Tyler Storey and Haylie Wilkinson named Bainbridge High School Senior Athletes of the Year
Published 4:24 pm Tuesday, May 24, 2016
Joe Crine— Post-Searchlight
Top Female Senior Athlete: Bainbridge High School athletic director Stan Killough presents the Joe Crine Bainbridge High School female senior athlete of the year award to Haylie Wilkinson.
Outstanding football wide receiver and wrestler Tyler Storey and outstanding swimming and competition cheerleader Haylie Wilkinson are the winners of the 2016-2017 Joe Crine Bainbridge High School male and female senior athletes of the year awards.
The awards, named for the 45-year Bainbridge Post-Searchlight sports editor, goes each school year to senior athletes who do well in two sports and in the classroom.
Storey broke school records for most receptions in a game and most receiving yards in a season. He set season records in receptions with 72, receiving yards with 1,243, 100-plus receiving yard games with six and seven plus receiving yard games with seven.
Storey also set career records in receptions with 88, receiving yards with 1,420 and 100-plus receiving yard games with seven. He was named offensive player of the year in Region 1-AAAA, Associated Press second team All-State and honorable mention Atlanta Journal Constitution All-State.
Bearcats’ head football coach Jeff Littleton said he is very happy that Storey, who made numerous big plays for his offense, will have a chance to play at the next level. Storey has signed a football scholarship with Albany State University.
In wrestling, Storey became only the third wrestler in school history to win consecutive area championships.
“Tyler Storey dominated a number of his wrestling opponents but unfortunately he will not be able to continue his wrestling career at the college level,” head wrestling coach Chad Smith said. “Albany State University, who he signed a football scholarship with, does not have a wrestling team.”
Haylie Wilkinson was a member of coach Tracey Poppell’s Lady Cats swim team that won the Region 1-AAAA championship.
Coach Poppell described Wilkinson as a swimmer who always gives her best, is extremely focused and consistently comes through in the clutch.
Joe Crine— Post-Searchlight
Top Male Senior Athlete Bainbridge High School athletic director Stan Killough presents the Joe Crine male senior athlete of the year award to Tyler Storey.
She was on the swim team for three years. Wilkinson was on the Lady Cats swim teams gold medal winning 400-yard freestyle relay team with Emily Chambers, Emilee Poppell and Taylor Bush.
She was also a member of coach Lia Hawkins’ Lady Cats competition cheerleading squad.
Wilkinson also won a scholar athlete award. Scholar athletes must maintain a grade point average of 90 or above and earn a score of 1000 on the SAT or 21 on the ACT.
Competition cheerleading coach Lea Hawkins described Wilkinson as an extremely competitive athlete.
“Haylie Wilkinson is so talented and competitive that she could be extremely competitive in numerous sports,” coach Hawkins said.
