Konnor Griffin

Konnor Griffin, an 8th grade baseball player at Jackson Prep, recently attended the Perfect Game Select Fest event September 4-6. This event is exclusive to only the top 13 and 14 year old baseball players in the nation. At the event, he won the home run derby, hitting several homeruns out of a professional sized baseball field. 

Not only is he an exceptional hitter, but he is also an excellent pitcher, as he has a fastball that has already been clocked at 86 miles per hour. This feat is extremely impressive, especially for a fourteen year old. 

Due to his success on both the mound and at the plate, Griffin was named the national two-way player of the year for his age group by Perfect Game. Talking about the event, Griffin said, “It was awesome to get the opportunity to go and face the elite players in my age group.” Although he is a stand out player in baseball, Konnor is not a one-sport only athlete. He also  plays wide receiver and safety for the junior high football and has scored in two out of the three games of the season so far. Based on his recent success, his future in sports is bound to be bright.

Ava Moak

Ava Moak is a volleyball player on the Jackson Prep varsity team. What separates Ava from the rest of her peers is that she is only in ninth grade, making her one of the youngest players on Coach Mays’ varsity squad. She started playing volleyball when she came to Prep in the 7th grade. 

This year will be her third year playing competitive club volleyball outside of school at the Infinity Volleyball Academy. On this team she has competed in a number of out-of-state venues, including St. Louis, Dallas, Birmingham and Memphis.

She has switched around in many positions on both teams, but this year she is focusing on playing middle. Ava is extremely versatile becuase of her height and jumping ability, which allow her to accumulate blocks and blocks. Senior Rebecca Burrow shared that, “Ava has always stepped up to the plate when her teammates need her most especially when I injured my knee.” 

On both teams, Ava is a key player, and her teammates are thankful for her competitive drive and positive attitude on and off the court.