Mike Ridaught
This past spring, we released our inaugural soccer All Area teams and our inaugural track and field All Area teams.
In late November, we are adding golf to our All Area coverage, which also includes All Area for football, volleyball, basketball, softball and baseball.
Our newest feature begins this week with the inaugural Pavlik Orthodontics Athlete of the Week.
Each week coaches will have an opportunity to submit their nominations and each recipient will receive a special plaque recognizing their accomplishments.
We will recognize the athletes weekly in our print edition of Mainstreet Daily News.
Honorable mention this week goes out to a pair of quarterbacks.
Newberry sophomore Keil McGriff completed 7-of-10 passes for 191 yards and 4 TDs in a 68-10 win at rival Santa Fe (Alachua).
“Keil played with great poise, composure and executed the offensive game plan all night for us against Santa Fe,” said Newberry coach Ed Johnson.
Another sophomore, Trace Johnson, led Buchholz to a 41-13 win against Columbia (Lake City).
Johnson completed 18-of-31 for 272 yards and four touchdowns in the win against the Tigers.
“[Johnson] is the ultimate competitor,” first-year head coach Chuck Bell said after the game. “He’s fantastic and looked great tonight.”
But our first selection for Athlete of the Week is from the sport of volleyball.
The Pavlik Orthodontics Athlete of the Week for the week of Aug. 21 is Hailey Tharp of the Newberry volleyball team.
Tharp averaged a double-double in five matches during the week of Aug. 21, leading the Panthers (2-3) to a pair of wins at Bell and against Trenton.
The senior had 75 kills in five games and 50 digs. She averaged 15 kills and 10 digs during the five games.
“She is starting out on fire,” said Newberry coach Hank Rone. “Pound for pound at 5-3, she is fun to watch. Having a great start to her senior year.”
Coaches, please email your nominations to mike.ridaught@mainstreetdailynews.com each week no later than Sunday at 5 p.m. Please provide your athlete’s stats for the week.