutive year.
“One of my goals was to win it two times in a row, and I’m very blessed and humbled that I got this award,” Taylor said.
Taylor, who has committed to Mississippi State, averaged 27 points and seven assists per game last season, and was named the USA Today and Gatorade state player of the year.
White Station’s Dillon Mitchell, who is enrolled to play at Oregon next season, won the offensive football player award, and Trezevant’s Justin Swift won the defensive football player award.
St. Agnes’ Abby Heck was named girls golfer of the year for the second consecutive year. Heck’s St. Agnes classmate, Caroline Conrad, won the girls bowling award.
Houston took home both cross country awards, Michelle Myers winning for girls and Christopher Rayder for boys.
For the second consecutive year Peyton McKnatt (Houston) won the boys soccer award.
Briarcrest’s Callie Anderton took home the volleyball award and Collierville’s Kelsey Gross won the softball award.
Robbie Griggs was named the wrestler of the year — the ninth straight year a CBHS wrestler has won the award. CBHS’ Bradley Pounds (boys bowling) and Weston Bizzle (baseball) also won.
Claire Sullivan of St. George’s won the girls tennis award for the second consecutive year and Sullivan’s St. George’s classmates, Sarah Thompson and Davis Irving, won the girls swimming and boys golf awards, respectively.
MUS’ Henry Keel (boys swimming), Andres Carro (boys tennis) and Winn Medlock (boys lacrosse) took home awards, while Hutchison’s Griffin Gearhardt won in girls lacrosse.
Kiara Rhodes continued Whitehaven’s success in track as she was named the girls winner. Harding Academy’s Calvin Austin III won the boys track award.
Rodney Williams (Germantown) and Dominique Chatman (Mitchell) won the male and female athlete of the year awards for Shelby County schools.
“It took working hard, being patient and doing my best,” Chatman said. “It feels awesome.”
Chatman, who lettered four years in track, basketball, volleyball and cross country, will attend the University of Memphis on an athletic scholarship for track.
Terrell Jackson (MUS) won the male athlete of the year for private schools. Dan Ellington (Center Hill) and Treasuary Poindexter (Covington) won the male and female athlete of the year for suburban schools.
Rodney Saulsberry Jr. (Whitehaven) and Allie Hughes (Germantown) won the male and female scholar-athlete awards for Shelby County schools. While Jackson Bentley (Collierville) and Maddie Lindemann (Houston) won the male and female scholar-athlete awards for suburban schools. For private schools, Liam Gildea (CBHS) won the male scholar-athlete award.
There were six Best of the Preps team awards, one to a team from each division. Houston won the female division and CBHS was the male champion. White Station was named the Shelby County Schools champion. In the Suburban division, Houston won. St. George’s was the small private schools division champion, and Briarcrest Christian School won the large private school division.
It took a lot of hours, but there were a lot of coaches who were pushing me and supporting and a lot of teammates who were supporting me. I wasn’t alone through it all.” Alyssa Neuberger, BOP winner