McKenzie Woods of Blue Ridge Early College and Kayleigh Bonner of Summit Charter Academy will be honored as outstanding senior athletes at the Jackson County Athletic Hall of Fame banquet on Saturday, July 25. The ceremony will begin at 5 p.m. at Southwestern Community College’s Burrell Building.
Summit Charter’s varsity girls soccer team will also be honored for its record-breaking run to the NCHSAA 1A state championship match in May.
Woods
Woods, a multi-sport athlete, was a three-year letterman in volleyball, four-year letterman in basketball and three-year letterman in soccer.
In basketball, she was a three-time team captain, two-time Bobcat Award Winner and two-time Little Smoky All-Conference Selection while playing point guard and shooting guard. Woods finished her senior season averaging 12.1 points and 6 rebounds per game while leading the team in 3-point field goals made, 3-point field goal percentage and free throw percentage. She ranked 10th in the NCHSAA 1A with six double-doubles.
In soccer, Woods was a two-time MVP and 2025 SMC All-Conference Selection while playing midfield and fullback.
“I’m just really happy Blue Ridge saw the work that I put in during my 4 years,” said Woods. “I think I was selected because of my consistency throughout high school and being able to be a good leader during games, both on the field and the court.”
Woods said this is the most significant sports award she has received because it recognizes athletes from across the entire county. She hopes to leave a legacy of hard work at BREC.
“Just keep putting in the time and effort and you’re going to see the improvement eventually,” said Woods. “It’s going to be rewarding.”
Woods said that work ethic also taught her valuable life lessons and helped her grow as an athlete.
“Even though you don’t want to practice some days and are tired, still going and putting in full effort is important,” said Woods. “There were some games where we were losing and I didn’t feel like sprinting, but Coach Mayse said ‘No, you need to anyway.’ I feel like I’ve grown from a freshman to a senior by just doing it anyway.”
She pointed to two moments that stood out during her four years at BREC. Woods said the team breaking 100 points against Nantahala at home during her freshman year and stepping up as point guard during a game against Nantahala as a sophomore were among her proudest moments.
Woods will be attending UNC Wilmington in the fall to study psychology. She said she may also play club sports.
Bonner
Bonner played soccer all four years at Summit Charter while balancing time with her club soccer team, Highlands Football Club, in Asheville. She earned all-conference honors in 2026 and was a three-time offensive MVP, two-time team captain, recipient of the Game Changer Award in 2023 and the NCHSAA Sportsmanship Award, all while graduating as salutatorian. During her senior year, she tallied 27 goals and 28 assists, helping propel the team to the state championship match.
“I was mainly honored to be recognized and be kind of the face of our soccer team this year as a symbol of the hard work of the entire team,” said Bonner.
Bonner is a seventh-generation Jackson County resident, making the award even more meaningful.
She said her mother has made the biggest impact on her career over the past 13 years. From driving to games 10 hours away to providing financial support, her mother has done everything possible to set her up for success. Bonner also credited Head Coach Scott Whitman, who coached the team all four of her seasons, with believing in her and the team.
As a captain, Bonner hopes to leave a lasting legacy at Summit Charter.
“I hope I left a legacy that reminds my teammates to not always score the goal or want the fame, but to be able to work as a unit and a team and get those assists,” said Bonner.
Bonner said one moment that stood out to her during her career was the senior night match against Swain County, when she scored a hat trick in front of a large crowd. She said her favorite assist came against Murphy, when she moved the ball back and forth with Victoria Clement before Clement within the first 40 seconds.
“She was a great, unselfish team player who scores goals, creates and leads by example,” said Athletic Director Jeremy Robinson.
Bonner will attend the University of Georgia to study mechanical engineering. She also plans to play club soccer.
Mitch Stone is a reporter at The Highlander and can be reached at reporter@highlandsnews.com