ASHEVILLE, N.C. – The Mountain Amateur Athletics Club held its 60th annual awards banquet Sunday night at the Omni Grove Park to honor the top high school student-athletes in Western North Carolina.

The inaugural Keith Jarrett Memorial Scholarship was announced Sunday night. Jarrett, a long-time Asheville Citizen-Times sportswriter who was the backbone of this event, died unexpectedly in December. The scholarship was created for financial assistance to a young aspiring journalist, and Alex McKinney of East Rutherford was the first recipient.

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Also handed out was the Riley Carl Howell Courage Award, named after the former Roberson student who saved lives during a mass shooting at UNC-Charlotte before being killed himself. This year’s award went to Micah Ward of Asheville High.

Chris Dockery of Madison received the Special Olympics Award.

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Here is a list of the winners:

Division II

• Wells Fargo Advisors/Aiken, Meyer, Whatley Division II Female Athlete – Major Sport: Cailey Dockery (Murphy).

• Northwestern Mutual Division II Female Athlete – Olympic Sport: Arizona Blankenship (Swain)

• Homewood Suites Division II Female Team – Major Sport: Asheville Christian Basketball

• Mills Manufacturing Division II Female Team – Olympic Sport: Swain Cross Country

• Nicole and Kyte Ferrell Division II Male Athlete – Major Sport: Marqies McCombs (Chase)

• Tara and Frank Burdette Division II Male Athlete – Olympic Sport: Levi Anderson (Avery)

• Fields Auto Group Division II Male Team – Major Sport: Hayesville basketball

• Blue Ridge Division of EmergeOrtho Division II Male Team – Olympic Sport: Avery wrestling

• Heath and Nikol Shuler Division II Male Academic Award: Luke Collier (Asheville Christian)

• Paramount Kia Division II Female Academic Award: Martha Plaehn (Asheville School)

• Apollo Flame Division II Female Athlete of the Year: Torin Rogers (Murphy)

• Young Transportation Division II Male Athlete of the Year: Patrick Sleater (Asheville School)

Division I

• Ann Brandis Division I Female Athlete – Major Sport: Emerson Hoyle (Roberson)

• First Citizens Bank Division I Female Athlete – Olympic Sport: Emma Hall (West Henderson)

• HomeTrust Bank Division I Female Team – Major Sport: Enka basketball

• Nat and Carolyn Arthur Division I Female Team – Olympic Sport: West Henderson cross country

• Goforth Builders Inc. Division I Male Athlete – Major Sport: Sean Green (Reynolds)

• Massasoit of North Carolina, Inc. Division I Male Athlete – Olympic Sport: Brendan Henby (West Henderson)

• McKinney Insurance Services Division I Male Team – Major Sport: Pisgah football

• Rodeway Inn & Suites Division I Male Team – Olympic Sport: Enka wrestling

• Blue Ridge Imaging Technologies Division I Female Academic Award: Kayla Graham (Roberson)

• Beverly-Hanks Realty Division I Male Academic Award: Josh Lowe (Roberson)

• Lary and Jan Schulhof Division I Female Athlete of the Year: Karlyn Pickens (North Buncombe)

• Harry Logan Division I Male Athlete of the Year: Asher Cunningham (Reynolds)

The following student-athletes were given academic scholarships of $1,500:

• Kevin Donahue (Enka)

• Aynsley Fink (Robbinsville)

• Hailey Glaspy (North Henderson)

• Glennin Hansen (North Henderson)

• Greyson Harris (Enka)

• Mazie Helpman (Swain)

• Cooper Hyatt (Swain)

• Taryn Keyzer (Hendersonville)

• Anna Laws (Reynolds)

• Pressley Laws (North Buncombe)

• Ivy McGee (Mountain Heritage)

• Alex McKinney (East Rutherford)

• Madison Moore (Mitchell)

• Madelin Romsdahl (Erwin)

• Rubisel Sanchez (North Henderson)

• Jacob Anthony Stanley (Roberson)

• Mary Elizabeth Shoop (Reynolds)

• Micah Ward (Asheville)

This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Jarrett Scholarship debuts at 60th MAAC high school sports awards