Nansemond River High School and Nansemond-Suffolk Academy produced three winners combined when the second annual Virginia Athletic Council sports awards were announced recently.

The awards honor athletes and coaches from the coastal Virginia area in more than 20 categories. The winners were selected by an independent selection committee.

The title of Best Cheer Competition Team went to Nansemond River, Lady Warriors junior KateLynn Hodgkiss was named Best Softball Player and Saints senior David Gough was selected as Best Male Lacrosse Player.

The Nansemond River cheerleading squad was one of the most successful competitive teams, not only in Suffolk but also in Virginia for the 2014-15 school year.

“I was very honored to get that award,” NR cheer coach Amber Lyons said of the VAC honor. “It was very unexpected.”

She was not exactly sure what led to her team’s selection, but said, “I know we had a great season. We finished second in the state this year, so I think that was a contributing factor. I had a very dedicated team.”

That team made school history by advancing as far as it did and by placing second in Region 4A South. The squad also won the Ironclad Conference.

David Gough graduated from Nansemond-Suffolk at the end of May, but he has continued to receive accolades for his senior campaign as a defenseman for the Saints. He helped the team go 13-6, advancing as far as the Virginia Independent Schools Athletic Association Division II state semifinals.

He has been named to the All-TCIS first team, the VISAA Division II all-state first team and now the VAC’s Best Male Lacrosse Player.

“This is really a significant honor for David and also our program when you think about all the quality players in our area, not only in the (Tidewater Conference of Independent Schools), but also the public schools in the coastal Virginia area,” Saints coach T.W. Johnson said.

“I’m very proud and excited that I had got it, but I was surprised,” Gough said.

The Suffolk award winners and their coaches were largely unaware of the Virginia Athletic Council. It is a non-profit organization which states on its website that its mission is “to mentor, provide guidance and assist athletes prior to, during and after their athletic careers, helping to ensure preparation for postgraduate and/or professional athletic endeavors.”

Gough has not announced any plans to pursue postgraduate or professional athletic endeavors, but he finished his high school athletic career with a flourish, collecting 85 ground balls and also recording one goal and four assists as a senior.

“Week-in and week-out, he was able to not only neutralize his matchup but, he also had an impact on that whole half of the field with his sliding, his ability to knock down passes, pick up ground balls, clear it, his size, his athleticism, all of that,” Johnson said.

KateLynn Hodgkiss was named the 2015 Ironclad Conference softball Player of the Year. She also made the all-conference first team and the all-region second team.

Up until last year, she had not received any sort of softball honor at all.

“That’s what kind of what pushed me to work hard last year and this year,” she said.

Now the Virginia Athletic Council has added more fruit for her labors.

“In my mind, it kind of supported all the hard work that she’s put in,” Lady Warriors coach Gabe Rogers said of the VAC honor. “It’s another award for a deserving kid that’s worked hard to be the best softball player she can be.”

Hodgkiss was sidelined by injury for part of the year, but she finished the season with a .442 batting average, a .557 on-base percentage, 17 runs scored, 11 runs batted in, two triples and only three strikeouts.

She helped the Lady Warriors go 19-3, winning the Ironclad Conference regular season title and the conference tournament title and also qualifying for the regional playoffs for the second straight year.

Rogers said what would have stood out about Hodgkiss to the committee was her speed, athleticism and the fact that she can get on base a variety of different ways. Her athleticism has also benefited her on defense at shortstop.

“She comes up big in big moments,” Rogers said.

He took note of a saying used for the team’s benefit: “Failure to prepare is preparing to fail.”

“That’s kind of something that she buys into,” Rogers said, highlighting her hard work between games.