NEW ORLEANS – Texas Tech track and field assistant throws coach Cliff Felkins was named the USTFCCCA Mountain Region Women’s Assistant Coach of the Year, the organization announced Friday afternoon.

Felkins’ crew at Big 12 Championships accounted for 31 points as Shelby Frank won the hammer and discus competition. Under his tutelage, Frank went on to set new personal bests in the hammer and discus at the NCAA Championships last weekend as she placed second in the hammer and third in the discus. Overall, Frank scored 14 of Tech’s 22 points. In addition, Zoe Burleson finished 13^th in the discus last weekend.

This outdoor season, Felkins coached the No. 1 discus squad in the country with four Red Raiders combining for an average mark of 58.40m (191-7).

The regional honor is the fourth of Felkins’ career and first since 2016.

2025 All-CIF San Diego Section boys volleyball team

Player of the Year: Roman Payne, Carlsbad

The 7-foot senior led Carlsbad to the San Diego Section Open Division championship, posting 17 kills and five blocks in a five-set win over Cathedral Catholic. The Lancers finished the season 35-3 after losing to Corona del Mar in the Southern California Regionals. Payne, who also played basketball, finished the season with 426 kills, 162 blocks, 78 digs and 40 aces. A member of the U.S. Boys National Team that won the gold medal in the 2024 NORCECA Continental Cup, Payne will play collegiately at Hawaii.

Libero of the Year: Gavin Spiess, Classical Academy

Coach of the Year: Marissa Ritchie, Mater Dei Catholic

First team

Name, School, Year

Roman Payne, Carlsbad, Sr.

Derrick Bashford, Carlsbad, Sr.

Bjorn Hawe, Torrey Pines, Sr.

Griffin Dieter, Torrey Pines, So.

Gavin Spiess, Classical Academy, Sr.

Dane Roblee, Classical Academy, Sr.

Owen Adams, St. Augustine, Sr.

Cody Krohn, Mission Vista, Sr.

Henry Garewal, Canyon Crest Academy, Sr.

Miles Custer, Francis Parker, Jr.

Lathan Fry, Granite Hills, Sr.

Second team

Name, School, Year

Andrew Chen, Canyon Crest Academy, Sr.

Justin Zhang, Canyon Crest Academy, Sr.

Will Bartelt, Del Norte, Sr.

Oskar Manguy, Mater Dei Catholic, Sr.

Gabe Tocco, Clairemont, Sr.

Lucas Chapman, Classical Academy, Sr.

Ben Soudak, Torrey Pines, Sr.

Tommy Branson, Cathedral Catholic, Sr.

Giles Beamer, Bishop’s, Jr.

Ben Sauerwine, Carlsbad, Jr.

Note: Team based on vote of Coaches Advisory Committee.

Originally Published: June 20, 2025 at 5:18 PM PDT

The Atlanta Track Club celebrated an incredible 2025 track and field season with a ceremony earlier this month and recognized this year’s All-Metro Track and Field Team. Included in the group of athletes are 25 state champions and five athletes that set new state records—making this one of the most star-powered group of metro Atlanta standouts in recent years. Three athletes on this list earned their spot in two separate events and deservingly so. Hughes sprinter Maurice Gleaton landed on the All-Metro team for the 100 and 200 meter dash, Starr’s Mill’s field standout Jared Moore made it for shot put and discus and North Cobb’s Jasmine Robinson is represented in both the 100 and 300 meter hurdles.

Gleaton closed out his tremendous varsity career this season by sweeping both the 100 and 200 meter dash and helped Hughes win the boys team Class 5A title. Additionally, Gleaton posted season-best times for the state of Georgia in the 100 (9.98) and 200 (20.63). This is the third-straight year that Gleaton earned a spot on the All-Metro team.

Moore continued his dominance in the throwing events this season and won state titles again in the shot put and discus. His 63-8 and 195-5 were both the No. 1 marks in the state this season and this is his second-straight year of earning an All-Metro selection. While Gleaton (University of Georgia) and Moore (Arkansas State) will be graduating, Robinson will be back next year after earning an All-Metro bid as a junior. This past season, Robinson scored a 39.81 finish in the 300 meters for a new state and national record. She also won the 100 meter hurdles with a 13.22. The other state records set in 2025 were the Buford High School boys’ 4x100m relay (39.81), Oluwatosin Awoleye of South Cobb in the girls’ 800m (2:03.65), and Marietta High School’s girls’ 4x800m relay (9:08.62).

The criteria for all of the athletes selected was based on place at the state meet, season best, and head-to-head competition and Metro-area is defined as the 14 counties touching Fulton, DeKalb or Cobb Counties.

Boys All-Metro Track & Field Team

100m – Maurice Gleaton, Hughes

200m – Maurice Gleaton, Hughes

400m – Sidi Nije, Westlake

800m – Keayari Lee, North Atlanta

1600m – Jameson Pifer, Collins Hill

3200m – Jackson Hogsed, Lambert

110m – Dalen Penson, Sandy Creek

300m – Thomas Fitzgerald, Langston Hughes

4x100m – Buford

4x200m – Langston Hughes

4x400m – Buford

4x800m – North Atlanta

Long Jump – Winston Simmons, Mt. Pisgah

Triple Jump – Cameron Dean, Woodward Academy

High Jump – Keith Fowler, Mays

Pole Vault – Greyson Myers, Campbell

Shot Put – Jared Moore, Starr’s Mill

Discus – Jared Moore, Starr’s Mill

Girls All-Metro Track & Field Team

100m – Skylar Cunningham, Greater Atlanta Christian

200m – Somto Igwilo, Walton

400m – Olivia Harris, Buford

800m – Oluwatosin Awoleye, South Cobb

1600m – Mary Nesmith, Marietta

3200m – Averi Lowen, Bowdon

100m – Jasmine Robinson, North Cobb

300m – Jasmine Robinson, North Cobb

4x100m – Woodward Academy

4x200m – McEachern

4x400m – Landmark Christian

4x800m – Marietta

Long Jump – Ava Kitchings, Great Atlanta Christian

Triple Jump – India Thorpe, Southwest DeKalb

High Jump – Lilah Versluis, Cambridge

Pole Vault – Madison Townsend, Westminster

Shot Put – Jillian Waterman, Cherokee

Discus – Sierra   Thorton, Chamblee

Channel Quick Jump   Home Page   Answers & FAQs   Apartments & Rentals   Automotive & Cars   Back To School Guide   Best of The Woodlands   Blogs   Business Directory   Business to Business   Car Dealers Guide   Church Guide   Classifieds   Commercial Real Estate   Community Podcast   Community Services   Contests   Dental Guide   Education & Schools   Election Guide 2016   Electronics & Computers   Email Lists   Employment Guide   Entertainment & Arts   Events Calendar   Family Life   Food & Drink   Golf Guide   Government   Health & Medical   Home D�cor   Home Improvement   Homes For Sale   Hotels Guide   Industry & Research   Insurance   Internet & WWW   Jobs Market   Just For Kids   Legal Services Guide   Marketplace   Media Kit   Members (My WOL)   Money & Finance   Music & Nightlife   Networking   News   Parks Guide   Patio Dining   Personal Care & Beauty   Pets   Photo Galleries   Pokemon Go Guide   Postcards   Professional Services   Real Estate Directory   Religion   Relocation Guide   Restaurant Guide   Shopping Guide   Specials & Coupons   Sports   Sports Directory   Summer Camp Guide   Travel   Vacation Bible School   Video Directory   Visitors Guide   Wedding Guide   WOLcares   Woodlands Summer Internships   Yard & Garden

Scottsboro rising senior lineman Taygan Harris has decided his college football future.

Harris has committed to the University of North Alabama, he announced on social media on Monday.

“After much thought and prayer, I’m excited to announce my commitment to continue my academic and athletic career at the University of North Alabama!,” Harris said in a social media post. “Thank you to my family, coaches, teammates, and everyone who has supported me on this journey. Let’s get to work! #RoarLions.”

Harris is a 6-foot-2, 270-pound offensive lineman/defensive lineman and was a 2024 Class 5A All-State honorable mention this past season after helping Scottsboro win the Class 5A Region 8 championship and advanced to the second round of the state playoffs. A soon-to-be four-year starter for the Wildcats, Harris was named all-region in each of the past two seasons and was all-region honorable mention as a freshman.

NSM alum earns all-conference honors for Sewanee track and field — Former North Sand Mountain track and field/cross country standout Lane Gamble recently completed an all-conference season for the Sewanee-University of the South men’s track and field program.

The 2022 NSM alum earned All-Southern Athletic Association second team honors. Gamble also finished second in the 400-meter run (49.83 seconds) during the SSA Championships.

Gamble, a junior this past season, is majoring in chemistry and plans to pursue a master’s degree at UAH. He was NSM’s first cross country/track and field college signee after a prep career that included being the 2021 Jackson County Cross Country individual champion as well winning multiple event county championships in track and field.

North Jackson rising junior receives first college softball offer — Rising North Jackson junior Allie Benson recently received a college softball scholarship offer from Miles College in Birmingham.

It’s the first college scholarship offer for the Chiefs’ first baseman/pitcher.

“I am incredibly thankful and excited to announce that I have received my first offer to play softball and continue my education at Miles College,” Benson said in a social media post.

Benson posted a .348 batting average (24-for-69) and a .430 on-base percentage for North Jackson this past season while also totaling six doubles, two home runs, 19 RBIs, 10 walks and 12 runs scored. Benson also pitched in 10 games, including seven starts, and recorded 21 strikeouts and a 2.90 ERA in 38 2/3 innings pitched.

Flammia, Gilbert receive JCSHOF scholarships — Former Pisgah standouts and Class of 2025 graduates Madeline Flammia and Luke Gilbert are the 2025 Jackson County Sports Hall of Fame Scholarship Recipients.

The JCSHOF awards two $,1000 scholarships each year to one male and one female high school athlete in Jackson County. The Hall of Fame has awarded $18,000 in scholarship money since beginning its scholarship program in 2017.

Flammia will play college softball at UAB while Gilbert will play college football at Jacksonville State.

Flammia was a six-year varsity softball player, four-year varsity basketball player and a three-year varsity softball player at Pisgah, where she helped the Eagles win two state basketball championships and post top-3 finishes in softball her final two seasons. She closed her senior year by helping Pisgah win volleyball and softball county championships, earning Class 2A Girls Basketball State Tournament MVP honors as Pisgah won the state title and was first-team all-state for the fourth consecutive year and Class 2A Softball Hitter of the Year for the second consecutive season while helping the Eagles post a state runner-up softball finish.

Gilbert was a three-sport standout at Pisgah in football, basketball and baseball, becoming the school’s first athlete to earn first-team all-state honors in all three sports in the same school year. Gilbert was a four-year starter on the Eagles football team, helping Pisgah reach the Class 2A state quarterfinals three times and the 2A semifinals twice, and was a finalist Class 2A Back of the Year last season. He helped Pisgah play in the Class 2A Boys Basketball Northeast Regional twice as well and played a role in the PHS baseball team returning to the state playoffs this spring for the first time in eight years.

Gilbert ranked fourth academically in Pisgah’s Class of 2025 and Flammia was sixth. Flammia plans to major in Civil Engineering while Gilbert plans to major in Business.

The awards continue to pile up for Cuero High School’s Arissa Carbonara. A recent Cuero graduate who is headed to the University of California at Berkeley on a full-ride scholarship, Carbonara was recently chosen to the 12-member Texas High School Coaches Association 2024-2025 Class 4A Volleyball Super Elite team.

At the recent Victoria Advocate Varsity Cup banquet, Carbonara was chosen as the Female Athlete of the Year. In addition to her achievements in volleyball, she also led her team to a state championship game appearance in girls’ basketball and she also participated in track and field in the spring.

“Arissa is a natural leader, she exhibits all the traits you want to lead your program,” Cuero volleyball coach Leah Flores told The Advocate this spring. “Vocal, passionate, disciplined, hard-worker, tough, competitor, committed, dependable, honest, loved and respected by teammates. Just a phenomenal multi-sport athlete. She makes the program better with not just her skills, but her genuine leadership.”

She was also chosen the Victoria Advocate’s Most Valuable Player to head up the paper’s All-Area Volleyball team last fall. Carbonara finished the season with 731 kills, 956 digs, 69 aces and 62 blocks.

Cuero finished with a 31-16 record and a second-place finish in its district.

In 2023 as a junior, Carbonara was chosen as The Victoria Advocate’s Offensive Player of the Year.

Carbonara was a member of the National Honor Society, student council, the Anchor Club and 4H Club. She also volunteered at St. Michael’s Catholic church.

Goliad sophomore Addison Yendrey, who was also chosen to The Advocate’s All-Area volleyball team as its Defensive Player of the Year, was selected to the Class 3A THSCA Super Elite Volleyball team.

Shawn A. Akers is the managing editor of The Victoria Advocate. He can be  reached at sakers@vicad.com.