Pickens Athletics wrapped up the season in style with the second edition of the Diamond Awards. The evening featured 20 award categories and the induction of two new members into the Pickens Athletics Hall of Fame. The Diamond Awards celebrate the accomplishments of our athletes—both on and off the field—while highlighting the power of teamwork, perseverance, and sportsmanship.
Athletes arrived in semi-formal attire, walked the red carpet, and enjoyed light refreshments before the show began. Full-time teacher and part-time comedian Kyle Rasco returned as MC, keeping the crowd entertained with his trademark humor.
This was a banner year for Pickens Athletics—perhaps the best in school history. Three teams reached the Final Four (Baseball, Softball, and Esports Rocket League), and two teams brought home region titles (Girls Basketball and Competition Cheer). Boys Basketball completed a perfect 25-0 regular season. The Pickens Tennis program made history with both the boys’ and girls’ teams reaching the Sweet 16. Volleyball and Girls Soccer posted the winningest seasons in their respective program histories. The Bass Fishing team finished 3rd in the state. The Track team broke multiple school records. Both Cross Country teams qualified for state and finished in the top 10. And for the first time, a female individual swimmer qualified for the state meet.
Here are the award categories and finalists that were recognized, and the Diamond Award recipient is in bold:
2025 Hall of Fame Inductees
Koby Milner. A three-time state champion and winner of wrestling’s prestigious Triple Crown, Koby Milner left a legacy of dominance on the mat at Pickens. His relentless drive and competitive spirit earned him the opportunity to continue his wrestling career at Reinhardt University.
Shannon Brooks. One of the most dynamic athletes in Pickens history, Shannon Brooks etched his name into the Dragons Football record books across multiple categories. A two-sport standout, he also surpassed the 1,000-point milestone in basketball. Shannon earned a scholarship to play football at the University of Minnesota, capping off an extraordinary high school career.
Athlete of the Year
Male: Dodge Davis, McCord Purdy, A.J. Rice, Jacoby Stanley
Female: Brylee Deering, Carleigh Rau, Ellison Steinhuer, Sydney Wolfe
Breakout Player of the Year
Male: Dawson “Boogie” Lowit, Brody Teal, Damien Vargas, Peyton Vincent
Female: Kylee Bozeman, Toccoa McGraw, Tania Rivera, Kendra Stewart
Record-Breaking Performance
Male: Brock Barton, Dodge Davis, A.J. Rice, 4×400 Men’s Relay Team
Female: Brylee Deering, Sophia Derstine, Kaela Kearney, Piper Johnson, Kyleen Martin, Sydney Wolfe
6th Man Award
Daven Abernathy, Eli Breen & Devin Shoemake, Bree Jewell, Jamin Martin
Pickens Progress Award
Hunter Bryant, Sam Hammontree, Bella Martin, Winn Rickenbacker, Ben Wigington
FCA Sportsmanship Award
Male: Coleman Keener, Joshua Lanford, Diego Rivera, Thomas Walker
Female: Caleigh Hoffard, Ainsley Jones, Julianne Nadolski, McKinley Thomas
Multi-Sport Athlete
of the Year
Male: Jaxon Carver, Sam Hammontree, McCord Purdy, Jacoby Stanley
Female: Brylee Deering, Caleigh Hoffard, Ellis Hollis, Heidi Thompson, Reagan Ludington
Stephen Ledford
Impact Award
Brylee Deering, Kam Jenkins, David Klein, Ainsley Jones, Joseph Saltino
Game Changer Award
Dodge Davis, Lexi Grizzle, Hayden Jones, Santiago Rivera, Tania Rivera
Deanna Dorsey Dragon Nation Award
Amanda Bramlett, Owen Mumaw, Soccer Student Section, Jack Tatum
Tony Payne Champion of Athletics Award
Tuesday Hammontree, Lindsay Jones, Kate Meek, Jill Saranthus
Outside the Lines Award
Dragons Baseball, Pickens Cheer, Pickens Football, Nettes Softball
Tom Judkins Assistant Coach of the Year
Lizzie Arrendale, Ben Bowman, Jacob Pair, Sam Wigington
Coach of the Year
Bob Martin, Liz Prather, Sarah Pinson, Jordan Shaw, Adam Williams, Christian Stewart
Team of the Year
Baseball, Boys Basketball, Cheer, Girls Basketball, Softball, Boys & Girls Tennis
