A three-star student-athlete at St. Pauls High School, a member of FFA, an employee at Bo’s Food Store and an active volunteer — at 4 County Head Start, Roadside Cleanup and Toys for Tots — make up Priest’s schedule.
Just the way she likes it.
“Always on the go,” said Priest, who also maintained a 4.10 weighted GPA, ranking No. 7 in her senior class. “It builds character in me. Having to play sports and stilling trying to handle the other stuff, it made me realize what I’m going to have to do in college. Not everything’s always going to be easy to manage … but I learned time management.”
The senior Priest, who plans to attend East Carolina University in the fall and major in Pre-Med, earned The Robesonian/Mountaire Farms Scholar Athlete of the Month award for June for her production in and outside of the St. Pauls hallways.
Priest caps the 2011-12 school year’s AOTM program, which is holding a banquet Wednesday to announce the male and female athlete of the year winners. The recipients earn a $1,500 scholarship towards college.
Priest, also a National Honor Society member, managed all-conference status in three sports, helping anchor St. Pauls in volleyball, basketball and softball.
Especially in softball, as she led the Lady Bulldogs in every offensive category this spring. Priest belted five homers, also a county-high, while hitting a team-best .583 with 21 RBI, 27 runs and 13 stolen bases. Her output helped fuel St. Pauls to a second-place finish in the Three Rivers Conference with a 7-3 league mark.
“I just went out there and worked hard when I was at practice and tried to get the best out of it and it paid off in the end,” Priest said. She accredited head coach Wightman Miller to her hot-hitting season. “He made me aware of stuff (playing-wise) that I really didn’t know about. He was a lot of help.”
During the winter, the St. Pauls senior led a young Bulldogs squad to a Three Rivers title and runner-up finish in the Robeson County Shootout. Being a senior leader on a young team tested Priest.
“In the past I’ve always been the youngest on the team,” she said. “This year I was the oldest on the team full of freshmen and sophomores. At times it was hard because not everybody wants to listen when you’re trying to help them.”
That’s where help from her coaches and parents, Stephanie Lewis and Earl Priest, came in to play.
“My coaches and parents really have been there for me, whether it was for games or school-related events, they were there for me,” Priest said. “I’m going to miss the love and support here (at St. Pauls).”
Reach Sports editor Kaleb Roedel at 910-272-6111 or kroedel@heartlandpublications.com
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