- November 23, 2024
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Matanzas High School held its annual Athlete and Scholar Athlete of the Year awards Thursday night. Individuals from every sport were recognized by the coaches, and then all coaches voted for Female and Male Athlete and Scholar Athlete of the Year awards, handed out by Athletic Director and Assistant Principal Robert Nocella.
“When it gets down to the end of the year ... it is just really great to do these award ceremonies because these kids work hard all year, and they deserve it,” Nocella said.
Four athletes won Scholar Athlete of the Year for two separate sports: Brooklyn Jamieson for girls basketball and volleyball; Savannah Drummonds for softball and girls track; Brianna Evans for girls weightlifting and cross country; and Jonathon Guilbe for boys cross country and track.
Athletes of the year
The Female and Male Athlete of the Year awards were given to Bailey Pickering for the girls and William Conville for the boys.
“Honestly, I didn’t think I was going to win. I was very surprised; it could’ve easily been anybody else,” Conville, who also was statistically ranked No. 12 in the fastest high school runners in Florida, said. “I really thought Jonathon Guilbe was deserving.”
Scholar athletes
Nocella then gave the Female and Male Scholar Athlete of the Year awards to girls’ weight lifter and cross country runner Brianna Evans and boys track, cross country runner and Conville’s long-time friend, Jonathon Guilbe.
“I was incredibly flabbergasted,” Evans said. “I’ve worked so hard to get here, and this award and the awards I have won show the goals I have reached. I still have more goals, but this is all for something, so it’s a great feeling.”
Guilbe had a couple of things to say about Conville, instead of his own accomplishments.
“It was very unexpected, and I am excited about all this,” said Guilbe. “I really have to thank William for everything, because he was the one who inspired me to even start running, and he really has inspired me to keep running.”
Conville's story
Nocella also had a story to tell about Conville.
“There was actually a race where William actually ran backwards,” Nocella said. “He saw Guilbe far behind him when he was running, and he literally started running backwards just so Guilbe could catch up. That’s just the type of person he is.”
“I have worked really hard to get where I am,” Conville said. “I am greatly inspired by my parents. They have been there through everything in my life along the way.”
“I am very proud of him,” Conville’s father said. “If there is any one kid that would talk about anybody else but himself, it’s him. I am very lucky to be his father.”
Conville and Guilbe are both going to University of Florida on a full-ride, but not for running. According to Nocella, Conville and Guilbe are far more interested in what is to come academically for them both. Conville and Guilbe are ranked first and third among all senior graduates with a 5.1 and 4.9 grade point average, respectively.
Below are a list of all the award winners by each sport:
Matanzas High School Male Scholar Athlete of the Year
Jonathon Guilbe
Matanzas High School Female Scholar Athlete of the Year
Brianna Evans
Matanzas High School Male Athlete of the Year
William Conville
Matanzas High School Female Athlete of the Year
Bailey Pickering
Volleyball
Athlete of the Year
Andrea Menendez
-Ended 2015 season with 3 assists, 8 kills, 306 digs, 238 service points and 48 aces, leading the team in all three categories.
-Attending UNF in the fall
Scholar Athlete of the Year
Brooklyn Jamieson
-Chosen by team as Team Choice Award
-Attending Henderson State on softball scholarship
Wrestling
Athlete of the Year
Troy Magnuson
-2X district champ
-2015 state qualifier
-Joining Coast Guard after graduation.
Scholar Athlete of the Year
Nathan Pooler
-Attending University of South Florida in fall
-2015 district champion and state qualifier
-Ranked number four in the region for wrestling
Boys Golf
Scholar Athlete of the Year
Nick Jahn
Girls Golf
Scholar Athlete of the Year
Lindsay Sanchez
-3 regionals in four years
-Team Captain
-Attending Florida Gulf Coast in fall
Swimming
Scholar Athlete of the Year
Patrick Hile
Girls Weight Lifting
Athlete of the Year
Kayla Short
-First to go to state qualifier in back to back seasons
Scholar Athlete of the Year
Brianna Evans
-NFCA Scholar Athlete
Softball
Athlete of the Year
Kayla Dillion
-Captain of softball team
Scholar Athlete of the Year
Savannah Drummonds
Boys Lacrosse
Athlete of the Year
Christian Wilson
-Captain and Co-team Most Valuable Player for 2015 senior season
-Chosen to compete in 2015 Florida Senior All Star Lacrosse game
Football
Athlete of the Year
William Wallenburg.
Boys Tennis
Athlete of the Year
Fernando Arrascue
-Captain of Boys Tennis
Boys Bowling
Scholar Athlete of the Year
Christian Sykes
-One game bowled a 299, one shy of the perfect game
-Averaged a game score of 212
Girls Tennis
Scholar Athlete of the Year
Dominic Davis
-Two time district champion
Boys Basketball
Scholar Athlete of the Year
Madison Milnac
-Team’s Most Valuable Player the past two seasons
-Attending Chatham University in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania in fall
Boys Soccer
Scholar Athlete of the Year
Nick Weber
-All State player
-Attending Florida State University in fall
Girls Basketball
Scholar Athlete of the Year
Brooklyn Jamieson
-Lead team in all categories except deflections
Boys Cross Country
Athlete of the Year
William Conville
-Recorded third fastest time in school record books
-Attending University of Florida on full ride scholarship by Air Force
-Holds highest Grade Point Average of any senior at Matanzas at a 5.1
Scholar Athlete of the Year
Jonathon Guilbe
Girls Cross Country
Athlete of the Year
Kenzie Forgie
Scholar Athlete of the Year
Brianna Evans
-3 year captain of cross country
-Attending Florida Gulf Coast University in the fall
Girls Track
Athlete of the Year
Lexi Krenz
-Scored 100 total points for the Matanzas Track team this year.
-Holds the school record for both the Shot Put (34-7) and Discus (105-3).
Scholar Athlete of the Year
Savannah Drummonds
-Placed first in Flagler Pinnacle Classic, Royal Open, Spruce Creek Invitational, Friday Knight Invite, Wolf Pack Classic, the Conference Championships
-Placed first in both Districts and Regionals
-Ranked number one pole vault athlete in Daytona Beach Honor Roll
Girls Soccer
Athlete of the Year
Bailey Pickering
-Captain of soccer team
-2015 Defensive Player of the Year
-Received a soccer scholarship from South Georgia State College
Scholar Athlete of the Year
Haley McQueen
-Attending West Florida University on full scholarship
Girls Lacrosse
Athlete of the Year
Abby Shidel
-Captain of Matanzas lacrosse team
Scholar Athlete of the Year
Juliet Grego
-Captain of lacrosse team
Cheer
Athlete of the Year
Alyssa Mikhail
Scholar Athlete of the Year
Kaitlyn Delcastillo
Boys Track
Athlete of the Year
Tahiem Shakir
-Holds both the school and the St. Johns River Conference record in High Jump with a jump of 6 feet four inches
-Scored 76 points for the track team this year
-Committed to Air Force
Scholar Athlete of the Year
Jonathon Guilbe
-Has ranked in the top 20 in all of Florida for pole vault
-Won first place in Florida Pinnacle Classic
-Grade Point Average of 4.94 (third in senior class)
-Attending University of Florida on full ride scholarship by Navy
Baseball
Athlete of the Year
Braeden Ward
-Never missed a game
-2015: Batted .325 with 14 runs batted in and 4 doubles
-300 plus community service hours
-Attending Florida Southern College in the fall
Scholar Athlete of the Year
Anthony Marco
-2015 Most Improved Player
-Attending University of Central Florida and majoring in Forensic Science