CCC Hickory Award Winners

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Hundreds of athletes from Western North Carolina gathered in Hickory for the Carolinas Coaches Combine on Saturday. We'll have plenty about what we heard from the coaches on hand, but we're starting simple. Here are all the award winners and some brief thoughts on each.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Which Players Won Awards at the Carolinas Coaches Combine?</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>There were three sessions, the first two for rising seniors and the third for underclassmen. Unlike <a href="https://prepredzone.com/2026/04/ccc-clayton-recap-award-winners/">last week</a>, there wasn't much regionality to the sessions, with players from all over the western part of the state participating in each session. Awards were given to both the top overall player on each testing apparatus and to the MVP for each position group during drills.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Here's every award winner: Both from the testing and from the drills portions of camp.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>Editor's Note: While Prep Redzone wasn't able to be on hand for the Carolinas Coaches Combine on Saturday, we got plenty of updates from coaches in attendance. We'll have those in a "What We Heard" piece later this week. We'll also have a piece breaking down some of the top overall performers from both the combine and drill portions of the event.</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Session 1 (2027s)</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">Testing Winners</h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Vertical:&nbsp;[player_tooltip player_id='483642' first='Immanuel' last='Collins']</strong> | Shelby (31.2")</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Broad Jump:&nbsp;[player_tooltip player_id='1429512' first='Tyler' last='Morgan']</strong> | Ashbrook (10')</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Bench Press:</strong>&nbsp;<strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1957195' first='Davis' last='Weycker']</strong> | Piedmont (32 reps)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Pro Shuttle (5-10-5):&nbsp;[player_tooltip player_id='483642' first='Immanuel' last='Collins']</strong> | Shelby (4.20)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>40-Yard Dash: [player_tooltip player_id='2153787' first='David' last='Echevarria']</strong> | Ambassador Christian (4.62)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Top MPH:&nbsp;Braylon Smith</strong> | Ashbrook (20.7 MPH)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">Drill Winners</h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>OL:&nbsp;[player_tooltip player_id='2117497' first='Gage' last='Camp']</strong> | Burns</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>O Combo:&nbsp;[player_tooltip player_id='378966' first='Savion' last='Lindsay']</strong> | Ashbrook</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>O Skill:&nbsp;[player_tooltip player_id='483642' first='Immanuel' last='Collins']</strong> | Shelby</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>DL:&nbsp;[player_tooltip player_id='1607884' first='Paxton' last='Dobbins']</strong> | Crest</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>D Combo:&nbsp;[player_tooltip player_id='736711' first='Tanner' last='Finnerty']</strong> | Mooresville</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>D Skill:</strong>&nbsp;<strong>Ezekiel Kelly</strong> | Ambassador Christian</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Specialist</strong>:&nbsp;<strong>Josh Herring</strong> | Hickory</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Leadership:&nbsp;Jahkyran Weaver</strong> | Hickory</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>MVP:&nbsp;[player_tooltip player_id='738731' first='AJ' last='McLain']</strong> | Ashbrook</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Session 2 (2027s)</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">Testing Winners</h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Vertical: [player_tooltip player_id='2175379' first='Jorden' last='Robinson']</strong> | Reidsville (33.3")</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Broad Jump:&nbsp;Tahari McLean</strong> | Pisgah (10'2")</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Bench Press:</strong>&nbsp;<strong>Nathan Earley</strong> | South Brunswick (42 reps)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Pro Shuttle (5-10-5):&nbsp;[player_tooltip player_id='2080429' first='Jayden' last='Brown']</strong> | Southern Alamance (4.30)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>40-Yard Dash: [player_tooltip player_id='2175379' first='Jorden' last='Robinson']</strong> | Reidsville (4.51)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Top MPH:&nbsp;Tahari McLean</strong> | Pisgah (21.6 MPH)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">Drill Winners</h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>OL:&nbsp;[player_tooltip player_id='2167982' first='Cason' last='Holder']</strong> | East Forsyth</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>O Combo:&nbsp;[player_tooltip player_id='1665263' first='Braeden' last='Vetter']</strong> | Williams</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>O Skill:&nbsp;Caleb Bryant</strong> | Northwest Cabarrus</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>DL:&nbsp;[player_tooltip player_id='1617737' first='King' last='Kalama']</strong> | Reagan</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>D Combo:&nbsp;[player_tooltip player_id='1788239' first='Chris' last='Baker']</strong> | Forest Hills</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>D Skill:</strong>&nbsp;<strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2080429' first='Jayden' last='Brown']</strong> | Southern Alamance</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Leadership:&nbsp;[player_tooltip player_id='2080429' first='Jayden' last='Brown']</strong> | Southern Alamance</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>MVP:&nbsp;[player_tooltip player_id='2168308' first='Brian' last='Bellerand']</strong> | Southeast Guilford</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Session 3 (Underclassmen)</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">Testing Winners</h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Vertical: [player_tooltip player_id='2112028' first='Jay' last='Taylor']</strong> | West Stokes (31.3")</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Broad Jump:&nbsp;[player_tooltip player_id='2155266' first='Jeremiah' last='Thompson']</strong> | Lincolnton (10')</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Bench Press: [player_tooltip player_id='2170669' first='Luke' last='Vandergrift']</strong>&nbsp;| East Forsyth (46 reps)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Pro Shuttle (5-10-5):&nbsp;Jam Sykes</strong> | Asheville (4.00)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>40-Yard Dash:&nbsp;Travis Barton</strong> | Ambassador Christian (4.50)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Top MPH:&nbsp;[player_tooltip player_id='1421082' first='RJ' last='Lynch']</strong> | Lincolnton (21.2 MPH)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">Drill Winners</h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>OL:&nbsp;[player_tooltip player_id='1134891' first='Davin' last='Phipps']</strong> | Reagan</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>O Combo:&nbsp;[player_tooltip player_id='2112038' first='Izzy' last='Payne']</strong> | St. Stephens</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>O Skill:&nbsp;Khedric Bell</strong> | Peidmont</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>DL:&nbsp;Justice Daye</strong> | Eastern Alamance</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>D Combo:&nbsp;Peyton Grooms</strong> | Lincolnton</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>D Skill:</strong>&nbsp;<strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2074879' first='Lucas' last='Hilliard']</strong> | Northern Guilford</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Specialist: Wilson London</strong> | South Point</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Leadership:&nbsp;Kohl Fryer</strong> | St. Stephens</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>MVP:&nbsp;[player_tooltip player_id='2126984' first='Marsaun' last='Byrd-McCoy']</strong> | Parkland</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>It's camp season, and we're coming to Charlotte on May 1 for our PRZ Exposure Camp under the lights on a Friday night.&nbsp;<a href="https://events.prepredzone.com/e/2214/register/exposure-series-north-carolina">Secure your spot</a>&nbsp;and use promo code WillHelms10 at checkout for $10 off. Think we missed someone? DM me on Twitter/X&nbsp;(<a href="https://x.com/whelms21">@whelms21</a>)&nbsp;with film.</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->