2017-high-school-athletes - Jackson Madison County Sports Hall of Fame

Sacred Heart of Jesus High School

Hannah Fitzgerald

Sacred Heart’s female athlete of the year, Hannah Fitzgerald, played basketball and soccer. For her performance on the soccer field, Fitzgerald was named All-District this past season and best defensive player her sophomore year, and received the Team Before Self award. She was also voted Most Valuable Player in basketball. Off the court and field, Fitzgerald was a member of the Beta Club, National Honor Society, student government, theatre, and choir. She holds a 4.7 GPA and will graduate in the top two of her class. Fitzgerald plans to attend Christian Brothers University to play soccer and study mechanical engineering.

Evan Ashlock

Sacred Heart’s male athlete of the year, Evan Ashlock, played football, basketball, and soccer all four years. He served as team captain his senior year at each sport due to his leadership on and off the field/court. During his junior and senior football seasons, Ashlock was ranked as #1 quarterback in the state in 8-man football and was the MVP in the 2016 national championship tournament in Panama City, Florida. His team won both the state and national championship. At the national tournament, he passed for 875 total yards in two games and had 12 passing touchdowns along with 155 yards rushing for three touchdowns. His senior season, he passed for 6,885 yards and 72 passing touchdowns, along with 855 yards rushing for seven touchdowns. Ashlock earned All-District Honorable Mention in basketball, helping the team go to the second round of the state tournament. For soccer, he received All-District honors his junior year. Ashlock holds a 3.7 GPA and was a member of the Beta Club and National Honor Society; he has also volunteered in the community for over 80 hours. He plans to attend college to play football and study finance.

MADISON ACADEMIC MAGNET HIGH SCHOOL

Morgan Samuels

Madison’s female athlete of the year, Morgan Samuels, played tennis and ran cross country for the Mustangs. Over the 2014, 2015, and 2016 seasons, Samuels holds a 56-7 record in tennis. She ranked first on the tennis team for the 2017 season and second for the 2014, 2015, and 2016 seasons. She was named All-District in 2015 and 2016, and her team placed second at the Trinity Invitational Tournament. For cross country, Samuels placed in the top 20 at the regionals race in 2015 and ran in the state race in 2014, 2015, and 2016. Samuels has been a member of Beta Club, National Society for High School Scholars, and women’s chorus as vice president. Samuels holds a 3.6 GPA and plans to study biology to become an orthopedic surgeon.

Jackson McLemore

Madison’s male athlete of the year, Jackson McLemore, ran cross country and track for the Mustangs. McLemore’s cross country team placed first at the regional championship all four years, and placed third in the 2015 state championship. As an individual, McLemore placed in the top four at six cross country meets in 2016, and won first place at the Huntingdon meet and fourth place at the regional championship. The Jackson Sun recognized McLemore as the 2016 Cross Country “Super Senior” and 2016 All-West Tennessee Cross Country First Team. His career personal record for a 5K is 17:25. McLemore has been class president his sophomore, junior and senior years, and was selected as Most Athletic by his senior class. He’s a 2016 Leadership University graduate, a program through the Jackson Chamber. McLemore holds a 3.5 GPA and plans to attend Tennessee Technological University to major in engineering.

LIBERTY TECHNOLOGY MAGNET HIGH SCHOOL

Tierra Chrystak

Liberty’s female athlete of the year, Tierra Chrystak, played volleyball all four years, leading her team to the sub-state tournament two of those years. Chrystak was honored as Most Valuable Player for the Crusaders both her junior and senior years. She received All-District honors and an offensive award her junior year. Her senior year, Chrystak was honored as District Player of the Year and named to the All-Tournament team. She was also mentioned in The Jackson Sun three times and played on the All Star team. Chrystak holds a 3.8 GPA and plans to attend Austin Peay University to major in criminal justice.

Rodney Castille

Liberty’s male athlete of the year, Rodney Castille, played football and ran track for the Crusaders. Over his football career, Castille boasts 185 career receptions for 2,397 yards and 29 touchdowns. He was named to the 2015 and 2016 All-State First Team and received All-Region honors his junior and senior year. The Crusaders were the 2016 class AAA state runner up. For track, Castille was the 2016 300 meter hurdle state champion and the Collierville Dragon Relay Most Valuable Player. Castille holds a 3.2 GPA and received a college scholarship from the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority. Castille plans to attend Murray State in the fall.

JACKSON CHRISTIAN SCHOOL

Kady Beth Cook

JCS’s female athlete of the year, Kady Beth Cook, played soccer and basketball. As goal keeper for the soccer team, Cook had 41.5 shutouts and 605 saves over her four years. She was named All-Region (‘13), Defensive Player of the Year (‘14, ‘16), All-District (‘16), District 15A Goal Keeper of the Year (‘14, ‘15), District Tournament MVP (‘16), and All-West Tennessee First Team (‘14, ‘16). On the basketball court, she had the highest field goal percentage in both the 2014-15 and 2015-16 seasons, and she was the leading rebounder for the 2015-16 season. In the 2016-17 season, she led her team in steals, deflections, and blocks. She was named All-District (‘16, ‘17) and All-Tournament (‘16). Cook was a member of the National Honor Society and Interact Club, and she was voted by her peers to be on the homecoming court her senior year. With a 3.7 GPA, Cook plans to attend the University of Memphis to pursue a career in pharmacy.

Carter Holt

JCS’s male athlete of the year, Carter Holt, was a four-year starting pitcher for the baseball team. He was named All-District (‘15, ‘16), All-State (‘16), and West Tennessee Player of the Year (‘16). Holt helped lead the Eagles to win the 2014 Division I Class A state baseball championship. His junior season, Holt had a 12-2 record on the mound with 94 strikeouts and 1.11 ERA. He had a .358 batting average with 40 RBIs. Off the field, Holt was a member of the National Honor Society. With a 3.9 GPA, Holt plans to attend Arkansas State University to play baseball.

NORTH SIDE HIGH SCHOOL

Nakaylan Mercer

North Side’s female athlete of the year, Nakaylan Mercer, played basketball, softball, and volleyball. On the basketball court, Mercer had 10 steals, 82 rebounds, 55 points, and 15 assists. In volleyball, she averaged 16 serves per game, 7 kills, 10 blocks, and 20 assists. Her senior class elected her as Who’s Who Most Athletic. With a 3.5 GPA, Mercer was a member of Beta Club and will graduate in the top 15% of her class. She also received the Alpha Kappa Alpha Scholars Award for Sports and was recognized as part of the Tennessee Scholars program and the National Society of High School Scholars. Mercer plans to attend college to study sports medicine.

Shawn Brooks

North Side’s male athlete of the year, Shawn Brooks, played golf and baseball. As catcher for the baseball team, Brooks had a batting average of .375 and a .583 on-base percentage. He was captain of the golf team and placed runner-up at the district tournament his junior year. Off the field, Brooks participated in Leadership University and was a member of Junior Rotarian, Beta Club, Drama Club, Climate Club, choir, and the Junior ROTC program. He’s also actively involved in his church youth group through mission trips and musicals, and he was in Boy Scouts as an Eagle Scout. With a 4.0 GPA, Brooks will graduate as valedictorian of his senior class. Brooks plans to attend the University of Tennessee at Knoxville to study pre-law and then go on to law school.

SOUTH SIDE HIGH SCHOOL

Cheyenne Cunningham

South Side’s female athlete of the year, Cheyenne Cunningham, played basketball and soccer and ran track. Over her career in basketball, Cunningham played in 108 games and had 760 points, 400 rebounds, 401 assists, and 283 steals. She averaged 65% from the free throw line and 40% in field goals. She was named All-District, All-Tournament, All-Region, and All-Academic, and she was nominated to play in the Basketball Coaches Association of Tennessee East-West All Star game. On her team, Cunningham led in assists, steals, and free throw shooting %, and she received team MVP and the Hawk Award. In track, she ran the 4x1 and 4x2, making it to sectionals for the 4x2. She was a member of the advanced choir and voted as South Side’s Who’s Who Most Athletic and Most Likely to be Famous. Cunningham holds a 3.7 GPA and plans to attend college on a basketball scholarship to major in business.

Geordan Reed

South Side’s male athlete of the year, Geordan Reed, played basketball for the Hawks. Over his career, Reed had 557 total points, 237 rebounds, 77 assists, and 59 steals. He was named to the All-District, All-Tournament, and All-Academic teams. Reed was selected as South Side’s Who’s Who Most Athletic and Most Likely to be Successful. He has also been a four-year member of the advanced choir and plays the drums at his church. Reed holds a 3.0 GPA and plans to attend college on a basketball scholarship to study physical therapy.

TRINITY CHRISTIAN ACADEMY

Brynne Lytle

Trinity’s female athlete of the year, Brynne Lytle, is an All-State athlete in basketball, soccer, cross country, and track. Lytle holds several Trinity records as the all-time leading scorer in basketball with 2,410 points, all-time leader in steals in basketball, and all-time leading scorer in soccer with 116 goals. Lytle has received All-West Tennessee First Team and All-District honors in three sports, in addition to being nominated as Miss Basketball and named Offensive Player of the Year in soccer, District 15-A Player of the Year in basketball, and Region 8-A Runner of the Year in track. Lytle is an AP Scholar and a member of the National Honor Society and National Society of High School Scholars. Lytle holds a 4.5 GPA and plans to attend Christian Brothers University on an athletic scholarship to study pre-pharmacy.

Isaac Elliott

Trinity’s male athlete of the year, Isaac Elliott, played basketball, baseball, and football. On the basketball court, Elliott averaged 11.4 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 1.6 assists per game and served as captain his senior year. Elliott led the Lions to a 2014-15 district championship and 2015-16 district runner-up, and he was named to the All-District team. Elliott was also a member of the 2015 football state semi-finalist team. Off the field, Elliot participated in the 30 Point Club, National Honor Society, and the Union University Scholar of Excellence Program. Elliott holds a 4.1 GPA and plans to attend Union University to play basketball and major in Christian ministry and missions.

UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF JACKSON

Morgan Williams

USJ’s female athlete of the year, Morgan Williams, played soccer and basketball for the Bruins. As goal keeper for the soccer team, Williams had 13 shut-outs her junior year and 10 shut-outs her senior year. Her team made four state tournament appearances, securing runner-up in 2013. She was named All-District team twice, All-Region, All-State, and All-West Tennessee First Team. On the basketball court, Williams had 100 career wins and made an appearance at the state tournament. She was named to the All-District team twice for basketball as well. Williams was a member of the National Honor Society, Mu Alpha Theta Honor Society, National Social Studies Honor Society, National Science Honor Society, Tri-M Music Honor Society, and National English Honor Society. She was a Head of School Scholar, AP Scholar, George Eastman Young Leaders Award recipient, and the President of Student Government. Williams holds a 4.6 GPA and plans to attend Belmont University on a Presidential Scholarship to major in music business.

Ryan Davis

USJ’s male athlete of the year, Ryan Davis, played golf and basketball for the Bruins. In golf, Davis averaged 70.1 as a senior, and was honored as The Jackson Sun Male Golfer of the Year in 2016 and 2017. Davis played in the TSSAA Division II-A State Golf Tournament, tying for first place in 2015 and placing third in 2016. He also was a medalist in the TSSAA Division II-A West Regional Tournament in 2016 and 2017, and received All-West Tennessee and All-State honors. As a two-year starter for the basketball team, Davis won 42 games over his junior and senior years and was named All-District Honorable Mention. Davis holds a 3.6 GPA and plans to attend the University of Tennessee at Martin on a golf scholarship.

2017 High School Athletes