Best of Preps
Vonn Bell
Bryce Copeland
Simon Holden
Brandon Walters
Spencer Mossburg
Jake StoneLike long sideburns and muscle cars, multisport athletes produce golden memories.
Five of those old-school types are among the six finalists for the Scrappy Moore Male Athlete of the Year award to be announced Monday at the Times Free Press Best of Preps banquet at the Chattanooga Convention Center. Former Atlanta Braves star Chipper Jones is the guest speaker.
The multisport finalists are Bradley Central’s Bryce Copeland, Baylor’s Simon Holden, Silverdale Baptist Academy’s Spencer Mossburg, South Pittsburg’s Jake Stone and Howard’s Brandon Walters. The other finalist is Ridgeland’s Vonn Bell, who was ranked as one of the nation’s top prep football prospects, and even he had success in basketball before focusing on multiple roles in football.
Bell helped lead the Panthers to the Georgia Class AAAA championship game as a starter on both sides of the ball. He compiled 1,523 yards of total offense while scoring 19 touchdowns and finishing with 131 total tackles, three interceptions and three forced fumbles. The five-star recruit followed his whirlwind season by choosing to sign with Ohio State over Tennessee and Alabama.
Copeland led his basketball team in every statistical category by averaging 26 points, six assists and six rebounds to lead Bradley to the Tennessee Region 3-AAA championship and then to the state sectionals. A four-year Bears quarterback starter, he threw for 2,138 yards and 13 touchdowns last football season.