The Falcons honored Cherokee Bluff offensive lineman Jacob Benjamin as their High School Man of the Year and Blessed Trinity flag football player Joelle “JoJo” Miller with the Trailblazer Award on Thursday night during their awards show that recognized several coaches and athletes.
Both won their awards, presented at the Georgia Aquarium, for their impact in the community and their schools.
Benjamin, a first-team all-state player and the Region 8-4A lineman of the year who will play at Army, has a 4.36 GPA and is a member of the National Honor Society and Youth Leadership Hall Program and volunteers with the Next Generation Character, Community and Changes (NG3) Ministries.
“For those of you that are familiar with Jacob, you know that he is an obvious selection for this prestigious award,’' Cherokee Bluff coach Tommy Jones said. “He literally possesses each of these intangible characteristics. He is extremely gifted, driven, and humble. In addition, he is committed to a standard on excellence in everything that he does.”
The Falcons model the award after the NFL’s Walter Payton Man of the Year Award. Finalists were Jacob Lindsey of Camden County, Larry Wallace of KIPP Atlanta Collegiate, Khyair Spain of Parkview and Seth Gillis of Towns County.
Blessed Trinity’s Miller, a multi-sport athlete, led her team to a GHSA flag football state title in 2022.
Off the field, she earned the Jefferson Book Award and the Phi Beta Kappa Award, the most prestigious awards presented to Blessed Trinity seniors, and was named a National Merit Commended Scholar. She helped establish Smiles for Cancer, an organization that raised more than $23,000 for cancer research. She will be attending Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where she will run track and play soccer.
Finalists for the Trailblazer Award were Julia Murra-Schott of Chattahoochee, Winnie Carnes of Oconee COunty and Katherine Northenor of Roswell.
The coach of the year was Tony Lotti, who recovered from surgery to remove multiple brain tumors and complications which nearly took his life and returned to coach Apalachee last season. Lotti, whose award was announced in January, is now head coach at Seckinger in Gwinnett County.
The Falcons also honored four assistant coaches for their work off the field. They were Josh Carmichael of Hiram, Robert Hill of Athens Academy, Tavares Lewis of Treutlen and Ryan Manard of Pelham.
Carmichael’s story of reaching out to food pantries and church groups to help provide food for Hiram players and helping one find affordable surgery for a knee injury embodied the spirit of the award.
Hill is an Athens Academy math teach, track-and-field and football coach who tutors students and volunteers in many ways.
Lewis is a Treutlen alumnus who serves his alma mater as a community coach on top of his full-time job. He coaches special teams, defensive backs and running backs.
Manard, in addition to his Pelham football duties, gives players rides to practices, maintains the equipment room, assists with feeding players and coaches the golf and wrestling teams.
Jasper Jewell, athletic director of Atlanta Public Schools, was honored with the Legacy Award.
The athletic trainer of the year was West Hall’s Chris Carruth.
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