8 Area Athletes To Be Honored At Sports Breakfast

Posted: April 21, 2016
By STAR STAFF REPORT

Eight area high school and college athletes will be honored at the Partlow Insurance Sports Breakfast on April 30 as part of the 89th Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival.

The sold-out breakfast, to be held at the Winchester Moose on 215 East Cork Street, begins at 8 a.m., and features Baltimore Orioles great and Baseball Hall of Famer Cal Ripken Jr., this year’s Sports Marshal. Also attending are Virginia Tech wrestling coach Kevin Dresser and NBA journeyman Larry Robinson.

Senior athletes from each area high school will be honored.

Jordon Turner is Clarke County’s honoree. As quarterback, Turner led the Eagles to the Group 2A title game in football. He also played basketball and is currently the shortstop on the baseball team. He also serves as the school’s student council vice president.

Keiana Brooks is the James Wood recipient. Brooks was an all-district and all-conference guard on the girls’ basketball team and finished as the Colonels’ all-time assist leader. She is an honor student and involved in several clubs.

Wrestling standout Lio Quezada is Handley’s honoree. Quezada captured the Group 4A title at 132 pounds this year and the 120-pound crown as a sophomore. He is an honor student and will wrestle at George Mason University.

Track standout Tyler Cox-Philyaw will be honored from Millbrook. Cox-Philyaw was the state 1,600 meter outdoor champion in 2014 and fourth in the Group 4A cross country finals last fall. The honor student will run at William & Mary.

Kelsey Singhas is the Sherando recipient. Singhas was an all-conference volleyball standout, leading the team in kills the past three seasons. She also was a three-year letterman in soccer. She will attend Alderson Broaddus.

Mountain View Christian’s honoree is Helena Higgins. The volleyball standout was the tournament MVP as she helped lead her team to the NACA national title in its division. She will attend Lord Fairfax Community College.

Exchange student Marko Djuric is the honoree from Shenandoah Valley Christian Academy. The Bosnia native was a standout on the boys’ basketball team.

Shenandoah University women’s soccer player Danielle Burris also will be honored. Burris is a two-time academic All-All American and first team All-Old Dominion Athletic Conference selection. Burris is pursuing a doctorate in physical therapy.