The 2018 WILLCO Awards Have Been Handed Out, and Here’s Who Won

The 2018 Willco Awards, presented to the premier public school athletes and coaches of Williamson County, were handed out at The Factory on Monday.

Williamson County Schools athletic director Jeremy Qualls emcee’d the event in a ceremony that lasted approximately an hour and a half.

The evening was highlighted by the presentation of the Courage Award to the Summit High football team. The Spartans went 10-3 and advanced to the semifinals of the TSSAA playoffs. That season, the best in school history, came on the heels of the death of Summit sophomore Max Hollis, who was a member of the school’s football team.

Brentwood won the Director’s Cup for Division I for all sports. The Division II award was still undecided as of the presentation.

The Male and Female Team of the Year honors went to the Franklin boys’ basketball team, which went 28-6 and advanced to the sectionals, and the Brentwood girls’ volleyball squad, which was the AAA state champion for volleyball. Those awards were presented by Tennessee Titans general manager Jon Robinson.

Male and Female Athlete of the Year honors went to Franklin High’s Holly Harris (soccer and basketball) and Fairview’s Darius James (football, basketball and track).

James also took home Football Player of the Year honors. Brentwood quarterback Carson Shacklett was picked as football’s Offensive Player of the Year. Ravenwood’s Anthony McCarthy took home defensive honors.

Independence’s Robert Hassell, a sophomore, won his second-straight Willco for baseball.

Repeat award winners included Brentwood’s tennis’s Somer Henry and Independence baseball’s Robert Hassell, who won those respective awards for the second-straight years. Hassell, just a sophomore, is committed to play baseball at Vanderbilt.

Male Coach of the Year went to Darrin Joines (Franklin boys’ basketball), while the female honor was awarded to Ravenwood girls’ basketball coach Mariska Harris.

Brentwood High tennis player Andrew Dai was the Student-Athlete of the Year. Dai scored a 35 on his ACT, holds a 4.7 grade-point average, and is a National Merit Scholar Finalist.

Tanis Beique, a reserve on the Franklin boys’ basketball team, took home the Maher Builders Sportsmanship Award, along with a $5,000 college scholarship.

Last year’s girls’ tennis and baseball teams at Brentwood were also recognized as Champions Trophy winners. Each won state titles after last year’s awards were presented.

Brentwood’s Somer Henry repeated as girls’ tennis Player of the Year.

Others award winners

(girls first, then boys)

Basketball: Kiera Downey (Ravenwood) and Reese Glover (Franklin)

Bowling: Libby Butler (Franklin) and Justin Hammers (Brentwood)

Cross Country: Gigi Maddox (Page) and Davis Bove (Centennial)

Golf: Gigi Powers (Brentwood) and Michael Shears (Franklin)

Soccer: Megan Henry (Page) and Chris Miller-Hill (Franklin)

Tennis: Somer Henry (Brentwood) and Cliff Herring (Summit)

Track: Katherine Coffey (Brentwood) and T.J. Sheffield (Independence)

Wrestling: Zanaya Shropshire (Independence) and Jackson Clevenger (Fairview)

Girls’ cheer: Sydney Dagostino (Ravenwood)

Girls’ dance: Kalese Goodwin (Centennial)

Girls’ softball: Hannah Koenig (Brentwood)

Girls’ volleyball: Logan Eggleston (Brentwood)

Fairview’s Michael Hutchison (Fairview) won the Media Student of the year.