By Staff
Justin Schuver , Hartselle Enquirer
The Hartselle fall sports banquet was held at West Hartselle Baptist Church Monday evening and celebrated the considerable successes of the Tiger athletic teams during the fall season. The recognized sports were swimming, cheerleading, volleyball and football.
Hartselle football coach Bob Godsey surprised the banquet attendees by announcing the team would not give out individual awards this season, and instead would focus entirely on the team's accomplishments.
"They weren't about the individual at all," he said. "They weren't worried about whose picture was in the paper or who was scoring the touchdowns, all they cared about was helping the team win and improve from week to week."
Godsey did, however, recognize his seniors and the important role they played in the team's successes this season. Hartselle won 11 games and advanced to the state quarterfinals.
"We'd be up here all night if I were to stand up here and tell how I really feel about these kids," Godsey said of his seniors. "In 16 years of coaching, I think this group did more for their team, their school and their community than any other group of seniors I've been around."
The seniors also honored their coaches, giving Godsey a senior player photo collage and presenting cards to the other members of the Hartselle coaching staff.
Earlier in the banquet, the Hartselle cheerleading squad was recognized for its successes at the UCA All-Star Camp in Panama City, where the squad took second in the Home Pom (dance) and cheer competitions and third place in the extreme dance competition. All five cheerleaders – Kristan Burgess, Whitley Collins, Tiffany Looney, Kristie Osbourne and Caitlin Vest – were also named UCA All-Star team members. Hartselle mascot "Champ," performed by Hugheston Slate, was also recognized for being the UCA Camp champion among all high school mascots.
Hartselle's volleyball team, which advanced to the state's Elite Eight for the first time in school history, was also honored at the banquet. A highlight film of the team's season was shown and each player was given a T-shirt, certificate and copy of that highlight film by head coach Tanya Lybarger and assistant coach Michelle Kelso.
Lybarger also awarded individual honors based on statistics. Lauren Drake was the team's most valuable player and also took the award for most kills (561). Mary Virginia Reeves took the awards for most blocks (151) and highest kill percentage (45 percent). Kayla Orr was the winner of the awards for most aces (89), best serve percentage (93 percent) and most assists (1,384). Emily Roden took the award for most digs (378) and Cerra Little was named the team's most improved player.
Also recognized and honored were Hartselle's qualifiers for the state swim meet in Tuscaloosa earlier this month. Cameron Koch qualified for the boys' 100-yard butterfly and the girls' relay team qualified in the 200-yard medley relay, finishing 22nd out of 75 teams. Members of that team were Sarah Roark, Jordan Bruner, Taylor Bean and Katie Kohlenberg.
The banquet celebrated the induction of Virgil Starks, III into the Hartselle/Morgan County High School Hall of Fame. Starks, a starting defensive end on the 1980 state finalist Hartselle team, was presented a plaque by master of ceremonies Glenn Thompson.
Jim Meadows was the recipient of the Richard W. Grammer Award.
The award is given to an outstanding member of the Hartselle Booster Club and is meant to commemorate lifelong support to Hartselle's school and athletic teams.
Meadows has had three children graduate from Hartselle High, but continues to be a visible member of the booster club, primarily by taking photographs of the teams and giving them to the players at the end of the season. There is rarely an athletic event where Meadows and his camera aren't present.
"I like to do this for the athletes and the players," Meadows said. "But I also like to do this because I feel like I have a commitment to athletics and sports. My time on the Hartselle football team did more to shape my life than anything else and I'll never forget those lessons."