North Oaks Sports Medicine Recognizes 2015-2016 Student-Athletes of the Year

The North Oaks Sports Medicine team and North Oaks Physician Group orthopedic surgeons are pleased to announce that Emily Waddell and Jebadiah Kraft of Ponchatoula High School, along with Hannah Vicknair and Cheyenne Labruzza of Albany High School, have received 2015-16 Student-Athletes of the Year honors.

Recipients were selected from all Student-Athletes of the Month for both Tangipahoa and Livingston parishes based on the number of votes received via an online poll conducted May 2-5.

Emily Waddell is a 2016 honor graduate of Ponchatoula High School with a 3.8 GPA. This season, she helped the Ponchatoula Girls Volleyball Team defeat Riverside Academy with 18 kills, 17 digs and 7 blocks; St. Charles Catholic High School with 17 kills, 1 ace, 20 digs and 8 blocks; and Denham Springs High School with 14 kills, 2 aces, 10 kills, 3 blocks and 1 assist.

In addition to her athletic achievements, she received several honors, including the Leadership Award, Defensive Award, District 5A–MVP Award, Academic All-State Award, Wendy’s Heisman Award, a Knights of Columbus Scholarship, the Ned Wells Scholarship and the Brittany Landaiche Scholarship.

She also belonged to the National Honor Society, Key Club, French Club, Student Council, Fellowship of Christian Athletes and Woodlawn All-Tournament Team.

The daughter of George and Toni Waddell, she plans to study Biology Education at Southeastern Louisiana University in Hammond this fall.

From left are North Oaks Sports Medicine Athletic Trainer Jonathan Gantt, George Toni and Emily Waddell, Ponchatoula High School Assistant Volleyball Coach Tricia Landaiche and Ponchatoula High School Principal Danny Strickland.

Jebadiah Kraft also is a 2016 honor graduate of Ponchatoula High School with a 3.93 GPA. He played football, baseball, basketball and soccer throughout his high school career and was named to the Louisiana High School Athletic Association Academic All-State Team and All-District Soccer Team.

In this school year’s Class 5A playoffs, he led the Green Wave Football Team to victory against top-ranked West Monroe High School, securing the team a berth in the state quarterfinals.

He belonged to the National Honor Society, Fellowship of Christian Athletes and District Honor Choir. He also served as Junior and Senior Class President and Key Club President.

The son of John and Shane Kraft, he participated in Louisiana Boys State, received the Masonic Honesty and Integrity Award, and was recognized as a New Orleans Quarterbacks Club Athlete of the Week and WGNO Friday Night Football Scholar Athlete of the Week.

Kraft will attend Louisiana Tech in Ruston on Presidential Scholarship this fall. He plans to study Physics and possibly pursue medical school.

From left are North Oaks Sports Medicine Athletic Trainer Jonathan Gantt, Shane and Jebadiah Kraft, Ponchatoula High School Head Football Coach Hank Tierney and Ponchatoula High School Principal Danny Strickland.

Hannah Vicknair completed her junior year at Albany High School, where she is a member of the Girls Basketball and Track Teams, with a 4.0 GPA.

She was the only returning starter on the Lady Hornets Basketball Team this season, and made First Team 7-3A All-District and Second Team All-Livingston Parish. She excelled off the court too, serving as Student Government Junior Representative, Fellowship of Christian Students President and a Football Student Trainer/Manager.

She is the daughter of Scott and Jennifer Vicknair, and is an active member of Bethlehem Baptist Church in Albany.

From left are Albany High School Assistant Basketball Coach Stacy Darouse, Hannah Vicknair and North Oaks Sports Medicine Athletic Trainer Nate Borget.

Cheyenne Labruzza rounded out his junior year at Albany High School with a 4.1 GPA and has already committed to play football for the University of Tennessee upon graduation in 2017.

As captain of the Fighting Hornets Football Team, Labruzza recorded 40 tackles and 3 tackles for loss on defense; rushed for 1,147 yards with 12 touchdowns; and received for 324 yards with four touchdowns on offense.

He is the son of Tracy Parker and Paula Suarez and also belongs to the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and Beta Club.

Labruzza has received more than 15 athletic scholarship offers to date, including but not limited, to the University of Tennessee, Louisiana State University, the University of Southern California and the University of Florida.

From left are Albany High School Head Football Coach and Athletic Director Blane Westmoreland, Cheyenne Labruzza and North Oaks Sports Medicine Athletic Trainer Nate Borget.

Click North Oaks Sports Medicine to learn more about the Student-Athlete of the Month/Year program, or call North Oaks Public Relations at (985) 230-6647.