Versatile duo rises above rest in Southern Nevada
Billy Winn doesn't have to do much to stand out. At 6 feet 4 inches and 260 pounds, he tends to get noticed.
But size isn't the only reason Winn stood out this past school year. The senior was a three sport star at Las Vegas High.
Jamie Mellies isn't as imposing physically. But like Winn, she stood out in the gym and on the field, starring for Silverado in volleyball and soccer.
For their efforts, Winn and Mellies have been named the Male and Female Prep Athletes of the Year by the Review-Journal.
Winn was an explosive defensive lineman for the Wildcats, helping them to their second consecutive Class 4A state football title. He earned first-team all-state honors, recording 81 tackles, 15 sacks and 10 tackles for loss.
Though he ended up with a football scholarship to Boise State, Winn didn't stop competing when football season ended. He hit the wrestling room to compete for the Sunrise Regional champion wrestling team. He captured the individual Sunrise title at 285 pounds.
Then in the spring, Winn became one of the area's top throwers in track and field. He won the Sunrise Regional title in the discus and placed second at state in that event. He was second in the Sunrise and fifth at state in the shot put.
"Especially in today's age where specialization is the rule, I think it says a lot about who and what he is," Las Vegas football coach Chris Faircloth said. "He just loves to compete, loves to play. In the middle of football season, you'd have to chase him out of the gym, because he loves to play sports. He loves to play something all the time."
Mellies also refused to specialize in one sport, despite being a college prospect in volleyball.
She was named the Southeast Division's Most Valuable Player in volleyball, then earned the Division's co-MVP award in soccer in the winter.
Mellies continued to play club volleyball during the soccer season, but Silverado coach Vicki Mangione said Mellies never gave anything but her best on the field.
"If we had a game on Saturday, often times she had to leave immediately to drive to California to play volleyball," Mangione said. "She never shorted her teammates, and she was always focused on what was going on."
Mellies was a standout setter in volleyball and earned a scholarship to Division II Seattle University. She led the Skyhawks to three consecutive undefeated regular seasons and a second-place finish at state as a senior.
She then took over as the starting sweeper for the soccer team, helping it to a second-place finish in the Sunrise Regional. She never slacked off in the classroom, either, keeping up a 4.0 GPA and a No. 1 ranking in her class.
"She's just one of those kids that's just an awesome kid," Mangione said. "She's very conscientious about grades and just has a lot of integrity and leadership skills. She never rocked the boat. Whatever you asked of her, she went out and did it."
Both Winn and Mellies showed the kind of dedication to excel at the high school level, and their coaches think that same work ethic will serve them well in college.
"He was extremely driven to succeed in whatever sport that he played in," Faircloth said of Winn. "Early on, he was just a big, happy-go-lucky kid. He just kind of made the most of himself. He definitely took advantage of his God-given talents.
Mangione said Mellies was an asset to her team on and off the field.
"She's just a great kid, the kind that makes you keep coaching," Mangione said.
Review-Journal award winners for the 2006-07 school year:
BASEBALL
Class 4A - Taylor Cole, Bishop Gorman
Class 3A - Brett Moravec, Boulder City
Class 2A/1A - Cory Welch, Calvary Chapel
BOYS BASKETBALL
Class 4A - Hank Thorns, Valley
Class 3A - Diontea Wright, Faith Lutheran
Class 2A/1A - Mychal Martinez, The Meadows
GIRLS BASKETBALL
Class 4A - Italee Lucas, Centennial
Class 3A - Noelle Milicic, Boulder City
Class 2A/1A - Jadey Jones, Pahranagat Valley
BOYS CROSS COUNTRY
Class 4A - Nathan Williams, Centennial
Class 3A - Colin McAllister, Faith Lutheran
Class 2A - Derek Fajardo, Laughlin
GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY
Class 4A - Leah Leedy, Foothill
Class 3A - McKenzie Dean, Pahrump Valley
Class 2A - Jessica Gnadt, Laughlin
FOOTBALL
Class 4A - O'Ryan Bradley, Las Vegas
Class 3A - Cas Zarate, Virgin Valley
Class 2A/1A - William Vea, Pahranagat Valley
BOYS GOLF
Class 4A - Matt Nolasco, Foothill
Class 3A - Charlie Harrison, Faith Lutheran
Class 2A - Kris Sorensen, Mountain View
GIRLS GOLF
Class 4A - In-Ah Park, Bishop Gorman
Class 3A - Candra Sumedhatip, Faith Lutheran
BOYS SOCCER
Class 4A - Zac Zaher, Bishop Gorman
Class 3A - Jim Sullivan, Faith Lutheran
GIRLS SOCCER
Class 4A - Ashleigh Shoughro, Palo Verde
Class 3A - Alison Correales, Boulder City
SOFTBALL
Class 4A - Aaren Fisher, Basic
Class 3A - Caiti Forrester, Boulder City
Class 2A/1A - Helen Borger, Lake Mead
BOYS SWIMMING
Class 4A - Martin Vanis, Coronado
GIRLS SWIMMING
Class 4A - Alexis Grothe, Boulder City
BOYS TENNIS
Class 4A - Stan Breland, Canyon Springs
GIRLS TENNIS
Class 4A - Candynce Boney, Canyon Springs
BOYS TRACK AND FIELD
Class 4A - Sean Zurko, Silverado
Class 3A - Kyle Mills, Pahrump Valley
Class 2A/1A - Trey Hawkins, Trinity
GIRLS TRACK AND FIELD
Class 4A - Capri Knox, Valley
Class 3A - Dominique Maloy, Pahrump Valley
Class 2A/1A - Ashley Lovell, The Meadows
BOYS VOLLEYBALL
Class 4A - Joe Kauliakamoa, Palo Verde
GIRLS VOLLEYBALL
Class 4A - Jamie Mellies, Silverado
Class 3A - Emily Koch, Faith Lutheran
Class 2A/1A - Talibah McClenton, Mountain View and Brianna Smith, Mountain View
WRESTLING
Class 4A - Reggie Powers, Mojave
Class 3A - Elias Armendariz, Pahrump Valley
Class 2A/1A - Derek Fajardo, Laughlin
