The 2013 Italy Athletic Banquet honored its strongest, fastest and brightest stars as AD/HFC Hank Hollywood and Italy ISD Principal Lee Joffre conducted the award’s presentation with help from team coaches and guest speakers.

It was a packed Italy Coliseum as guests enjoyed a BBQ meal fit for champions catered by Texas Best Smokehouse of Italy before the highly anticipated award announcements began. Seniors were then escorted thru the Italy Gladiator/Keith Davis air tunnel with their parents and/or escorts and then introduced to the audience before retaking their seats.

Early in the ceremony, and in a bit of a surprise, Coach Hollywood was presented a towering “Team of the Year” trophy by North Texas Chevy Dealers which received quite the ovation. And an additional surprise, each Gladiator football player was presented with impressive UIL State medallions in honor of their making it to the final four and competing in the State semifinal game.

To cap off the ceremony, the 2013 Gladiator of the Year Award was presented to senior Cole Hopkins and the 2013 Lady Gladiator of the Year Award was presented to Alyssa Richards. Hopkins will be playing his collegiate level basketball at Hardin-Simmons University while Richards will be joining the Lady Golden Eagles of Tennessee Tech University’s softball team.

In addition, Richards was also the recipient of the girls’ 2013 Keith Davis Award presented to her by Mr. Davis himself. Davis graduated from Sam Houston State and kicked off his professional career with the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys in 2002.

Davis also presented the boys’ 2013 Keith Davis Award to senior Ryheem Walker. Walker will be playing football at the collegiate level with Tyler Junior College.

While every student-athlete received recognition for being a member of a team, all-disitrict performers and all-state performers were recognized as well. Marvin Cox, Zain Byers and Walker were recognized for making all-state in football and sophomore Kortnei Johnson was honored for being a State track champion in two events, as well as, breaking two State records in the 100 Meter Dash and 200 Meter Dash at the UIL State meet in Austin.

It was recently announced that Richards and sophomore Jaclynn Lewis were all-state in softball with Richards hitting 6 home runs and recording 52 RBIs as the Lady Gladiator’s catcher. Lewis struck out 227 batters, posted 10 shutouts and hit three home runs herself as the team’s pitcher.

CBI students Katie Connor and Blake Vega were also presented certificates for their participation in Special Olympics. Connor, who recited the Pledge of Allegiance during the opening ceremony of this year’s games, was also presented her Italy Gladiator letter jacket that arrived on the day of the banquet. The noise level maxed out inside the Coliseum when Connor was presented her letterman.

Congratulations to the entire Italy Athletic Program for an exceptional year on the fields, on the courts, over the hills, around the track and in the classroom! And a job well done by the 2013 senior class, thanks for leading, achieving and inspiring. All individual honors presented during the banquet are listed below:

Italy Family!

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