Asheville, Hendersonville – Several players and coaches from Buncombe and Henderson counties received tremendous statewide athletic honors.
In the recent N.C. Coaches Association East-West All-Star football game, West stars included three Buncombe players – with two from MAC champ A.C. Reynolds. Guard Nash Rogers started. Rocket DB-LB Diane Fountain also played in the game on July 19 in Greensboro. Asheville OLB Oliver Mooney played a quarter, before injuring his shoulder.
Rodney Pruett was the West squad’s offensive coordinator. He also coached defensive backs. North Henderson’s Jim Beatty, who has also led T.C. Roberson, coached offensive linemen.
Rodney Pruett said that getting selected by coaching “peers” makes him feel “probably the most honored I’ve ever felt. I feel honored and blessed. It was a great week. I made memories to last a lifetime.”
Coach Beatty also felt honored. “I had a great time coaching. The players were great to coach, very well-behaved. I would do it again in a heartbeat.”
This was the last time the football all-star game was in July. Starting this December, it will be on the weekend after NCHSAA state title games. That provides greater continuity for players and coaches.
These all-star games began in 1949.
Enka boys’ head basketball coach Brian Carver, the MAC 2022-23 coach of the year, gets to lead North Carolinians versus South Carolina in the 2024 Carolinas All-Star Classic in March. T.C. Roberson veteran head coach Billy Phillips will be an assistant in the 2024 boys’ basketball East-West contest.
Soccer Standouts
In the ‘24 soccer East-West clash, West Henderson’s Brian Brewer will lead West stars.
Four locals were chosen for the recent soccer all-star game. They are Reynolds’ all-state goalkeeper Sean Green (0.58 GAA), Cooper King who repeated as all-state as a soccer scorer and football kicker, Asheville midfielder Gannt McIver, and Owen’s Cole Roy.
Green played against adults in ’22 and ’23 for the amateur Asheville City Soccer Club. All four have played for the local Highland Football Club teen travel team. King did this summer, missing the East-West game. N.C. top-ranked HFC won its four-state region.
Also all-state in soccer was Owen’s brotherly combo of sophomore 50-goal scorer Kendall Davis and senior midfielder Harrison Davis.
Diamond Dandies
Four locals were all-state in baseball. They are two each from state championship squads. The sole 2023 grad among them is Roberson shortstop and pitching “closer” Nick Parham. He slugged eight home runs, and batted .379. He is now at East Carolina.
His teammate, lefty playoff pitching and slugging star Micah Simpson (.449), is distinguished as all-state for his sophomore campaign. Simpson was the 4A state tourney MVP.
West Henderson’s 3A champs sport two all-state stars returning for their senior years and another state title run. They are shortstop Jackson “Jack” Lyda (.479), the fiery left-hanaded leadoff hitter and Mountain Seven MVP, and N.C. State-bound Truitt Manuel (.376). Manuel was honored by statewide coaches as the best pitcher in 3A in 2023. He was 11-1, with an amazing 0.61 ERA and 120 strikeouts in 68 2/3 innings.
The 3A tourney MVP was West 2023 grad Alex Anderson, the buoyant catcher and outfielder. He hit .454 with six homers, as a clutch batter all season and in the title drive.
Gridiron Greats
Manuel was WNC’s leading football receiver with 93 catches for 1,391 yards and 27 touchdowns. West reached the third round of football playoffs for the first time in 38 years, and had quite likely its finest all-around performance in varsity male and female athletics.
The MAC also returns an elite receiver, in Erwin’s swift Tyviaun “Ty” Johnson. His 1,253 receiving yards were the second-most in WNC. Johnson averaged 21.2 yards per reception, with 12 TDs among his 59 catches.
Football’s N.C.-S.C. Shrine Bowl last December showcased seniors such as Reynolds’ 6-foot-3 free safety DaShawn Stone. The MAC defensive player of the year is now at Duke. Other Shrine Bowlers were ACR’s 280-pound DL Russell Barnett, and AHS Cougar CB Deshaun Whitmire.
‘Hoops Hoopla’
In basketball, league MVP Lyda led Mountain scorers with 19.5 points a game. The MAC boys’ MVP was North Buncombe’s Chad Clark (22.3 PPG). In the Rankings Report WNC all-star hoops game at Warren Wilson College, the MVP was Enka’s 6-4 wing Jacob Tiller. He scored 22 points.
Hendersonville’s Jacobi Simpson drew the loudest cheers, for his acrobatic slams. His brother, 6-6 center Malachi Simpson, averaged 20 points as a sophomore to lead HHS to the Mountain Seven crown.
Keenan Wilkins from Hendersonville averaged 14.1 points to pace Christ School, which won the 4A private school hoops crown.
In wrestling, the MAC wrestler of the year was ACR’s Elijah Brown in the 160-pound class. Enka’s Mark Harris was again named coach of the year. Erwin’s Logan Wilson (132 lb.) was the tournament MVP.
West Henderson’s Drake Gillian finished third in the 3A state individual tennis tournament.