PROSPERITY — The 2020-21 Mid-Carolina Middle School athletic season concluded with a virtual athletic awards ceremony held March 18.
Each season presented its own set of difficulties this year, but ultimately with the help of the coaches, players, parents, administration, teachers, community and the district office, MCMS was able to successfully hold athletic events with spectators present.
“While the number of spectators allowed to attend athletic events was significantly limited, we were fortunate to be able to still have fans present in comparison to many districts around the state, spectators were not allowed at all. There were a lot of adjustments this year and anytime you have that many changes suddenly it can be stressful on everyone, but overall events ran pretty smoothly,” said Jared Jones, MCMS athletic director.
“Our football team numbers were down this year from roughly 40 players to 24, due to COVID-19 concerns, so they really had to play iron man football. The team worked hard and we know that the players improved from the start of the season, which is what we want to see as the kids move on to the high school level.
“Our cheer team did not participate in competition cheer this year, but the girls worked hard preparing to get the fans pumped up even if it was for a limited number of games.
“Volleyball worked hard this year and thankfully got to play thirteen matches because several of the teams in our division only got to play nine.
“Basketball season had one of the greatest chances of being shut down due to being indoors and the amount of contact that players have throughout the games and practices. Making it to the end of the season became survival of attrition as one team after another was knocked out due to COVID-19. Both teams were lucky to get most of their games in this year, there were teams that completely folded due to lack of numbers and some were limited to only two games the entire season. Overall, our girls finished second in the division and third in the conference. Our boys finished tied for fourth in the division, but by the time it was all said and done, they were the third seed for the playoffs.
“The wrestling team, which is through the high school, didn’t get to have any official matches, but the boys worked hard each week competing against each other to get better.”
The awards were as follows:
MCMS wrestling: Most Improved – Noah Fulmer, Rebel Award – Ryan Conder, Highest Academic Average – Ryan Conder.
MCMS boys’ basketball: Best Offensive – Ty Floyd, Best Defensive – Ezerial Prater, Most Improved – Montieth Brown, Rebel Award – Fredrick Hayward, Co-MVP – Kaden Myers and Ty Floyd, Highest Academic Average – Ryan Crooks.
MCMS girls’ basketball: MVP – Brea Boyd, Offensive Award – Brea Boyd, Defensive Award – Zoe Reid, Rebel Award – Caroline Ayers, Most Improved – Kahmajah Wadsworth, Highest Academic Average – Zoe Reid.
MCMS cheerleading: Most Improved – Kaylee Belcher, Best All Around – Haydon Purcell, Rebel Award – Lexi Dixon, Highest Academic Average – Kursten Long.
MCMS football – Defensive Lineman – Jaxon Moody, Defensive Back – AD Basnight, Offensive Lineman – Ezerial Prater, Offensive Back – Kentravious Broome, Rebel Award – Colby Livingston, MVP – Kentravious Broome, Highest Academic Average – Ryan Crooks.
MCMS volleyball: MVP – Callie Wilbanks, Best Server – Raelyn Livingston, Best Passer – Daniela Vazquez Diaz, Rebel Award – Ava Grace Long, Most Improved – Riley Lindler, Highest Academic Average – Carter Vinson.
“I appreciate all the hard work that the teams put in this year, even though their flow was constantly disrupted due to quarantines and cancellations. Thank you to everyone that helped out this year and pitched in when called on, without you none of this would have been possible. Look for information about cheer, football and volleyball for the 2021-22 seasons to come in the spring,” Jones said.
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