7 hours Ago By Brandon Ogden and Phil Hicks
For the seventh consecutive year, the best and brightest of East Texas student-athletes were honored during a ceremony on Tuesday. Student-athletes and their families, coaches and athletic directors filled the Green Acres Baptist Church Crosswalk Center for the seventh annual Best Preps Tyler 2025, presented by Baylor Scott & White Texas Spine & Joint Hospital Tyler. More than 1,100 people were in attendance, organizers said.
Dana Hughey, anchor of CBS19's Morning Y'all, served as emcee for the evening. Tyler Campbell, son of Heisman Trophy winner and Pro Football Hall of Famer Earl Campbell, was the keynote speaker. He has made a name for himself, overcoming obstacles, including being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, to inspire others.
Tyler is named for the city his father called home. Best Preps Tyler, an awards program by the Tyler Morning Telegraph of Carpenter Media Group, honors student-athletes who have excelled at a high level in all areas. Coaches from participating schools were asked to submit nominations based on the student-athlete’s contributions to varsity athletics as well as their work in the classroom and in the community.
These athletes were required to have a GPA of 3.0 or better and to have verifiable community service or volunteer credentials of 10 or more hours in the current school year. In addition to announcing award winners, the banquet was a time to celebrate all nominees, who were chosen by their respective coaches as the best in their individual sport for their school.
For the second consecutive year, a special souvenir magazine was passed out at the event after the winners were announced and was also delivered to home delivery subscribers in the Wednesday edition of the Tyler Morning Telegraph. A special newsprint section will be in the Weekend edition, May 3-4. Tyler Legacy’s Zion Smith and Chapel Hill’s Trevor Brooks shined both in the athletic arena and in the classroom, leading them to take home the top prize Tuesday night.
The duo was rewarded for their hard work as Brooks was selected as the CHRISTUS Orthopedic and Sports Medicine Institute’s Male Athlete of the Year and Smith was named the CHRISTUS Orthopedic and Sports Medicine Institute’s Female Athlete of the Year, respectively, during the event. Individual sport winners and specialty award winners were also announced at the banquet. Participating schools and nominations are based upon a student-athlete’s contributions on the field, in the classroom and in the community.
Schools included are Tyler Legacy, Tyler High, All Saints, Bishop Gorman, Grace Community, Chapel Hill, Brook Hill, Cumberland Academy, Whitehouse, Bullard, Lindale, Arp, Troup, Martin’s Mill, Jacksonville, Rusk, Winona, Brownsboro, Van, Canton and Mineola. Baylor Scott & White Texas Spine & Joint Award for Heart and Desire: Hannah Rath, Grace Community Kona Ice Award for Going the Extra Mile: Alexa Remigio, Bishop Gorman ETX View Magazine Award for Outstanding Achievement in Academics: Mollie Carlile, Bullard Peltier Ford Inspiration Award: Lane Gray, Arp East Texas Professional Credit Union Award for Community Excellence: Raef Maloney, Bishop Gorman Baylor Scott & White Texas Spine & Joint Award for Sportsmanship: Luke McNeel, The Brook Hill School Tyler Morning Telegraph Award for Coach of the Year: Russell Smith, Canton ETVarsity.com Award for Athletic Director of the Year: Wally Dawkins, The Brook Hill School J&K Storage Award for Baseball: Hudson LeGrow, Lindale Baylor Scott & White Texas Spine & Joint Award for Boys Basketball: Layne Alexander, Bullard Baylor Scott & White Texas Spine & Joint Award for Girls Basketball: Senoj Jones, Tyler Legacy East Texas Baptist University Award for Bass Fishing: Bryce Everett, Arp Tyler Morning Telegraph Award for Cheerleading: Conley Conaway, Whitehouse ETX View Magazine Award for Boys Cross Country: Isaiah Colorado, Van ETX View Magazine Award for Girls Cross Country: Amy Vazquez, Tyler High ETX View Magazine Award for Drill Team: Gracie Stokes, Grace Community Altra Federal Credit Union Award for Football: Nathaniel Kirksey, Tyler Legacy UT Health East Texas Orthopedics & Sports Medicine Institute Award for Boys Golf: Eli Falls, Bullard UT Health East Texas Orthopedics & Sports Medicine Institute Award for Girls Golf: Kenzie McClenny, Lindale ETVarsity.
com Award for Lacrosse: Carter McLaughlin, Whitehouse ETX View Magazine Award for Boys Powerlifting: Tristen Taylor, Tyler High Tyler Morning Telegraph Award for Girls Powerlifting: Presley Johnson, Arp East Texas Professional Credit Union Award for Boys Soccer: Jaron Wilkerson, Tyler Legacy East Texas Professional Credit Union Award for Girls Soccer: Lily Beckham, Tyler Legacy Jucys Taco Award for Softball: Kirstin Malone, Bullard Tyler Morning Telegraph Award for Student Athletic Trainer: Yadira Araiza, Tyler High ETX View Magazine Award for Boys Swimming: Henry Mebane, Bishop Gorman Tyler Morning Telegraph Award for Girls Swimming: Anna Matthews, Whitehouse Peltier Ford Award for Boys Tennis: Luke Fleming, Whitehouse Peltier Ford Award for Girls Tennis: Audrey Davis, All Saints ETVarsity.com Award for Boys Track and Field: Colter Maya, Lindale Tyler Morning Telegraph Award for Girls Track and Field: Carmen Carrasco, Mineola Jucys Taco Award for Volleyball: Addison Ridge, Lindale ETX View Magazine Award for Wrestling: George Krog, Bishop Gorman Sponsors include CHRISTUS Orthopedics & Sports Medicine Institute (Male and Female Athlete of the Year), East Texas Professional Credit Union (Red Carpet Sponsor), Peltier Ford (Magazine Bag Sponsor), Jucys Taco (360 Cam Sponsor), and UT Health East Texas Orthopedic & Sports Medicine Institute (Photo Booth Sponsor); Specialty Awards sponsors Baylor, Scott & White Texas Spine & Joint Hospital Tyler (Heart & Desire and Sportsmanship), Peltier Ford (Inspiration), Kona Ice (Going the Extra Mile) and East Texas Professional Credit Union (Community Excellence); and sports award sponsors Altra Federal Credit Union (Football), Baylor, Scott & White Texas Spine & Joint Hospital Tyler (Boys and Girls Basketball), J&K Storage (Baseball), Jucys Taco (Volleyball and Softball), Peltier Ford (Boys and Girls Tennis), East Texas Professional Credit Union (Boys and Girls Soccer), East Texas Baptist University (Bass Fishing), and UT Health East Texas Orthopedic & Sports Medicine Institute (Boys and Girls Golf)..
