Troup, Van standouts take home top honors at 6th annual Best Preps Tyler

Published 9:00 pm Tuesday, April 30, 2024

For the sixth consecutive year, the best and brightest of East Texas student-athletes were honored during a ceremony on Tuesday.

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

More than 1,000 people were in attendance, organizers said.

Jeb Blount, a former Longview High School multiple-sport standout who earned Hall of Fame honors at the collegiate level and a Super Bowl ring in the National Football League, was the keynote speaker.

Best Preps Tyler, an 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.

New this year, a special souvenir magazine was passed out at the event after the winners were announced and it will also be delivered to home delivery subscribers in the Wednesday Tyler Morning Telegraph. A special newsprint section will be in the weekend edition, May 4-5.

Troup’s Trae Davis and Van’s Landry Jones shined both in the athletic arena and in the classroom, taking home the top prize.

The duo was rewarded for their hard as Davis was selected as the CHRISTUS Orthopedic and Sports Medicine Institute’s Male Athlete of the Year and Jones was named the CHRISTUS Orthopedic and Sports Medicine Institute’s Female Athlete of the Year, respectively, during the event.

“It feels great,” Jones said. “I’ve worked hard to get to this point. It’s been a team effort. I have a really good coach that’s helped me throughout.

“I was on my phone. I wasn’t thinking about getting it. I was in shock, but I was very grateful.”

Davis was unable to attend the banquet.

Individual sport winners and specialty award winners were also announced at the banquet and are listed in this story. The banquet was a time to celebrate all nominees.

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

Whether it’s on the court, field or track or off of it, Davis has made an impact during his career as a student-athlete at Troup High School.

In football, Davis had 120 catches for 2,254 yards and 31 touchdowns in his career, including 67 receptions for 1,245 yards and 20 touchdowns as a senior. He carried the ball 190 times in his career for 1,272 yards and 14 touchdowns. He also had four return touchdowns on kickoffs and punts. Defensively, Davis had 45 tackles, seven tackles for loss and four interceptions. Davis holds the school record for receiving yards in a game with 245 and is tied for the lead in receiving touchdowns in a game with three. He holds the season and career records for receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns.

In basketball, Davis averaged 16.7 points, 6.0 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 2.0 steals as a junior; 15.4 points as a sophomore; and 12.2 points, 4.2 rebounds and 3.3 steals per game as a freshman.

“Trae is our undisputed leader on and off the court,” Troup head boys basketball coach Darin Harley said. “He is a positive, hardworking member of our basketball team. I am happy and proud of what he has accomplished.”

In track and field, along with being a key cog on the 4×100 and 4×200 relay teams, Davis is a standout long jumper, posting a distance of 23-1.75 at a March meet. He is competing in the UIL State Track & Field Meet later this week in Austin. He competing in four events at state, including the 200-meter dash.

Davis has signed to play football at Kansas State University.

Davis has been selected as the Male Athlete of the Year at Best Preps Tyler 2024.

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

Jones has made her mark on the basketball and volleyball courts during her time at Van High School. Jones was a four-year starter for the Lady Vandals basketball program.

As a senior, she averaged 17.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, 6.0 steals and 3.0 assists per game and named All-Rose Country first-team. She was named to the TABC All-Region Team for Class 4A Region II. She was also an All-State selection by the Texas Girls Coaches Association, and she was Academic All-State. Jones was selected to the TGCA 1A-4A Legacy All-Star Team. In December 2023, Jones was named the Built Ford Tough Texas Class 4A Female Athlete of the Month. As a junior, she averaged 18.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, 6.0 steals and 3.0 assists per game. As a sophomore, Jones averaged 13.4 points, 3.0 assists, 3.7 rebounds and 4.2 steals per game. She was the District 14-v4A Newcomer of the Year as a freshman. Jones scored 1,505vcareer points.

“She is one of our team captains,” Van girls basketball coach Kay Bachert said. “She was counted on heavily to provide a scoring punch for us and she keyed our aggressive style by leading us in steals. Her competitive spirit and toughness set the tone for our team. Landry is a ‘character kid.’ She is a kindhearted person yet she is tough and will play hurt. When she speaks up, her team and coaches listen. Her teammates love and respect her as do her coaches.”

In volleyball, Jones was named a first-team Tyler Morning Telegraph All-Rose Country Volleyball Team selection after recording 395 digs, 351 kills, 323 assists, 227 receptions, 42 aces and 39 blocks. As a junior, Jones had 345 service receptions, 288 digs, 78 kills, 33 aces, 24 assists and eight blocks. As a sophomore, she had nine kills, 304 digs, 30 aces, 12 assists, 212 service points and 356 receptions.

Jones has been selected as the Best Preps Tyler Female Athlete of the Year.

Participating schools and nominations are based upon a student-athlete’s contributions on the field, in the classroom and in the community.

Schools included are Tyler Legacy, Tyler High, All Saints, Bishop Gorman, Grace Community, Chapel Hill, Brook Hill, Cumberland Academy, Whitehouse, Bullard, Lindale, Arp, Troup, Jacksonville, Rusk, Winona, Brownsboro, Van, Canton and Mineola.

Other specialty awards given:

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

Individual sport winners were:

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