WILKESBORO–Two of the Wilkes Central High School athletic programs were recently honored during ceremonies at a Wilkes Central basketball game for their excellence in academics.

         Both the Wilkes Central cheerleading squad and the Eagles’ men’s tennis team earned top honors in their sport in the North Carolina High School Athletic Association’s Scholar-Athlete program, presented by the North Carolina National Guard. To earn this honor, a varsity team must achieve at least a 3.1 aggregate grade point average during the semester in which it competes, and the team with the top GPA in the state in a sport is recognized annually by the NCHSAA. These recognitions were for the 2013-14 academic year.

        The Wilkes Central men’s tennis team earned a 3.904 GPA, the highest grade among all spring sports teams in the state of North Carolina. Members of the team in the photo are, in the front row, Mac Garrett, Josh Van Noy, Krishna Tiwari and Jackson Smith. On the back row are Hunter Jordan, Daniel Shinaman, Parker Jordan, John Frazier and Kevin Reynolds. Members not in the picture are Jake McFarland, Dakota Massucco and Daniel Vimont. The Eagles were coached by Perry Snipes.

         With a 3.706 GPA, the Eagles achieved the highest grades among all cheerleading squads in the state of North Carolina. Members of the team included Ali Aita, Landria Brown, Madison Andrews, Sydney Buchelle, Catherine Brame, Bethany Brooks, Cydney Byrd, Ellen Cleary, Taja Dalton, Sydney Delbridge, Brittany Faw, Rachel Franklin, Behka Gojak, Payton Miller, Arian Minton, Ashlyn Minton and Rachel Plemmons. The Eagles were coached by Cathy Snipes.

          The photos are courtesy the Wilkes Journal Patriot.