Platinum Pirates, Athletes of The Year Awarded

Story and photos by Neil Farrell

With the school year winding down and spring athletic seasons wrapping up, Morro Bay High School handed out its Platinum Pirates and Athletes of the Year Awards.

With credit for more than just athletic achievement, the Platinum Pirate Awards take into consideration a more well-rounded student-athlete, one who helps and encourages his or her teammates, contributes to their teams on and off the field of battle and positively contributes to the school community.

Award winners this year were: Gabe Paul for baseball; Alfredo Castillo and Bella Musloff for boys and girls basketball, respectively; Isa Rojas for cheerleading; Michael Carbajal and Noleena Fahy for cross country; Nami Hoag for football; Jonas Smith and Sydney Laughlin for boys and girls golf, respectively; Sammy Sweeney for sand volleyball; Jessica Chavez and Jesus Ruvalcaba for girls and boys soccer; Channell Thibodeaux for softball; Jude Moore and Maya Hitchcock for boys and girls swimming and diving; Jackson Hanson and Nellie Calderwood for boys and girls tennis; Aiden Blackwood and Kate Avila in track & field; Max Taylor and Reese Mischel in boys and girls volleyball respectively; Emory Wishon and Devyn Downing for boys and girls water polo; and Laiza Lerio and Josiah Lieberman for girls and boys wrestling. 

The family of the late Ron Roundy, who was a major supporter of the MBHS cross country program for about 30 years, handed out the Ron Roundy Family Scholarship with Faye (Roundy) Padayachee announcing the winner, Dylan Bueno. 

Faye, who was a cross country standout when she went to MBHS, explained that her father, a realtor by trade and an artist at heart, wanted to help the cross country program and started the June Fest and October Fest Fun Runs in Baywood Park as a fundraiser for the program. She and her family estimated that over the years, the runs raised about $70,000 for the program.

The MBHS Boosters Club also handed out four scholarships to Alejandro Alvarez, John Skaggs, Samantha Rocha, and Carmen Spahr.

The Good Guy and Good Gal Awards that are given to the athletes who have excelled at their sports(s) and inspired their teammates went to Charlie Fryer and Hannah Colletti.

The Athletes of the Year were Blackwood and Josephine “JoJo” Davis.

Their names will now be immortalized and affixed on the school’s perpetual trophies, which date back to the first-ever graduating class in 1960.

Feature Image: Aiden Blackwood (left) and Josephine “JoJo” Davis were named Morro Bay High School’s 2023 Male and Female Athletes of the Year. They are shown here holding the perpetual trophies that will have their names added to them.