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McKenzie High School Hosts Basketball Banquet

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McKENZIE (April 14) — Players, coaches, family members, administrators, sponsors and supporters packed the McKenzie High School cafeteria Sunday afternoon to celebrate a great basketball season for the Rebels, Lady Rebels and cheerleaders.
The banquet began with Principal Tim Watkins welcoming all and student John Tyler Putman giving a blessing. Then guests enjoyed a delicious meal catered by Big Daddy’s Bar-B-Que.
After dessert, Watkins returned to the podium to thank supporters of the program, including Mark Anderson and the Big Daddy’s staff, the Board of Education, Tim McBride, Ladona Herrin, Matt Lane of Block City Pizza, Ryan Dyer of Mallard’s, Brad Chappell of Bethel University and Gina Pate.
Cheer sponsor Ashley Taylor then took the podium. She began by thanking supporters, including parents and both basketball programs. She read a statement from fellow sponsor Lauren Flannery thanking everyone for their support during her absence for maternity, especially Gina Pate, who stepped into a sponsor role.
Each cheerleader was recognized and presented with a plaque, then individual awards were announced: Academic Award (senior with the highest GPA) — Haven Hargrove; Most Improved — Savannah Hill; Most Dedicated — Madison Hendrix; Most Spirit — Anna Grace Spivey; Best Team Player — Haven Hargrove; Awesome Attitude Award — Anna Grace Spivey; Leadership Award — Marisa Nunnery; Rebel Pride Award (Best All-Around) — Sydney Pate; Top Flyer Award — Haven Hargrove; Top Main Base Award — Lauren Mansfield; Top Secondary Base Award — Sydney Pate; Top Back Spot Award — Madison Hendrix; Best Jumps — Kristen Taylor. The Taylor Buckley Scholarship Award, a memorial to the McKenzie cheerleader who died in a car accident in October 2011, was presented to Marisa Nunnery.
Following the awards, senior cheerleaders Nunnery, Hargrove and Taylor presented gifts to the sponsors and thanked them.
Lady Rebel Head Coach Lance McAllister and Assistant Coach Dan Ridley then continued the program. McAllister noted that his fourth year as coach was special because it was his first group of senior that he had coach for all four years. He pointed to the team’s 18-12 record as a continuation of the program’s upward climb and change in culture. He repeated thanks to supporters and expanded that to include The Banner, Jim Steele, the cheerleaders and sponsors, bus drivers Logan Hubble and Wyatt Brooks, and Coach Ridley, who he announced would be stepping down as assistant.
The players and managers were recognized and given certificates, then individual awards were presented: Sharpshooter Award — Camille Travis; Sixth Man of the Year — Whitley Smith and Dani Dyer; Most Improved — Anna Callahan; Leadership Award — Shelby Davis; Mental Toughness Award — Shelby Davis; Defensive MVP — Mi’Kayla Gill; Hustle Award — Mi’Kayla Gill; Player of the Year — Lilly Bennett; Lady Rebel Award — Macey Ognibene.
Ognibene then spoke on behalf of the seniors, thanking the coaches for their time and effort and wishing the girls good luck in the future. She presented gifts to McAllister and Ridley from the seniors.

Rebel Head Coach John Wilkins and Assistant Coach Larry Joe Smith then feted the boys’ program. Wilkins began by speaking highly of the caliber of the kids at the school, not just in the basketball programs. He echoed the thanks to supporters, adding to the list God, his wife and three daughters and assistant coaches Smith and Preston Henderson. He noted that the seniors on the team had won a total of 97 games over four years, including four consecutive district championships. He also spoke about the historic success of the season in which the Rebels won their first region championship in 45 years, reached the state tournament for the second time in program history (1998) and won a state tournament game for the first time to reach the semifinals.
After each player and manager was recognized with a certificate, individual awards were presented: Best Water Girl of the Year — Claire Wilkins; Sixth Man Award — Caleb Gill; Most Improved — Lazarick Hill; Most Charges Taken — Tyler Spivey and Lane Horton; Ice Water Award — Nate Whitsell; “You Gotta Have Heart” Award — Brandon Hobson; Mr. Rebel Award — Lucas King and Ben Austin. Austin was also presented a commemorative ball for reaching 1,000 career points during the Sectional game.
The seniors were presented collages of photos from their careers. Austin spoke on their behalf, thanking the coaches for being great role models and great men, then presented each with a gift.
Rebounders Club President Peanut McDaniel presented gifts to the seniors and coaches. The Rebel team and coaches received a DVD of photos as a special gift for their historic achievements.
Watkins then announced and Coach Smith presented Academic Awards for the highest GPA among players to Macey Ognibene and Ben Austin.
Smith and Watkins swapped roles for the presentation of the Andy Camp Sportsmanship Awards. Smith attributed the key characteristics of relentless effort, a humble attitude and humor while holding others accountable to both Camp, a former Rebel who died in an automobile accident during college, and the recipients, Shelby Davis and Lazarick Hill.
Watkins then gave closing remarks, and guests lingered to take photographs and reminisce.
The Rebels included: seniors Ben Austin, Brandon Hobson, Tyler Spivey and manager Stephone Haynes; juniors Micah Austin, West Cook, Lazarick Hill, Lane Horton, Evan Jarrett, Lucas King, Nate Whitsell and manager Drew Beeler; sophomores Jaden Currie, Johnathan Moore, Elijah Seivers, Eli Surber and managers Logan Green and Allie Chappell; freshmen Andrew Cole, Caleb Gill, Zayden McCaslin and Jake McDaniel; and manager Claire Wilkins.
The Lady Rebels included: seniors La’Jada Edmonson, Mi’Kayla Gill, Macey Ognibene, Tayla Stubbs and managers Julie French and Jazmin Ventura; juniors Isabella Colotta, Shelby Davis, Brooke Hobson, Whitley Smith and Camille Travis; sophomores Lilly Bennett, Anna Callahan, Kennedy Green, Savannah Nesbitt and manager Allie Chappell; and freshmen Jaden Barton, Dani Dyer and Anna Robinson.
Cheerleaders included: seniors Marisa Nunnery (captain), Haven Hargrove (co-captain) and Kristen Taylor; juniors Madison Hendrix, Sydney Pate and Momi DeLoach; sophomores Lauren Mansfield, Ashlyn Drewry and Savannah Hill; and freshmen Anna Grace Spivey, Taylor Hall and Jessica Moore.

McKenzie, Basketball, Banquet