Patrick Davis of Woodbridge High School & Brie Custis of Parkside High School Named the WBOC/Mountaire Farms Scholar Athletes of the Year

(Georgetown, DE) – On Monday, June 11th, Mountaire Farms hosted the 2011-2012 WBOC/Mountaire Scholar Athlete of the Year Awards Banquet at the Sussex Pines Country Club in Georgetown Delaware. The event capped off the 4th year of the WBOC/Mountaire Scholar Athlete of the Month program which is designed to highlight and honor the outstanding student athletes on the Delmarva Peninsula.

Prior to the award ceremony, the 75 students, parents and coaches in attendance were treated to a buffet dinner and keynote address from the inventor of the Phillie Phanatic Mascot and founder of the Raymond Entertainment Group, Mr. Dave Raymond. Raymond, a graduate of the University of Delaware, developed the Phillie Phanatic, the mascot of the Philadelphia Phillies, while interning with the team as a young man fresh out of college. His unbridled enthusiasm and ultra-fun persona turned the Phanatic into a million dollar sports icon. Using that experience, Raymond created the Raymond Entertainment Group, a company that builds mascot costumes and marketing programs for sports teams and companies across the country. Throughout his keynote address he touched on the importance of having fun in your everyday life, including your career, in order to be an effective leader.


Following the keynote address, Roger Marino, Corporate Community Director for Mountaire Farms and WBOC Sports Director, Scott Abraham, took turns highlighting the ten Scholar Athlete of the Month Award winners while Mountaire President Paul Downes presented each one with their $1,000 scholarship check.

This year’s ten monthly winners were:

September – Brie Custis of Parkside High School in Salisbury, MD;
October –Shane Marvel of Sussex Technical High School in Georgetown, DE;
November – Justin Marcarelli of Wicomico High School in Salisbury, MD;
December – Christine Elliassen of St. Thomas More Prep. School in Magnolia, DE;
January – Patrick Davis of Woodbridge High School in Bridgeville, DE;
February – Jamie Booze of Mardela High School in Mardela, MD;
March – Jaclyn Coveleski of Cape Henlopen High School in Lewes, DE;
April – Mathew Goins of Sussex Central High School in Georgetown, DE;
May – Mathew Waldman of Delmar High School in Delmar, DE;
June – Savannah Becker of Milford High School in Milford, DE.



WBOC and Mountaire Farms selected these young men and women as some of the best and brightest high school seniors on Delmarva from hundreds of nominations sent in via schools, coaches and proud parents; each one having excelled on the field, in the classroom and in the community throughout their high school careers. All averaged a GPA of 3.5 or better, captained at least two varsity sports and accumulated hundreds of hours in extra-curricular activities. For their efforts each monthly winner received an engraved crystal trophy, a banner to display in the halls of their school and a $1,000 scholarship. Their individual stories were also featured in a WBOC-TV newscast. All ten student athletes were then eligible to become the Scholar Athletes of Year and receive an additional $2,500 scholarship.

Out of these ten extraordinary individuals, one male and one female were selected to receive the 2011-2012 WBOC/Mountaire Scholar Athlete of the Year Award. This year the honor went to Patrick Davis of Woodbridge High School in Bridgeville, DE, and Brie Custis of Parkside High School in Salisbury, MD.

Patrick Davis has proven himself both a winner on the wrestling mat and in the classroom. Not only is he a two-time Delaware State Wrestling Champion at 145 lbs and now at 160 lbs, Patrick also boasts an impressive 3.84 un-weighted GPA.

“Devoted to improvement”, that is how Patrick is described by Woodbridge High School Wrestling Coach Doc Kemmerlin. “His devotion to the sport is irrefutable; he works out four to five times a week during the off-season, sometimes even traveling an hour to attend practice. Patrick will even shadow drill or work on his stance alone in his basement when unable to find a practice.”

Such devotion enabled Patrick to rise to the top of the wrestling ranks in the State of Delaware. His achievements include the aforementioned Delaware State Championship(s) along with being named an AAU All-American in 2011, including a 12-1 record at the Junior Olympics. Patrick also medaled in the Disney Duals and has been a 1st team all-state academic athlete for all four years of high school.

And although wrestling may have been Patrick’s passion, he excelled in many other arenas. He was the leading scorer and captain of the varsity soccer team, the vice president of the schools key club and a member of the track team. Amazingly, Patrick taught himself the intricacies of pole vaulting and placed 3rd in the competition during the 2010 Delaware Track & Field Championships.

This fall Patrick is headed to North Carolina State University on a wrestling scholarship.

Brie Custis has been making a difference for the Parkside Rams since arriving on campus as a wide eyed freshman, challenging herself to be the best on the field and in the classroom. Four years later she has achieved both goals and now ends her high school career knowing she was one of the best on the Delmarva Peninsula.

In the classroom Brie maintained a 4.5 weighted GPA while taking a rigorous course load of honors and AP courses. Aside from extra-curricular activities involving sports, she was an active leader within the student body, serving as Vice-President of the Student Government.

Athletically Brie was second to none. From day one of her freshman year she has been an impact player for both the Lady Rams lacrosse and soccer teams, starting for both squads from the word go. “Brie has great instincts and a sophisticated understanding of the field and the games she plays,” says Ashley Capute, Girls Lacrosse Coach. “Her leadership and game sense help encourage her teammates regardless of the sport.”

Her leadership ability earned her captains honors as a Junior and Senior and all her hard work paid off with a 1st Team All-Bayside Conference honors in soccer and lacrosse. She was named the 2011 Bayside Conference Girls Lacrosse Player of the Year and is a member of the Under Armour Baltimore All-Star Lacrosse Team. This past season she led the lacrosse team to a Regional Championship before losing in overtime in the state semi-final game. This fall Brie will head of to Notre Dame on a lacrosse scholarship.

The 2012-2013 WBOC/Mountaire Scholar Athlete of the Month program will kick-off in August when nominations for the ’12-’13 calendar school year will be accepted.

To view info on all of our Scholar Athletes of the Month click here .