Close, VanVranken, and Turner Capture DCHS Basketball’s Highest Program Awards

April 1, 2024
By: Dwayne Page

Seniors Conner Close and Ella VanVranken were named the DCHS Tiger and Lady Tiger basketball Most Valuable Players Monday night at the annual team banquet, while Senior Elaina Turner is the Most Valuable Cheerleader. The awards were sponsored by Love-Cantrell Funeral Home and presented by Chad and Shelia Kirby. The MVP and MVC awards are named in memory of Kirby’s grandfather Allen D. Hooper.

For Close, it’s an MVP three-peat as he won the team’s highest award his sophomore and junior seasons as well. During his high school career Close scored a total of 1,287 points. He notched his 1,000th career point on December 12, 2023 at home against Smith County. In addition to being named MVP, Close earned awards for being the team’s Best Offensive Player and he was selected to the 1st Team All-District 7AAA. Close and Dallas Kirby also made the DTC All-Star Team.

For VanVranken, it was her second straight MVP award. She is also a member of the 1,000-point club at DCHS having reached that milestone as a junior during her 2022-23 season. This year, VanVranken made the 2nd Team All-District.

Other individual cheerleading awards included:
MVC: Elaina Turner
Outstanding Jumps: Landen Tubbs
Outstanding Motions: Annabella Dakas
Team Favorite Cheerleader: Sara Moore
Most Coachable: Izzy Prichard
Roar Award (Respectful, Outgoing, Accountable, Reliable): Madeline Martin

Other Lady Tiger basketball awards were as follows:
MVP: Ella VanVranken

Most Energetic: Bella Rackley
Most Passionate Player: Allie Melton
Best Defensive Player: Chloe VanVranken (All District Honorable Mention)
Sharpshooter Award: Avery Agee
Best Offensive Player: Ella Van Vranken
Most Improved and Sportsmanship Award: Tess Barton
Best Hustle Award: Cam Branin
Best Teammate: MaKayla Scales

For the Tigers,
MVP: Conner Close
Best Ball Handler and Best Three Point Percentage Shooter: Jordan Parker
Best 6th Man: Ian Colwell
Best Offensive Player (Average 17.8 points per game) and Most Rebounds (160): Conner Close
Best Defensive Player (Led Team in Deflections and Steals): Alex Antoniak
Most Improved: Seth Fuson

Both the DCHS Tigers and Lady Tigers were bounced from the district 7 3A basketball tournament in Feebruary by Livingston Academy. In the opening round of the tournament at Tennessee Tech, the DCHS Lady Tigers lost to Livingston Academy 59 to 28 while the Tigers followed with a 71 to 56 loss to the Wildcats.  The Tigers completed the year at 10-19 overall and the Lady Tigers finished at 9-20.

April 1, 2024
By: Dwayne Page

Graduation night for the DCHS Class of 2024 will be even more exciting next month thanks to generous support from the community shown during Monday’s Project Graduation Radiothon on WJLE.

During the three-hour fundraiser which was also LIVE streamed on the Awakening facebook page, almost $8,500 was raised in pledges and donations for the 2024 Project Graduation event which will be held following the graduation ceremonies on Friday, May 10.

The radiothon was hosted by DCHS Teacher John Pryor and Jordan Atnip of the Smithville First Baptist Church and many members of the class took part in the program. A special thanks to Daniel Leslie who set up the LIVE facebook streaming broadcast from the WJLE Studios.

To add extra fun and excitement, members of the class agreed to take fundraising challenges to sing or gulp down things like baby food, pickled pigs feet, and pig brains and milk gravy, plus more.

Chris Summers, President of the 2024 Project Graduation Committee said he was pleased with the outcome of the radiothon. In addition to the radiothon, other fundraisers have been held throughout the year and more are coming before this year’s Project Graduation event.

“We provide overnight activities for high school seniors after graduation so they can be together one more time as a group and do tons of fun things at the school in a safe environment. We started planning for this back in August. This year we will have a mechanical bull, laser tag, inflatables, movies, lots of food, and much more for them to do. It starts at 11 p.m. on graduation night and we go until 6 a.m. the next morning and we give away prizes the whole time. The seniors have been instrumental in helping us plan what they want to do and so far based on our fundraising we have been able to pretty much plan what they’d like to have,” said Summers.

“We still need more funds for Project Graduation. You can contact Assistant Principal Jenny Norris at the high school or me, Chris Summers at 931-319-0534. Text or call if you have any questions,” added Summers.

April 1, 2024
By: Dwayne Page

WJLE and participating sponsors are presenting a photo gallery of the DCHS Class of 2024 in April and May.

Graduation is set for Friday, May 10 at 7 p.m. on the DCHS football field.

Click on the link below to view the senior formals.

https://www.wjle.com/graduation-3/

Once you open the page, click each photo to view a larger image. The name of the senior you select is at the bottom of the photo or you may move your mouse over the photo to view the name.

There are 161 photos in the gallery divided up 48 photos to a page. After you view page 1 be sure to click the links for pages 2-4 (top or bottom of the page) to view the remaining photos.

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