Pictured: T. Franklin Boyd Tiger of the Year recipients: Bri Sanderson, Brooke Wright, and Codi Chick
Although the spring sports continue, Mansfield forged ahead in revealing the majority of their top Tiger athletic awards for the 2020-2021 school year. Among the many accolades presented, it was the coveted T. Franklin Boyd Tiger of the Year awards and the Freshmen Rising Stars that stole the show.
The May 11 banquet style presentation was sponsored by the Mansfield Tiger Booster Club. The mission of the annual awards show was to recognize the many Mansfield athletes and coaches for their accomplishments through each sport season.
The T. Franklin Boyd Booster Club Tiger of the Year Awards were given to seniors Brooke Wright, Codi Chick, and Bri Sanderson.
In an odd mathematical anomaly, an infinitesimal difference between candidates forged a tie in award winners for the first time since the second year of its inception. Male recipients Chick and Sanderson were declared co-winners of the male award.
An extensive rubric based upon points for sports participation, sports accomplishments, and academic excellence calculated into the shared announcement.
Chick excelled primarily as a basketball player with stints in football, baseball, and track. Sanderson enjoyed athletic accomplishments mainly through football and track with contributions in basketball as well. Both candidates received All-State recognition in their primary sports.
Wright moved ahead of a formidable list of female candidates with state and local honors through volleyball, basketball, and track. Wright was the Class 2A State Volleyball MVP and won the Class 2A state discus competition in track and field. She will attend Iowa Lakes Community College on a volleyball scholarship next school year.
The Rising Star Awards were given to one male and one female freshman that have demonstrated outstanding qualities related to athletic ability, leadership, and character.
This exclusive MHS distinction created through a nominations and rankings process by Mansfield coaches was given to Alyson Edwards and Peyton Martin.
Edwards was highly regarded for both her athletic and academic excellence. As a top-tier freshmen student, Edwards made significant contributions to volleyball, basketball, and softball. Her wide range of talent not only led to conference championships in junior high, but it also translated into one senior high state championship and possibly another depending upon this week’s softball results.
Martin parlayed his skill level into outstanding achievements in football, basketball, track, and baseball. He took two of his junior high teams to conference runner-up status. He also helped the baseball team capture the 2A conference round-robin and district tournament championships, a regional championship, and a state appearance.
Master of ceremonies Travis Pettus guided the 1-hour 30-minute presentation with witty banter and uplifting interaction. His descriptive dialogue gave audience members a true snapshot of the nine different sports played, and the athletes that participated in them.
Among the many school, district, and state awards presented for each sport; each team also named their sport’s player of the year. At the time of the presentation, baseball and softball seasons were ongoing. For that reason, those POY’s were not announced.
The following is a list of the Player of the Year awards as announced at the 2021 Booster Club Banquet.
Cross Country Female – Faith Rainwater
Cross Country Male – John Branche
Golf – Skylynn Harris
Volleyball – Brooke Wright
Football – Randall Claude
Cheer – Hailey Walker
Basketball Female – Makayla Strutton
Basketball Male – Codi Chick
Track Female – Makayla Strutton
Track Male – Bri Sanderson
Softball – TBA
Baseball – TBA
On the night of the awards show, Mansfield had already accomplished the following overall accolades.
1 State Championship, 1 State Runner-up, 10 State Qualifying teams, 5 Regional Championships, 1 Regional Runner-up, 12 District Titles, 5 District Runner-ups, 4 college-bound scholarship players, 2 AAA All-Stars, 2 River Valley All-Stars, 4 Best of Preps All-Area Players, 1 All-Star Coach, and 5 District Coaches of the Year.
The sports list will only improve as the Tiger baseball team just completed their season at the state tournament. The softball team will also add to the accolades list as they move to the class 2A state finals this coming weekend.
