Sports

Sewell awards set for May 6

By Peggy Blackburn - Managing Editor
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A three-month nomination and interview process is complete, and the fourth class of nominees for the annual Sewell Awards has been announced.

A total of 52 Elmore County student athletes will be honored at the May 6 Sewell Awards Banquet n 28 seniors and 24 freshmen. Two of the senior candidates n one boy and one girl n will receive the Joe Sewell Award and John Sewell Scholarship.

The Sewell Award program recognizes outstanding high school senior athletes in Elmore County who have consistently represented the highest ideals of Christian leadership in athletics.

“The response given to this award has been great and will continue to grow as people see what it stands for and the quality of kids who are nominees,” said State Rep. Barry Mask, a committee member.

Joe Sewell, a Titus native, was born in 1898. He was the oldest of three brothers who graduated from Wetumpka High School. All three went on to attend the University of Alabama and earn recognition as outstanding athletes. The three - Joe, Luke and Tommy - also played professional baseball.

The companion scholarship is named for John Sewell, a cousin of the famous brothers. Each overall Sewell Award winner (one male and one female) will receive a trophy and a $1,500 scholarship award.

“That’s a 50 percent increase in the amount of the scholarships for overall winners,” said Butch Ruttan, 2008 Sewell Award chairman.

And, Ruttan said, category award winners will also receive cash scholarships for the first time this year. $500 awards will be made to each male and female winner in four categories n leadership; academics; athletics; and church, community and character.

“That’s a total of $7,000 in scholarships that will be presented,” said Ruttan. “This is another outstanding class. The competition for the overall award was so close, we had a hard time deciding on the award recipients.

“These are 28 super kids. All of them are winners,” he said.

Athletes were screened and selected using the following criteria: athletic achievements, teamwork and commitment - 25 percent; academics - 25 percent; community, church and character - 25 percent; and leadership - 25 percent.

Nominated freshman athletes from each participating school will also be recognized for their commitment to the qualities outlined in the award program.

John Croyle, former University of Alabama national championship defensive end and founder of Big Oak Ranch, will be the keynote speaker at this year’s banquet.

“We’re delighted to have John Croyle as our keynote speaker,” said Ruttan. “Everything about his life epitomizes what this award is about.”

This year’s banquet will be held May 6 at 6:30 p.m. at the Wetumpka Civic Center. Tickets are $25 per person, and are available at PrimeSouth Bank in Wetumpka and Tallassee, River Bank and Trust in Wetumpka and Prattville and Central Elmore Water and Sewer Authority. No tickets will be available at the door.

“Every year this just keeps getting better,” said Ruttan.

Senior finalists are pictured, along with the school attending.

Freshman nominees are:

Edgewood n Matt Moore, Amber Voss, Kelly Wells.

Elmore County n Jeremy Head, Miranda McCurdy, Dylan Meek.

Holtville n Halie Hood, Victor Taylor, Kelsey Yarnell.

New Life n Brandon Carter, James Gibbons, Alison Henderson.

Prattville Christian n Joseph Hamilton, Lainey Heartsill, Morgan Wallace.

Stanhope Elmore n Ryan Callicott, Keonte Graves, Jasmyne Reeves.

Tallassee n Alyssa Durham, Trey Cochran Gill, Morgan Wilson.

Wetumpka n Zachary Carter, Jacob Levins, Morgan Stubbs.

Previous years’ winners were: 2007 - Chris Glover, Holtville High, and Kelly McWhorter, Elmore County High; 2006 - Ashley Hicks, Stanhope Elmore High, and Chaz Worthy, Elmore County High; and 2005 - Josh Cain, Edgewood Academy, and Heather Finklea, Elmore County High.

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