ROCKINGHAM — Rockingham Middle School’s athletics program finished the 2018-19 school year as the winningest program among the four middle schools in Richmond County Schools.
In part two of this multi-part series, Rockingham’s awards will be highlighted. As explained in the Ellerbe Middle School feature, each sports’ head coach selected and recognized his or her athletes during an award ceremony Monday night, along with academic awards.
The Rocket baseball team and head coach Jamie McDonald won the Southeastern Middle School Athletic Conference championship in early May, snapping Carver Middle School’s 28-game winning streak in the process.
In the same week, the Rocket and Lady Rocket soccer teams upset Ellerbe on the road to claim their respective SEMSAC titles. During the winter sports season, head coach Teresa Mason’s girls’ basketball team earned the conference crown.
The RCS wrestling team, which made its debut season and combined wrestlers from all four middle schools, won the SEMSAC championship as well. RMS’ Ty Murray (85-pound) earned an individual conference championship, one of four Raiders to do so.
At the state competition in February, the Lady Rocket cheerleading team took second place, adding to the list of athletic achievements this year.
Below is a complete listing of RMS’ athletic awards for the 2018-19 school year:
Fall Sports, 2018
Cheerleading — Coach Kendall Hornbuckle
Best Dance Moves, Choreography: Savannah Jordan (8th grade)
Best Dance Moves, Choreography: Abby Williams (8th grade)
Super Showmanship: Ashley Murphy (8th grade)
Most Helpful: Cayden Hood (8th grade)
Most Versatile: Maggie Gillespie (8th grade)
Cross Country — Coach Rebecca Pierce
Girls’ Most Valuable Player: Emoni McDonald (8th grade)
Boys’ Most Valuable Player: Ethan McDonald (8th grade)
Football — Coach Phillip Waddell
Most Valuable Player: Jeremiah Jenks (8th grade)
Defensive Player of the Year: Brandon Askins (8th grade)
Offensive Player of the Year: Jeffery Linton (8th grade)
Coach’s Award: Emerson Wall (8th grade)
Golf — Coach Wendy Rohleder
Most Valuable Player: Ayden Mabe (8th grade)
Coach’s Award: Trace Wallace (8th grade)
Volleyball — Coach Teresa Mason
Coach’s Award: EJ Davis (8th grade)
Most Improved Player: Keyoni Nichols (7th grade)
Most Improved Player: Joy Styles (8th grade)
Outstanding Defense Award: Allie Rodgers (7th grade)
Most Valuable Player: Catherine Dennis (8th grade)
Winter Sports, 2018-19
Boys’ Basketball — Coach Julius Bowden
Most Valuable Player: Dakota Chavis (8th grade)
Most Improved Player: Jadden Jenks (8th grade)
Coach’s Award: Zion Baldwin (8th grade)
Sharp Shooter Award: Talan Stoner (7th grade)
Girls’ Basketball — Coach Teresa Mason
2018-19 SEMSAC Champions
Coach’s Award: Keyoni Nichols (7th grade)
Most Improved Player: C’Nedra Hinson (8th grade)
Outstanding Defense Award: Joy Styles (8th grade)
Most Valuable Player: Jamyia Lindsey (6th grade)
Wrestling — Coach Richard Kerekes
2018-19 SEMSAC Champions
Most Outstanding Wrestler: Ty Murray (8th grade)
Most Improved Wrestler: Naamon Perakis (8th grade)
Spring Sports, 2019
Baseball — Coach Jamie McDonald
2019 SEMSAC Champions
Most Valuable Player: Ethan Clayton (8th grade)
Coach’s Award: Walker Lambeth (8th grade)
Iron Man Award: Camron Seagraves (7th grade)
Clutch Performance Award: Ashton Phifer (8th grade)
Coach of the Year Award: Jamie McDonald
Boys’ Soccer — Coach Daniel Webb
2019 SEMSAC Champions
Offensive Most Valuable Player: Chris Lopez (8th grade)
Defensive Most Valuable Player: Luke McCormick (8th grade)
Team Player Award: Ethan McDonald (8th grade)
Most Improved Player: Tyson Holloway (8th grade)
Most Improved Player: Emerson Wall (8th grade)
Girls’ Soccer — Coach Ashley Turner
2019 SEMSAC Champions
Most Valuable Player: Andrea Ellerbe (8th grade)
Offensive Most Valuable Player: Allie Rodgers (7th grade)
Defensive Most Valuable Player: Makailah Jackson (7th grade)
Coach’s Award: Alex Poplin (7th grade)
Most Improved Player: Joy Styles (8th grade)
Girls’ Softball — Coach Morgan Davis
Most Valuable Player: Macy Steen (8th grade)
Most Outstanding Defensive Player: Savanna Mullins (7th grade)
Coach’s Award: Ashton Alexander (8th grade)
Most Improved Player: Ashley Murphy (8th grade)
Best Sportsmanship Award
Female: C’Nedra Hinson (8th grade)
Male: Tyson Holloway (8th grade)
Scholar Athlete Award
Female: Savannah Jordan (8th grade)
Male: Matthew Burns (8th grade)
Overall Coach’s Award
Female: EJ Davis (8th grade)
Male: Ethan McDonald (8th grade)
Overall Athlete of the Year Award
Female: Joy Styles (8th grade)
Male: Emerson Wall (8th grade)
Jimmy Pippin Award
VJ Whaley (8th grade)
All-Around Athlete Awards
Female: Molly Erwin (8th grade), Makailah Jackson (7th grade), Savannah Jordan (8th grade), Olivia Meacham (8th grade), Allie Miller (8th grade), Ashley Murphy (8th grade), Jamyia Lindsey (6th grade), Keyoni Nichols (7th grade), Allie Rodgers (7th grade), Karley Simmons (6th grade) and Joy Styles (8th grade).
ROSports will publish Cordova and Hamlet middle schools’ lists later this week.
