On June 12, the Paulding County Board of Education honored nine high school athletes for their efforts during the spring season. These athletes were chosen as the Spring 2012 Players of the Year by the head coaches of all spring sports in the county.

The players to be honored were Marcus Anderson (North Paulding) for boys soccer, Monica Behrle (East Paulding) for girls tennis, Buster Bruton (East Paulding) for boys golf, Newt Clark (South Paulding) for boys tennis, Madison Easterwood (North Paulding) for girls soccer, Brittany Haden (Paulding County) for girls golf, Tyler Landmon (Hiram) for baseball, Parker Sorenson (East Paulding) for boys track, and Carissa Tipler (South Paulding) for girls track.

Landmon said he has been playing baseball since he was 5 years old. Now as a high school graduate, he is headed to the University of West Georgia on a baseball scholarship.

He received numerous awards during his high school baseball career including three team awards; 2012 MVP, 2011 silver slugger and 2011 gold gloves. In his senior year Landmon had the most game doubles (3) and most game RBIs (6) for the county.

Easterwood began playing soccer 10 years ago in the second grade. Despite the early beginning and continuous play, Easterwood said she didn’t have an influence in her life to play.

“I just always loved playing the sport and I’m really competitive, “ said Easterwood.

Having graduated this spring, Easterwood just finished her fourth year on the varsity soccer team. In those four years Easterwood had several accomplishments including being her coaches selecting her as top scorer and best all around season performance. The county’s high school soccer coaches also selected her to the Paulding All-County Soccer Team this season.

Easterwood helped lead the Lady Wolfpack to the second round of the state playoffs this past season. As a forward, Easterwood was in prime position to score big points for her team.

“I scored either 20 or 22 goals this season,” said Easterwood.

Even though her playing days at North Paulding are over, Easterwood has signed a scholarship to play soccer at Reinhardt College.

Looking back on her career, Easterwood’s most memorable moment on the field came from this past season in the first round of the playoffs against Chamblee.

“We won with a shootout in double overtime and scored all three of our PKs [penalty kicks] and the other team missed all of their’s,” Easterwood said.

While she is going on to play soccer in college, Easterwood recognizes she is leaving behind a great deal.

“I’m going to miss all my friends and the people and their parents and just being close with everyone,” Easterwood continued, “And I’ll miss having my younger sister on the team with me.”

Among other honorees:

- Marcus Anderson graduated in the spring and signed a football scholarship to Furman University.

- Buster Bruton was also Player of the Year for boys golf in 2011.

- Newt Clark has been Player of the Year for boys tennis for four years in a row, since spring 2009.

- Parker Sorenson took first place in the varsity boys 1600-meter run and 3200-meter run at the 2012 Paulding County Championship track meet.

- Carissa Tipler took first place in the varsity girls 200 meter dash and 400 meter dash at the 2012 Paulding County Championship track meet.