The North Oaks Sports Medicine team proudly recognizes Elijah Callahan
of Albany High School, Marshall Graves of Hammond High Magnet School,
Jenna Reno of Ponchatoula High School and Taylin Underwood of Doyle High
School as 2013-14 Student-Athletes of the Year.
The
North Oaks Sports Medicine team and
North Oaks Physician Group orthopaedic surgeons selected the top three male and female athletes in Tangipahoa and Livingston
Parishes from monthly honorees chosen August 2013-April 2014. Honorees
were chosen based on excellence in athletic competition, maintaining a
3.0 GPA or higher, being active in school and community organizations
and showing respect for coaches, teammates, officials, teachers and other students.
To select the Student-Athletes of the Year, North Oaks officials turned to
Facebook to invite the public to vote for their choice over a 1-week timeframe
at www.northoaks.org. More than 9,000 votes were cast with national and
international participation, including American soldiers in Kuwait.
Marshall Graves is a sophomore at Hammond High Magnet School and plays
basketball. He averages 14 points and six rebounds per game, and started
the season 9-3 overall. Graves has a 3.6 Grade Point Average (GPA), belongs
to the National Honor Society and is an International Baccalaureate (IB)
student. He is described as a role model on the court and in the classroom.
He is active in his church and extracurricular activities through the
IB program. Graves will be a junior at University High in Baton Rouge
next year.
From left are Hammond High Magnet School Disciplinarian/Athletic Coordinator
Michael Baiamonte Jr., North Oaks Sports Medicine Athletic Trainer Kerrin
Sitman, Marshall Graves, North Oaks Sports Medicine Supervisor Jeff Schmitt
and Hammond High Magnet School Principal Chad Troxclair.
Ponchatoula High School Senior Jenna Reno has a 4.0 GPA. She ranks as the
top runner on the Green Wave's Cross Country team, having placed in
the top five overall in the first four meets of the year. She also plays
varsity volleyball and is a member of the track team. She has received
the All-State Academic Award in all three sports. A leader on and off
campus, Reno encourages her teammates and has a positive attitude. She
is active in her church youth group and frequently volunteers for community
service projects. She plans to attend Southeastern Louisiana University
in the fall and pursue a career in Physical Therapy.
From left are Ponchatoula High Cross Country and Track Coach Jennifer Howes
Drake, North Oaks Sports Medicine Supervisor Jeff Schmitt, Jenna Reno,
North Oaks Sports Medicine Athletic Trainer Jonathan Gantt and Ponchatoula
High School Principal Danny Strickland.
Elijah Callahan is a senior captain on the Albany High School football
team and also plays basketball and track. His football coach describes
him as a leader on and off the field with a 3.7 GPA. As a starting defensive
end, his stats are 40 tackles, one forced fumble and two sacks. As a starting
tight end, he has seven receptions for 149 yards. Outside of sports, Callahan
leads a weekly Bible devotional group and will be working at Clear Camps,
which offers 10-week programs in Louisiana and Texas. He will be attending
Nicholls State University in the fall to study Marine Biology.
From left are Albany High School Head Football Coach Blane Westmoreland,
Albany High School Principal Jill Prokop, Elijah Callahan, North Oaks
Sports Medicine Athletic Trainer Amanda Trepagnier and North Oaks Sports
Medicine Supervisor Jeff Schmitt.
Taylin Underwood, a forward on Doyle High School’s girls basketball
team, recently scored her 3,000th career point, one of only eight athletes
in Louisiana history to achieve this milestone. Underwood led her team
to the playoffs for the fourth consecutive year. She also plays softball
and helped her team to first place in district. She has a 4.0 GPA and
was considered a leader in her senior class. Outside of school, she works
with disabled children. She plans to attend Southeastern Louisiana University
in the fall to study Kinesiology and will play for the Lady Lions basketball team.
From left are Doyle High School Basketball Coach Guy McDonald, Taylin Underwood,
North Oaks Sports Medicine Athletic Trainer Matt Stumpf and North Oaks
Sports Medicine Supervisor Jeff Schmitt.