PHOTOS: 2024 Best Preps Tyler winners at banquet

Published 9:18 pm Tuesday, April 30, 2024

Student-athletes and their families, coaches and athletic directors on Tuesday filled the Green Acres Baptist Church Crosswalk Center for Best Preps Tyler 2024 banquet, presented by Baylor Scott & White Texas Spine & Joint.

Pictured are students who were present at the banquet to receive their awards. To view the full list of winners and more about the awards program, read the full story here.

The awards program by the Tyler Morning Telegraph of M. Roberts Media honors student-athletes who have excelled at a high level in all areas. Coaches from participating schools were asked to submit nominations based on the student-athlete’s contributions to varsity athletics as well as their work in the classroom and in the community. These athletes were required to have a GPA of 3.0 or better and to have verifiable community service or volunteer credentials of 10 or more hours in the current school year.

In this gallery, check out photos of winners who were present at the banquet and stay tuned for more coverage at tylerpaper.com.

Not present at the banquet were Girls Cross Country award winner Graycee Wilson (Canton) Boys Powerlifting award winner Pablo Cerda (Chapel Hill), Boys Soccer award winner Matthew Yim (The Brook Hill School), Christus OSMI Male Athlete of the Year Trae Davis (Troup), and Coach of the Year David Collins, of The Brook Hill School. Their awards will be delivered to them. 

The Tyler Morning Telegraph staff expresses its gratitude to all the coaches, athletic directors, school staff, student-athletes, and their families for supporting this program. We also appreciate each of our sponsors, including our gracious presenting sponsor Baylor Scott & White Texas Spine & Joint. Other major sponsors included CHRISTUS Orthopedics & Sports Medicine Institute (Male and Female Athlete of the Year), East Texas Professional Credit Union (Red Carpet) and Jucys Tacos (photo booth). Specialty Awards sponsors included Baylor Scott & White Texas Spine & Joint (Heart and Desire, Sportsmanship), Kona Ice (Going the Extra Mile), East Texas Professional Credit Union (Community Excellence), Tyler Morning Telegraph (Outstanding Achievement Academics, Coach of the Year), M. Roberts Digital (Inspiration) and ETX View Magazine (Athletic Director of the Year). Sponsors for sports awards included Altra Federal Credit Union (Football), Jucys Taco (Volleyball, Softball), J&K Storage (Baseball), East Texas Professional Credit Union (Boys and Girls Track & Field), UT Health East Texas Orthopedics & Sports Medicine Institute (Boys and Girls Golf), Tyler Morning Telegraph (Cheerleading, Bass Fishing, Boys and Girls Cross Country, Boys and Girls Soccer), M. Roberts Digital (Boys and Girls Basketball, Boys and Girls Swimming, Student Athletic Trainer) and ETX View Magazine (Boys and Girls Powerlifting, Boys and Girls Tennis, Drill Team).

Top honors

CHRISTUS Orthopedics and Sports Medicine Institute Male Athlete of the Year: Trae Davis, of Troup

CHRISTUS Orthopedics and Sports Medicine Institute Female Athlete of the Year: Landry Jones, of Van

Individual sport winners:

J&K Storage Baseball: Keegan McCord, Whitehouse

M. Roberts Digital Boys Basketball: Ryan Richbourg, Bishop Gorman

M. Roberts Digital Girls Basketball: Kalyse Buffin, Tyler High

Tyler Morning Telegraph Bass Fishing: Fisher Arrington, Arp

Tyler Morning Telegraph Cheerleading: Caley Fitzgerald, Brook Hill

Tyler Morning Telegraph Boys Cross Country: Will Vogler, Bishop Gorman

Tyler Morning Telegraph Girls Cross Country: Graycee Wilson, Canton

ETX View Magazine Drill Team: Maci Johnston, Bullard

Altra Federal Credit Union Football: Clifford Douglass III, Bullard

UT Health East Texas Orthopedics & Sports Medicine Institute Boys Golf: Braden Bergman, Tyler Legacy

UT Health East Texas Orthopedics & Sports Medicine Institute Girls Golf: Adyson Pipkin, Bullard

ETX View Magazine Lacrosse: Carter McLaughlin, Whitehouse

ETX View Magazine Boys Powerlifting: Pablo Cerda, Chapel Hill

ETX View Magazine Girls Powerlifting: Jalynn Gateley, Lindale

Tyler Morning Telegraph Boys Soccer: Matthew Yim, Brook Hill

Tyler Morning Telegraph Girls Soccer: Claire Stoermer, Grace Community

Jucys Taco Softball: Mallory Kniffen, Tyler Legacy

M. Roberts Digital Student Athletic Trainer: Alaia Privett, Tyler Legacy

M. Roberts Digital Boys Swimming: Aden Johnson, Whitehouse

M. Roberts Digital Girls Swimming: Anna Matthews, Whitehouse

ETX View Magazine Boys Tennis: Bridger Allen, Brook Hill

ETX View Magazine Girls Tennis: Anna Perdomo, Tyler High

East Texas Professional Credit Union Boys Track and Field: Marquette Martin, Tyler High

East Texas Professional Credit Union Girls Track and Field: Carly Tucker, Bullard

Jucys Taco Volleyball: Maddie Birdsong, Arp

ETX View Magazine Wrestling: Josh Green, Whitehouse

Specialty awards:

Baylor Scott & White Texas Spine & Joint Award for Heart and Desire: Anistyn Foster, Bullard Softball

Kona Ice Award for Going the Extra Mile: Brady Filla, Tyler Legacy Boys Soccer

Tyler Morning Telegraph Outstanding Achievement in Academics: Landry Binning, Chapel Hill Volleyball

M. Roberts Digital Inspiration Award: Zeke Conner, Bishop Gorman Wrestling

East Texas Professional Credit Union Award for Community Excellence: Burkelyn Allen, Lindale Cheer

Baylor Scott & White Texas Spine & Joint Award for Sportsmanship: Carly Ogletree, Brook Hill Girls Golf

Tyler Morning Telegraph Coach of the Year: David Collins, Brook Hill Boys Soccer

M. Roberts Digital Athletic Director of the Year: Jeff Riordan, Chapel Hill