The 2016 spring sports Players of the Year for BLITZ were announced late last week, as many individuals in the Northeast Georgia area were recognized for their standout seasons.
Baseball
Tucker Maxwell – Dawson County SR OF #1
Maxwell proved why he’s an NCAA Division-I talent (UGA commit), batting .518 with 5 homers and 37 RBI, scoring an eye-popping 51 runs. The senior outfielder was one of the most feared hitters in the area, as evident by his 37 walks. He added 14 doubles, 2 triples, and showed his speed with 38 stolen bases.
Voting Results:
Player………………1st…2nd…3rd…4th…5th…PTS
Tucker Maxwell….14…….1………0…….0…….0………73
Palmer Sapp………1………7………4…….3…….0………37
Joseph Mancuso…0…….5………4……..2…….4………26
Eli Gipson…………..0…….2………6…….6…….1……24.5
Sebastian Dunn…..0…….0………1…….4……10………11
Previous Winners:
2010 – David Sosebee (White County JR P/3B)
2011 – David Sosebee (White County SR P/3B)
2012 – Zach Wall (Hayesville JR P/SS)
2013 – Brett Westmoreland (White County SR 1B)
2014 – Spencer Adams (White County SR P/SS)
2015 – Joseph Mancuso (Union County JR P/1B)
2016 – Tucker Maxwell (Dawson County SR OF)
Boys Soccer
Dennis Pyetsukh – Dawson County SO F #17
Pyetsukh is the first underclassman to win the award, and makes it four years in a row that a Dawson player wins it. He notched a school record 24 goals, adding a dozen assists on the way to an Elite 8 run.
Voting Results:
Player………………….1st…2nd…3rd…PTS
Dennis Pyetsukh…….11…….3……..0……..64
Clancy Loudermilk….2…….5………7……..39
Alan Sanchez………….1……..6……..7……..37
Previous Winners:
2010 – Nolan & Sawyer Hemmer (Habersham SR F/D)
2011 – Vincent Thomas (Union SR F)
2012 – Jose Lara (Habersham SR F)
2013 – Brooks Fulford (Dawson JR GK)
2014 – Brandon Lund (Dawson JR F)
2015 – Brandon Lund (Dawson SR F)
2016 – Dennis Pyetsukh (Dawson SO F)
Girls Soccer
Alexis Satterfield – Lumpkin County SR F #1
Satterfield takes the award back-to-back for the first time since White County’s Kaitlyn Hooper accomplished the same from 2010-11. The senior forward for the Lady Indians followed her 34 goal 2015 season with 29 more this year, leading the girls to another deep state playoff run.
Voting Results:
Player………………1st…2nd…3rd…4th…5th…6th……PTS
Alexis Satterfield….7…….2……..2……..2…….0…….1………47.5
Fallon Lacey………..2…….6……..2……..1……..1…….2……..34.5
Emily Queen……….4……..1……..2……..3…….2…….2………..32
Madison Yost……….0……3……..4……..1…….4…….2…………21
Brooke Barrett……..1…….1……..2……..3…….2…….5………18.5
Savanna Magill…….0……1……..2……..4…….5…….2………17.5
Previous Winners:
2010 – Kaitlyn Hooper (White JR F)
2011 – Kaitlyn Hooper (White SR F)
2012 – Emily Stowers (Dawson SR F)
2013 – Tina Libao (Dawson FR MF)
2014 – Anela Melton (Dawson JR GK)
2015 – Alexis Satterfield (Lumpkin JR F)
2016 – Alexis Satterfield (Lumpkin SR F)
Boys Tennis
Trey Wilcox – Rabun County JR #1 Singles
Wilcox is legit! In fact, not only is he the back-to-back winner of the award, but anonymously! He’s one of the state’s top tennis talents. Don’t believe it? Look no further than his 19-0 record with 100% of his sets won and over 93% of his games won. He almost NEVER loses a single game in a set…Oh….and he splits time in the spring between tennis and baseball, where he is also a solid player and starter. Wilcox is officially the first to repeat in the award’s brief history.
Voting Results:
Player…………….1st…2nd…3rd…4th…PTS
Trey Wilcox………14…….0…….0…….0………70
Martin/Boswell….0…….8…….4……..2………34
Chance Cooper…..0…….3…….7……..4………27
Hayden Roper……0…….3…….3……..8………23
Previous Winners:
2010 – Thomas Flowers (White SR)
2011 – Will Jarrard (Lumpkin SR)
2012 – Jake Schaefer (Banks JR)
2013 – Bobby Nguyen (Banks JR)
2014 – Justin Yang / Gatlin Boswell (Banks SR)
2015 – Trey Wilcox (Rabun SO)
2016 – Trey Wilcox (Rabun JR)
Girls Tennis
Savanna Scott – Rabun County JR #3 Singles
Scott takes home the award for the second straight season, following two straight years that Brittany Stewart of Lumpkin did the same thing. Scott will return next year for a shot at a third award. She was 13-0 in her matches in 2016, winning over 95% of sets and 84% of games.
Voting Results:
Player………….1st…2nd…3rd…4th…PTS
Savanna Scott….8……3………1……..2……..53
Claudia Head…..3……4……..6……..1……..40
Hallie Reeves…..1……6……..4……..3……..34
Bailey Dillard…..2……1……..3……..8……..27
Previous Winners:
2010 – Abby Brown / Claire Stovall (Habersham SR)
2011 – Ginny Rhoades (Towns SR)
2012 – Kayla Olin / Eryn Cochran (Towns JR/SO)
2013 – Brittany Stewart (Lumpkin JR)
2014 – Brittany Stewart (Lumpkin SR)
2015 – Savanna Scott (Rabun SO)
2016 – Savanna Scott (Rabun JR)
Boys Golf
Hunter Burt – Dawson County JR
Burt was the 7-AAA runner-up, and followed that up with a 17th place finish at state. He barely beat out fellow region golfer Jamie Wood, who won the region title but placed lower at state. Burt was very consistent, carding a 79 in both region and state tournaments. He becomes the first Dawson golfer to win the award, which has always gone to either a junior or senior by chance. Every finalist this year received a first place vote…very interesting!
Voting Results:
Player…………….1st…2nd…3rd…4th…PTS
Hunter Burt………6……6……….1……..1………51
Jamie Wood……..5…….6………2……..1………48
Jeremy Herum….1…….1………8……..4………28
Sage Culpepper…2…….1………3……..8………27
Previous Winners:
2010 – Aaron George (Lumpkin JR)
2011 – Aaron George (Lumpkin SR)
2012 – Lee McCoy (Habersham SR)
2013 – Eli Crumley (White SR)
2014 – Garrett Rowland (White JR)
2015 – Garret Rowland (White SR)
2016 – Hunter Burt (Dawson JR)
Girls Golf
Maddie & Ally Horinek – Union County JR/SO
HOW COOL IS THIS?!? The first ever tie for the award, and it goes to the Union County sisters! Ally Horinek was the runner-up to her sister Maddie in the Region 8-AA tourney, but posted a 4th-place finish at state. Both sisters had an incredible year. It’s the third time a sophomore has won the award, and breaks the run of former Dawson star Maddie Caldwell’s three-year run at the award.
Voting Results:
Player……………..1st…2nd…3rd…4th…PTS
Maddie Horinek….6……3……..4………1……..48
Ally Horinek………5…….5……..4……..0 ……..48
Kenzie Jenkins…..2…….6……..2……..4………36
Morgan Rylee…….1…….0……..4……..9………22
Previous Winners:
2010 – Morgan Wood (Lumpkin FR)
2011 – Morgan Wood (Lumpkin SO)
2012 – Cara Gowder (Banks JR)
2013 – Madison Caldwell (Dawson SO)
2014 – Madison Caldwell (Dawson JR)
2015 – Madison Caldwell (Dawson SR)
2016 – Maddie & Ally Horinek (Union JR/SO)
Boys Track
Jay Acker – Commerce SR Distance/Relay/Pole Vault
Acker becomes the second Commerce athlete to win the boys award (DiKerio Ramsey in 2013), and it was well-earned. Acker won the state title in the 800, 1600 and 4×400 as the anchor. He also was state runner-up in pole vault. This and taking home area honors in three of those events equals an incredible season for Acker. A senior has won this award in five of the seven years. Three of the finalists have won the award in the last three years.
Voting Results:
Player………………1st…2nd…3rd…4th…PTS
Jay Acker……………8…….5……..0……..1………56
Charlie Woerner….5……..9……..0…….0……..52
Austin Pierce………0……..0……12…….2……..26
Jacob Poston………1……..0……..2……11……..20
Previous Winners:
2010 – Andrew Seay (Habersham SR)
2011 – Taylor Guthrie (Lumpkin SR)
2012 – Jocquise Lloyd (Hayesville SR)
2013 – DiKerrio Ramsey (Commerce SR)
2014 – Charlie Woerner (Rabun SO)
2015 – Austin Pierce (Lumpkin JR)
2016 – Jay Acker (Commerce SR)
Girls Track
Kate Massey – Commerce SO Long Distance
Massey becomes the first Commerce athlete to win this award, and the first sophomore since the inaugural award was given out in 2010. Six of the seven winners have been girls long distance runners.
Massey won the 1600 & 3200 in the GHSA State Championships, and won both at the area meet as well!
Voting Results:
Player……………..1st…2nd…3rd…4th…PTS
Kate Massey………11…….3…….0……..0……..64
Jenna Gearing…….3…….1……..8……..2……..36
Anna Hardy……….0…….9……..2……..3……..36
Scarlett Mayes……0…….1……..4……..9……..20
Previous Winners:
2010 – Madalyn Walters (Dawson SO)
2011 – Madalyn Walters (Dawson JR)
2012 – Jessie Dotson (White SR)
2013 – Jenna Gearing (White FR)
2014 – Sally Woerner (Rabun SR)
2015 – Jenna Gearing (White JR)
2016 – Kate Massey (Commerce SO)
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