WCDS wins 2015-16 NCISAA 1A Wells Fargo Cup

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on May 24, 2016 1:48 PM

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rcoggins@newsargus.com

Wayne Country Day finally earned the "big one."

And athletics director Michael Taylor could hardly contain his excitement during the spring sports awards ceremony Monday evening.

Although the hardware wasn't there glistening in the gymnasium lights, Taylor announced that the Chargers -- for the first time in school history -- had won the prestigious N.C. Independent Schools Athletic Association Class 1-A Wells Fargo Cup for the 2015-16 season.

The Cup recognizes the most outstanding athletic program in each classification.

WCDS rallied from a 30-point deficit to dethrone reigning champion Hickory Christian Academy. Oakwood made a late surge that included two state titles and a state runner-up finish in another sport.

The Chargers clinched the Cup once the results had been tallied after this past weekend's state track and field championship meet.

"It is an honor to achieve this award," said Taylor, who put that on his "bucket list" when he became the school's athletic director.

"Our student-athletes along with all of our coaches have worked extremely hard all year. I am very proud of each and every one of our coaches and student-athletes. This has been a goal of mine for some time now and (we) finally got the award."

The Chargers reached the quarterfinals of the girls' soccer playoffs and semifinals in boys' dual-team tennis this spring.

WCDS won its third consecutive girls' dual-team tennis state championship in the fall, and first-ever state boys' soccer title. The girls' cross country team finished a program-best second in the state meet.

Taylor added the boys' swim team earned valuable points in the winter.

"It just goes back to all of the coaches and student-athletes for putting in all the time and effort to achieve this goal," Taylor said. "It is an honor to serve as the athletic director at Wayne Country Day School. I work with such talented teachers and coaches. It is a family here and everyone helped achieve this goal."

The award winners:

* Sam Patrick Award (Lifetime Achievement): Female -- Gianna Democko. Male -- Parker Smith, Patrick Hall.

* Tom Jones Award (Fellowship of Christian Athletes-Sportsmanship): Female -- Rebecca Edmondson. Male -- Jamal Forde.

* Headmaster Scholar-Athlete Award: Female -- Payton Meadows, Margaux Pope. Male -- Matt Kierski, Charlie Roethling.

* Coastal Plains Independent 1-A/2-A Conference Awards: School Sportsmanship -- Wayne Country Day; Individual Sportsmanship -- Rebecca Edmondson; Scholastic Winners -- Kate Thompson, Connor Shaw.

* Varsity girls' soccer: Most Improved -- Martie Rose; Team Player Award -- Ally Willman; CPIC All-Conference -- Willman, Margaux Pope, Gianna Democko, Jennifer Potts, Langley Barnes; CPIC Player-of-the-Year -- Barnes; CPIC Coach-of-the-Year -- Steve Ellis. NCISAA All-State -- Barnes.

* Varsity boys' tennis: Coach's Award -- Preston Edwards; Most Improved -- Hunter Hawkins; Most Valuable Player -- Sam Dively; NCISAA All-State -- Dively, Edwards.

* Varsity baseball: Senior Award -- Parker Smith, Jacob Magera, Patrick Hall; NCISAA All-State -- Mitch Turnage, John Strickland.

* Varsity boys' golf: Most Improved -- Cady Stanly; Leadership -- Matt Kierski; Coach's Award -- Kelly Lewis; MVP -- Mitch Deboskey.

* Boys' track and field: Coach's Award -- Brandon Talton; Achievement Award -- Nick Fletcher.

* Girls' track and field: Coach's Award -- Payton Meadows; Achievement Award -- Graysen Jeffreys.

* JV girls' soccer: Team Player Award -- Kendall Myers; Most Improved -- Hannah McKeithan.

* JV boys' tennis: Most Improved -- Dylan Brown; Coach's Award -- Cameron Gerrard; MVP -- Gray Langston.

* JV baseball: Most Improved -- James Thompson; Charger Award -- Aaron Ward; Team Before Self Award -- Bryan Harrison; MVP -- Tanner Willman.