By RYAN ARENA

Sports Editor

West St. John seniors Blake Comminie, Tranell Mitchell, and Destani Comminie were all recognized for their athletic contributions this past school year at the Rams’ recent athletic banquet.

Each received the school’s Anthony Miller Award, given to the best all-around male and female athletes of the year. Blake Comminie received that honor among the boys, while Destani Comminie and Mitchell were both recognized as a girls’ recipient.

Blake Comminie’s comes off one of the most accomplished seasons by a defensive player in school history, one in which he was named the Class 1A All-State Defensive Player of the Year. He piled up 63 tackles, seven sacks and five fumble recoveries. Comminie also boasted a four-touchdown game – all coming on defense and special teams. He helped lead the Rams to the state championship game in the Superdome this season.

Comminie was an All-District 9-1A performer in basketball, as well as football. He led the Rams in scoring and rebounding on the court, as the Rams returned to the postseason after a 2007 hiatus. Comminie finished his athletic year with a championship win, taking the Class 1A state title in the discus with a throw of 147-1.

Mitchell, meanwhile, was All-District in volleyball, basketball and softball, while also shining as part of the track and field team. She placed fourth in the state in the triple jump at the Class 1A meet three weeks ago, setting a personal best of 35-2.

 She was one of the Rams’ leading scorers in basketball, helping to lead the team into the postseason. Ditto for the softball team, which Mitchell posted almost an RBI a game for the Rams. She was a major offensive threat for the volleyball team.

What Mitchell was to offense though, Comminie was defensively for the Rams on the volleyball court. She led the team in blocks, posting double digits in some matches.

Comminie was All-District in volleyball and softball, while also qualifying for the 1A state meet in track and field in the javelin event (3rd in the regionals with a throw of 107-2). She was the softball team’s top starting pitcher, while also leading the team in a number of hitting categories.