2022 Augusta Area High School Sports Awards Show makes its return
After a two-year hiatus, the USA Today Network’s Augusta Area High School Awards Show made a grand comeback Tuesday night as it presented 29 total awards to athletes and coaches in the Augusta Area at the Columbia County Performing Arts Center.
Representatives from several local sponsoring businesses joined the sports staff of the Augusta Chronicle in doing everything from handing out the awards to taking part in a Q&A session with former Atlanta Braves star, Andruw Jones.
Augusta Christian running back Zack Blackwell took home the Boys Athlete of the Year award. The senior and Georgia Southern signee rushed for 2,201 yards and 26 touchdowns for a Lions squad that finished the 2021 season with a 9-3 mark and a South Carolina Independent Schools Association playoff berth. Westside junior basketball star Khalon Hudson and Evans senior Joseph Hampton were the other nominees.
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Meanwhile, Augusta Prep’s Amy Riordan edged out Michaela Bogans (Cross Creek girls basketball) and Sarah Horner (Lakeside flag football) for Girls Athlete of the Year.
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Cross Creek boys basketball coach Lawrence Kelly took home Coach of the Year honors after leading the Razorbacks to become just the sixth Georgia High School Association boys basketball program to win back-to-back state titles. The Razorbacks have been to three straight state championship games.
The Grovetown boys basketball team, led by coach Darren Douglas, was named the Boys Team of the Year after the Warriors brought the first ever basketball state championship home to Columbia County. And Greenbrier’s flag football team took home Girls Team of the Year honors.
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In addition to the awards, Augusta Chronicle sports reporter Will Cheney engaged Jones in a conversation where the former Braves star shared how he got started playing the game of baseball and what motivated him to greatness. He also expressed pride in watching the current crop of Augusta area high school athletes receive recognition.
"It's an honor to be here and see all the achievements they've accomplished," Jones said. "I never got the chance to do those things when I was their age. I was already in pro baseball, but whatever sport they play in the states, you get a chance to get rewarded and all these kids deserve it. I love to be part of it."
Jones, who still resides in Georgia, says he's glad to have a chance to watch the state's up-and-coming athletic talent blossom. Jones' son, Druw is a senior standout for the Wesleyan High baseball team in metro Atlanta.
"I feel old just watching them walk up to me and ask me about my kid," Jones said. "So it's just one of those things. I'm just happy to still be around and go to these things and watch all the great talent we've got in Georgia. There's so much talent across every sport in Georgia. That's why we're doing these award shows all over the place."
Here’s the full list of award winners from Tuesday night’s show:
2022 Awards list
Baseball Player of the Year: Jahkari Howard, Burke County.
Girls Basketball Player of the Year: Michaela Bogans, Cross Creek
Boys Basketball Player of the Year: Khalon Hudson, Westside
Girls Cross Country Runner of the Year: Simone Rojas, Evans
Boys Cross Country Runner of the Year: Hayes Trapp
Flag Football Player of the Year: Sarah Horner, Lakeside
Defensive Football Player of the Year: Kindarius Green, Thomson
Offensive Football Player of the Year: Zack Blackwell, Augusta Christian
Girls Golfer of the Year: Kate Parviainen, Lakeside
Boys Golfer of the Year: Mitchell McNeill, North Augusta
Girls Lacrosse Player of the Year: Carly Smith, Lakeside
Boys Lacrosse Player of the Year: Alex Becker, Lakeside
Girls Soccer Player of the Year: Sage Connolly, Augusta Prep
Boys Soccer Player of the Year: Whitt Tisdale, Westminster
Softball Player of the Year: Reese Basinger, Evans
Girls Swimmer of the Year: Amy Riordan, Augusta Prep
Boys Swimmer of the Year: Hudson Burch, Lakeside
Girls Tennis Player of the Year: Taylor Reickert, Aquinas
Boys Tennis Player of the Year: Grant Pysczynski, Greenbrier
Girls Track & Field Athlete of the Year: Aine Trapp, Augusta Prep
Boys Track & Field Athlete of the Year: Hayes Trapp, Augusta Prep
Volleyball Player of the Year: Layla Bland, Greenbrier
Wrestler of the Year: Jayde Massa, Greenbrier
Coach of the Year: Lawrence Kelly, Cross Creek
Girls Team of the Year: Greenbrier Flag Football
Boys Team of the Year: Grovetown Boys Basketball
Courage Award Winner: D’Maya Griffin, Grovetown
Girls Athlete of the Year: Amy Riordan, Augusta Prep
Boys Athlete of the Year: Zack Blackwell, Augusta Christian
This article originally appeared on Augusta Chronicle: Close to 30 athletes, coaches, teams honored at high school awards show
