N&O high school players of the year

Sarah Towne

Notable: 16 varsity letters

GPA: 5.0

World’s biggest problem: Distribution of food and clean water

Fascinated to learn: Gas gauge icons point to which side the tank is on.

Impactful book: Holes by Louis Sacher. It taught me a lot about hope, courage and perseverance.

Hard to believe: Slavery

Inspirational life: Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain

Ideal guest list: Amy Poehler, Norman Rockwell, Richard Sherman

Ty Adcock

Notable: Hit .460, led state champs in RBI

College: Elon

GPA: 3.85

World’s problem: People cannot get along due to different beliefs and greed.

Impactful book: Bible. It gives me a foundation.

A good American: Chris Kyle

Favorite charity: St. Jude Children’s Hospital

Ideal guest list: Bryce Harper, Babe Ruth, Will Ferrell

Something that you enjoy that would surprise people: Watching chick flicks

I wish I had been: at D-Day

Julius Barnes

Notable: MVP of NCHSAA 4A title game

GPA: 3.04

Impactful book: The Autobiography of Frederick Douglas

Ideal guest list: Kyrie Irving, LeBron James, Isiah Thomas

Childhood toy: Fisher Price basketball goal

Leadership is: Knowing when to make the right decision for the group. It is developing positive relationships with each individual. It is leading by example by being the hardest worker.

The Word: Humble

Grace Hunter

Notable: 23 points, 11 rebounds

College: UNC Charlotte

World problem: People are selfish and people think it’s cool to not care about others.

I was fascinated to learn: A spin move

It is hard to believe: Women used to be downgraded just because of their gender.

Ideal guest list: Kobe Bryant, Oprah Winfrey, Robin Williams.

Something that I enjoy that surprises people: I love to write poetry.

Bryce Love

Notable: Led Cougars to state 4AA finals with 2,304 rushing yards

GPA: 4.5

College: Stanford

Ideal guest list: Steve Jobs, Michael Jordan, President Obama.

Childhood toy: Blue Power Ranger

Most memorable games: 2014 4AA finals; 2012 playoff game against Wakefield with brother Chris Love

Leadership is: Providing the motivation and direction to accomplish great goals.

The Word: Legendary

Jeremy Brown

Notable: NCHSAA 4A champion

GPA: 3.75

Childhood hero: Flash

Impactful book: Trails, Trials, and Triumphs, by Tony Rowe

Best place to run: Blowing Rock

Ideal guest list: Bill Murray, Steve Prefontaine, Abe Lincoln

I handle pain by: Believing in my training

The Word: Confident

Elly Henes

Notable: NCHSAA 4A champ

GPA: 3.95

Childhood hero: Emma Watson

Impactful book: Paper Towns, by John Green

Best place to run: Umstead Park

Ideal guest list: Ryen Frazier, Emma Watson, Julia Lucas

I handle pain by: Focusing on distractions or singing songs in my head.

Childhood toy: Soccer ball

The Word: Original

Dexter Lawrence

Notable: Top ranked recruit in U.S.

GPA: 3.25

Ideal guest list: Lebron James, J.J. Watts, Vin Diesel

World problem: Global warming

Fascinated to learn: About the Great Depression

Favorite book: Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston

Hard to believe we once: Had slavery

Inspirational life: Martin Luther King, Jr.

Charity: Breathe Again

Doc Redman

Notable: NCHSAA 4A runner-up

GPA: 4.20

World’s biggest problem: World hunger.

Fascinated to learn: The vastness and complexity of the universe and space.

Impactful book: A Time To Kill by John Grisham.

Hard to believe we once: Had witch hunts. That seems illogical.

Favorite charity: Make-A-Wish

Inspiration: Jordan Spieth.

Ideal guest list: Tiger Woods, Will Ferrell, Jack Nicklaus

Jennifer Chang

Notable: NCHSAA 4A champ

GPA: 4.25

Childhood hero: Dad

Impactful book: The Running Shoes, by Frederick Lipp

Best place to play: Pinehurst No. 2

Favorite club: Putter

Ideal guest list: Arnold Palmer, Tiger Woods, Martin Luther King, Jr.

Childhood toy: Scooter

The Word: Determined

Nick Forbes

Notable: 3A finals MVP

GPA: 3.3

College: Siena College

World problem: Inequality

Fascinated to learn: Building of the Colosseum.

Impactful book: Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand, personifies perseverance and exemplifies how an athlete/soldier can overcome adversity.

Favorite charity: Wounded Warrior

Ideal guest list: Jesus, John F. Kennedy, Kobe Bryant.

I wish I was there: For first landing on the moon.

Jordan Lappin

Notable: Girls finals MVP

GPA: 3.9

Commitment: Boston College

World’s biggest problem: Terrorism

Inspirational book: Lone Survivor, by Marcus Luttrell, understanding of how brave and courageous our soldiers are.

It is hard to believe: Communication by land lines.

My favorite charity is: Opportunity International

Inspirational life: Louis Zamperini

Ideal guest list: Michael Jordan, Ellen DeGeneres, Wayne Gretzky

Cooper Duplantis

Notable: NCHSAA 3A MVP

College: American University

GPA: 3.87

Inspiring teacher: Gene Daniels, soccer, Salem Middle. “He died way too early. I think of him every time I step on the field.”

I wish I had been there: U.S. vs. USSR ice hockey game in 1980 Olympics

Ideal guest list: Nelson Mandela, Jimmy Fallon, Jim Valvano

Favorite charity: Stop Hunger Now

Kat McDonald

Notable: NCSCA POY

GPA: 4.3

World’s biggest problem: Judgment.

Impactful book: Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher. Every thing you say to someone impacts them!

Hard to believe: The evolution of technology.

Good American: Carrie Underwood.

Favorite charity: Toys for Tots.

I wish I had been there for: My birth. I would have loved to see all the faces of my family.

Justin Ress

Notable: 4A MVP

GPA: 4.4

College: N.C. State

Impactful book: To Kill A Mockingbird, by Harper Lee.

World’s problem: Poverty and malnourishment.

Ideal guest list: Jake Gyllenhaal, Abraham Lincoln, John Adams.

Fascinated to learn: How the brain works.

Hard to believe: A country founded on the premise of freedom allowed slavery.

Charity: Layup4lauren.

Inspired by: Jackie Robinson.

Claire DeSelm

Notable: Won 200 IM, 100 fly

GPA: 5.0

World’s problem: Poverty

Favorite book: To Kill at Mockingbird, by Harper Lee. There are questions of morality, tradition, innocence, and responsibility.

Favorite charity: American Cancer Society

Ideal guest list: Michelle Obama, Joan of Arc, Malala Yousafzai

I wish I had been there for: Abraham Lincoln giving the Gettysburg Address.

Nick Stachowiak

Notable: NCHSAA 4A singles champ

GPA: 4.65

World’s biggest problem: World hunger

Hard to believe that we used to: Do homework without the use of a computer

Favorite charity: Toys For Tots

Inspiring life: Rhonda Blanchard – my high school tennis coach who unexpectedly passed away this year.

Ideal guest list: Roger Federer, Bill Gates and Neal Schon

Susanne Boyden

Notable: NCHSAA 4A champion

GPA: 4.75

Impactful book: The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

Most memorable match: Winning state as a sophomore against Maggie Kane

Best place to play: Near the beach

Ideal guest list: Jennifer Lawrence, Oprah Winfrey, Melissa McCarthy

Childhood toy: American girl dolls

The word: Adventurous

Briley Brind’Amour

Notable: 3A championship MVP

GPA: 4.1

College: James Madison commitment

World’s biggest problem: Global warming

Ideal guest list: Audrey Hepburn, Megan Hodge, Albert Einstein

Favorite charity: Cystic Fibrosis

Wish I could have been there: 1998 Olympics. It would be a great experience to go to any of the Olympic Games, but to watch my dad play in one would be extraordinary.

Will Clark

Notable: 140-2 in career

GPA: 3.8

College: N.C. State

World’s problem: Poverty

Impactful book: Same Kind of Different As Me, by Ron Hall.

Favorite charity: Mission trips to Nicaragua. We build and make repairs to a Christian school in Managua.

Ideal guest list: Abraham Lincoln, Muhammad Ali and Dan Bilzerian

I wish I had been there for: 1983 NCAA Men’s Basketball National Championship.

Mayasa Araba

Notable: Won 800, 1,600

GPA: 4.9474

World’s problem: Climate change

Impactful book: Wild by Cheryl Strayed.

It is hard to believe we once: Believed draining blood would rid people of disease.

Favorite charity: Habitat for Humanity

Ideal guest list: Morgan Freeman, Neymar, Charles Darwin

Wish I had been there: For first moon landing.

Emmanuel Jackson

Notable: 4A 110-meters hurdle champ

GPA: 4.54

College: Virginia

Next year this time, I’ll be: Going to the beach

World’s biggest problem: Climate change

Why hurdles: Exciting to run full speed at an obstacle

Favorite charity: Doctors Without Borders

One item: Phone

Ideal guest list: Obama, Walter Payton, Michael Jackson

I wish I had been there for: Soul Train

Nevada Mareno

GPA: 5.0

Notable: National mile champ; 1,000, 1,600 state records

World’s biggest problem: Tunnel vision

I was fascinated to learn: You can buy a double cheeseburger for $1

Impactful book: You Are Special by Max Lucado. Taught me that flaws were not mistakes.

Favorite charity: Alzheimer’s Association

Ideal guest list: Bruce Jenner, Abraham Lincoln, and Sir Roger Bannister

Marcus Krah

Notable: 55 hurdles champ

GPA: 3.5

Hard to believe: A segregated America is unbelievable.

Impactful book: A Long Way Gone by Ishmael Beah. It is amazing that grade school children carry AK-47s.

World’s problem: Child soldiers.

Favorite charity: International Rescue Committee

I was fascinated to learn of: Hitler’s psychological conditions.

Ideal guest list: Will Claye, Eric Thomas, Jesus Christ.

Erin Boone

Notable: Hit .598 for state champs

GPA: 3.99

College: Lenoir-Rhyne

World’s biggest problem: Not following the golden rule.

Impactful book: The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini. It taught me to appreciate the people close to me.

Favorite charity is: Locks for Love!

Ideal guest list: Babe Ruth, Jennie Finch, Martin Luther King Jr

I wish I had seen: My sister’s first homer!

This story was originally published June 21, 2015 at 12:53 AM with the headline "N&O high school players of the year."