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Postseason Honors Pour in for PM

 

The high school basketball seasons have come to an end, and accolades are rolling in for members of the Parry McCluer squads as players from both the girls and boys teams earned all-district and all-region honors.

 

The PM girls placed three players on the first team of the All-Pioneer District team, including Anna Claytor, who was named the league’s Player of the Year. Joining her on the first team were sophomore Victoria Hamilton and junior Payton Emore. Junior Addisen Roberts and Tatyana Turner both earned second-team All-Pioneer selections, while sophomore Natalie Mohler was named honorable mention.

 

Claytor, a senior who also earned first-team All-Region C accolades, led the Blues in almost every offensive category, averaging a double-double on the year with 17.6 points and 10.2 rebounds per game. She shot 52.8 percent from the field and finished the season with 3.0 steals per contest.

 

Hamilton, who was a second team all-region selection, finished the campaign with 9.3 points per game to go along with 2.4 assists and 1.6 steals per contest. Emore also earned second team all-region honors and paced the Blues with three assists per game while averaging 6.4 points and 5.0 rebounds per outing.

 

A pair of PM boys, senior John Snider and junior Evan Cook was named first team All-Pioneer by the league’s coaches. Joining them on the honor squad were second team selection junior Landon Catlett and honorable mention picks Braedyn Houck (sophomore) and Nathan Glass (freshman).

 

Snider, also a first team All-Region C pick, led the Blues in scoring (14.25 points), rebounding (9.74) and field goal percentage (52.3 percent). Cook, who landed on the second team of the all-region squad, finished the year with a team-high 3.29 assists per game while averaging 13.4 points.

 

The all-state squads will be announced later. The complete All-Pioneer District and All-Region C teams are listed below.

 

GIRLS ALL-PIONEER

 

First Team: Anna Claytor (Parry McCluer), Lilly Underwood (Eastern Montgomery), Maddie Bruce (Eastern Montgomery), Mya Robertson (Narrows), Victoria Hamilton (Parry McCluer), Logan Boone (Eastern Montgomery), Lauren Bragg (Covington), Payton Emore (Parry McCluer).

Second Team: Addisen Roberts (Parry McCluer), Tatyana Turner (Parry McCluer), Annabelle Gregory (Craig County), Deileigh Donithan (Craig County), Abi Felty (Eastern Montgomery), Allison Bower (Eastern Montgomery), Emma Helvey (Narrows), Kennah Spencer (Narrows).

Honorable Mention: Taylor Staton (Covington), Natalie Mohler (Parry McCluer), Kallie Fisher (Craig County), Haley Akers (Eastern Montgomery), Jenna Gadd (Eastern Montgomery), Gracie Howard (Narrows), Ellen Bowles (Narrows), Ty’Aija Smith (Covington).

 

Player of the Year: Anna Claytor, Parry McCluer

Coach of the Year: Kelly Sutphin, Eastern Montgomery

 

BOYS ALL-PIONEER

 

First Team: Kolier Pruett (Narrows), John Snider (Parry McCluer), Purcell Turner (Covington), Mathew Lucas (Craig County), Ethan Moore (Highland), Levi Smith (Narrows), Evan Cook (Parry McCluer), Jaden Ryder (Bath County).

Second Team: Aidan McGlothlin (Narrows), Desmond Jordan (Covington), Landon Catlett (Parry McCluer), Colton Williams (Highland), Andrew Turner (Bath County), Jyon Smith (Covington), Hunter Owens (Narrows), Zach Peteers (Craig County).

Honorable Mention: Braedyn Houck (Parry McCluer), Eli Moore (Highland), Jayden Sammons (Covington), Grayson Caldwell (Eastern Montgomery), Talan Bruce (Eastern Montgomery), Landon Shepherd (Narrows), Isaac Gwin (Bath County), Nathan Glass (Parry McCluer).

 

Player of the Year: Kolier Pruett, Narrows

Coach of the Year: Patrick Bailey, Narrows

 

GIRLS ALL-REGION C

 

First Team: Blair Jackson (Fort Chiswell), Lilly Underwood (Eastern Montgomery), Anna Claytor (Parry McCluer), Maddie Bruce (Eastern Montgomery), Kara King (First Chiswell), McKenzie Tate (George Wythe), Mya Robertson (Narrows), Abby Berry (George Wythe).

Second Team: Victoria Hamilton (Parry McCluer), Morgan Mundy (Auburn), Logan  Boone (Eastern Montgomery), Lauren Bragg (Covington), Payton Emore (Parry McCluer), Carly Sturgill (Galax), Rhyland Rorrer (Auburn), Amarrah Carter-Bennett (George Wythe).

 

Player of the Year: Blair Jackson, Fort Chiswell

Coach of the Year: Howard Mayo, Fort Chiswell

 

BOYS ALL-REGION C

 

First Team: Kolier Pruett (Narrows), Nicholas Millirons (Auburn), Reed Kirtner (George Wythe), Coahan Gordon (Auburn), John Snider (Parry McCluer), Ty Campbell (George Wythe), Chance James (Bland), Elie Gillespie (Grayson County).

Second Team: Nathan Norris (Fort Chiswell), David Goode (George Wythe), Purcell Turner (Covington), Mathew Lucas (Craig County), Ethan Moore (Highland), Levi Smith (Narrows), Evan Cook (Parry McCluer), Jaden Ryder (Bath County).

 

Player of the Year: Kolier Pruett, Narrows

Coach of the Year: Tony Dunford, George Wythe

 

 

Five to Enter Hall of Fame

 

Five former standouts will join the Parry McCluer Athletic Hall of Fame when they are enshrined during the annual Hall of Fame ceremony Saturday, Oct. 8, in the PM gymnasium.

The new class, which will be formally introduced at halftime of the football game the night before, includes Donnie Holt ’56, Tommy Dickinson ’61, Mike Guinn ’64, Darrell Manuel ’77, and Mike Cartolaro ’78.

Holt was a multi-sport athlete for the Blues, earning letters in three different sports from 1953-56. A quarterback on the football team, Holt served as one of the team’s co-captains in 1955. He averaged double figures in scoring as a guard on the basketball team, and on the baseball diamond, he finished his career with a .400 batting average and was named the baseball team’s most valuable player in 1956. Holt earned an athletic scholarship to National Business College, playing both basketball and baseball.

Dickinson also earned letters in three sports, but it was on the football field where he made his mark. An offensive and defensive lineman, Dickinson helped lead the Blues to a 26-1 record from 1958-60. After his senior season, he was named to the All-Valley District team, and he also earned all-state honors, the first Parry McCluer player to earn that distinction.

Guinn earned letters in football, basketball, baseball and track, serving as team captain in both basketball and baseball. He was a standout sprinter on the track team, and he took that prowess to Bridgewater College. At Bridgewater, Guinn earned a number of Little Eight Conference championships in the sprints and was inducted into the Bridgewater Hall of Fame in 2021. He coached high school track at both Montevideo and Spotswood high schools from 1973-2015, leading those teams to both team and individual state championships.

From 1976-77, Manuel earned all-district honors in football, basketball and baseball and all-region accolades in both football and baseball. He was named to the all-state team in football that same year and was tapped as the Rockbridge Area Athlete of the Year in 1977. After leaving Parry McCluer, Manuel earned a scholarship to play baseball at Liberty Baptist College, finishing with a career .358 batting average and earning NAIA All-American honors in 1983.

Cartolaro began his PMHS basketball career in 1975. As a senior, he was picked to the all-district and all-region teams and named the Rockbridge Area Athlete of the Year. He played collegiately at Emory & Henry and then went on to coach at the high school level for 34 years. As a high school coach, Cartolaro led his teams to 600 wins, 18 district titles, 11 region championships and five state crowns, including 2021, when he coached the Parry McCluer basketball team to its only state championship.

Tickets for the Hall of Fame banquet are on sale at the Buena Vista School Board office, at the office at PMHS, and online. Tickets are $25 for adults and $15 for youths 12 and under. There will be a silent auction featuring a number of sport memorabilia. Gates open at 5 p.m., with the ceremony slated to begin at 6 p.m.

 

 

PM Offering Online Ticket Sales 

Parry McCluer High School is now offering ticket sales online.

Fans can avoid long lines at the ticket booth by purchasing their tickets for all PMHS sporting events through Ticket Spicket. All tickets are $6 through the service.

Visit the Tickets page on our website for a link. 

Fundraising Effort to Upgrade Football Field Underway

The Parry McCluer High School athletic department is pleased to announce its Robert E. Williams Field reclamation project.

 

The department is in the process of raising $35,000 to refurbish the football field at PMHS, adding a brand new Bermuda grass surface. The resurfacing of the field is scheduled to begin May 16, when Rock Haven Turf Specialists will begin their work.

 

Part of the fundraising process will be accomplished through the generous contributions of donors. Anyone wishing to give can do so at four different levels: Bronze ($50), Silver ($100), Gold ($250) and Big Blue ($1,000). All donors will be recognized on a sign that will be displayed at the field; anyone contributing at the Silver level or above will also receive a family pass to all sporting events for the 2022-23 seasons.

 

For more information about the project, or to add your name to the list of donors, contact Athletic Director Mike Cartolaro at [email protected] or call (540) 261-2127.

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