From staff reports

The NCHSAA recently voted to eliminate shootouts to break ties in regular season conference soccer matches.

If teams are deadlocked after two 10-minute overtime periods, the contest will end in a tie.

The NCHSAA also tweaked the soccer playoff calendar, with the first two rounds on Monday and Thursday.

 

Catawba awards

Catawba’s women’s cross country MVP is Hannah Mercer, a senior from North Davidson.

Mercer was 12th in the 6K Southeast Regional in November and also was 12th in the SAC Championships.

She also had indoor track sucess and was third in the 5000 meters in the SAC Championships held in February.

 

NCHSAA

CHAPEL HILL – The NCHSAA has announced the winners of the Willie Bradshaw Memorial Endowed Scholarship for 2019-2020.

The Willie Bradshaw Endowed Scholarship provides $750 of scholarship support to selected outstanding Black African American, Native American, Alaska Native, Asian American, Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, or Hispanic American student-athletes participating on a sanctioned varsity team at an NCHSAA member school.

Out of the regional recipients, one male and one female student athlete have also been selected as a state scholarship recipient and each receive an additional $1,000 scholarship as state award winners.  This year’s state recipients are Jessie Ssengonzi from Green Hope High School and LaTyra English from Union High School.

ABOUT WILLIE BRADSHAW

The Willie Bradshaw Memorial Endowed Scholarship is in honor of Durham-native, Willie Bradshaw, an NCHSAA Hall of Fame inductee in 1995 and National High School Hall of Fame inductee in 2010. Bradshaw was an outstanding athlete at Hillside High School, playing on the undefeated 1943 football team that went untied and unscored upon. He went on to North Carolina College (now NC Central University) and then on to pitch professionally for several Negro League teams. He became the first African American city or county athletic director when he took over for the Durham City School system until his retirement in 1992.

STATE WINNERS

LaTyra English – Union High School

LaTyra English is a two- sport athlete at Union High School. Throughout her tenure at Union she played varsity basketball and track and field receiving all-county and all-conference honors during her junior and senior year. She was also recognized as a Spartan MVP. English’s accomplishments off the field are just as impressive. She was a junior marshal for Union High School commencement, maintained Honor Roll and Principal’s List recognition during each of her four years, and is in the top one percent of her class. She plans to study sports management beginning in the fall of 2020.

Jesse Ssengonzi – Green Hope High School

Jesse Ssengonzi is a student at Green Hope High School where he participated in men’s swimming all four years. Ssengonzi has received a number of accolades as a swimmer including setting a school record in the 100 Butterfly and 200 Individual Medley Relay. He was also selected as the recipient of the 2018-2019 NCHSAA 4A Sportsmanship Award. He was also a Central Region Champion two years in a row and named the Triangle-8 Conference Swimmer of the Year. In addition to his dynamic swimming skills, Ssengonzi has a number of leadership positions including co-president of Green Hope Food Ark Club, co-president of Fellowship of Christian Athletes, secretary of the Economics and Finance Club, and the vice president of attendance of the National Honor Society. He also was an extern at CISCO where he coordinated a CISCO STEM event for elementary school students. Ssengonzi plans to pursue a degree in computer and information science.

REGIONAL WINNERS

Joshua Robinson – Davie High School

Joshua Robinson has been a varsity football player for the last three years at Davie.

He also played on the varsity basketball team and participated in track and field. As a varsity football player, he was the starting running back and defensive end. He was selected All-Central Piedmont Conference his junior year. He also volunteers with several local community organizations. Robinson plans to pursue a degree in kinesiology.

McKayla Williams – Cox Mill High School

McKayla Williams was  a member of the cheerleading and track and field teams.

She has participated in both activities her entire four years at Cox Mill receiving a number of accolades including serving as captain of the CMHS varsity cheerleading squad her junior and senior year. She has also been selected as the recipient of the Iron Charger Award and qualified for regionals with the 200m relay team. McKayla’s list of accomplishments includes her leadership roles as a co-founder and co-president of Cox Mill High School’s Chinese Honors’ Society, co-president of her high school’s chapter of the National Beta Club, president of her local Girl Scout troop, and a member of the Concord Youth Council. Williams was also selected to attend North Carolina Governor’s School her junior year. Her plans are to study pre-med this fall.