By Steve Williams
From Egypt to the Webb School campus in West Knoxville, this year’s last group of top local high school Student-Athletes celebrated their honorable school year last week.
The recognition in Week 1 included Ahmed Shahin, who moved here from Egypt for his senior year at West High, after ranking second in Greco-Roman wrestling in his home country. He quickly adapted in the West program and placed fifth in the state.
Meeyah Green was Webb’s female honoree and definitely put an exclamation point on the fourth and final week. Green was the TSSAA’s Miss Basketball in Division II-AA her senior and junior years and also the MVP in Webb’s state championship win this past season. She has signed with the University of South Carolina.
In that title game, a 48-47 nailbiter, Green led the way as the Lady Spartans overcame a 10-point deficit in the final quarter.
Webb male honoree Wilson Luton, also a senior, was tops among the Spartans and stood out in two sports – basketball and baseball.
Dan Gill, the Webb athletic director, announced their awards.
Ricky Norris was Luton’s basketball coach and Jordan Wormsley was his skipper in baseball.
Wormsley said Wilson was a “fantastic leader that led by the example and standard set for the program. He has been a two-time All-Region player and a three-year starter for Webb baseball at shortstop, second base, first base and pitcher.
“We are very proud of all that Wilson accomplished in his high school baseball career, but more than that we were proud of the way he represented our program and with character and a passion for doing things the right way.”
The right-hander was All-Region in Division II-AA. He also received the coveted Johnny Mauer Award from the Knoxville Optimist Club and was a two-sport star in basketball.
In baseball, Luton was All-Region with a .392 batting average and a 94 fielding percentage.
Norris added: “In 30 years of coaching, Wilson’s improvement as a basketball player over his four-year career was the most drastic we ever had. Production on the floor is one thing, but what separates Wilson is his ability to put his teammates above himself and his competitive spirit. He was respected at the highest level by everyone in our program!”
Luton was a three-year letterman in basketball, a two-year starter, a state champion and All-Region.
TSD and CMA also had top Student-Athletes of the Year
Also honored were Will McKinney, senior, and Gabby Black, junior, from Tennessee School for the Deaf, along with Timothy Oyler from Career Magnet Academy.
In all, 21 of 25 schools in The Focus’ coverage area shined a spotlight on their best.
