09/10/2026
We’re proud to recognize Andrew “Trey” Mayberry and Caeleigh Ridgell as Wilkes Central High School’s 2026 James Cook Memorial Scholarship recipients!!!
Trey Mayberry is a three-sport athlete who competed in football, basketball, and baseball during his time at Wilkes Central. He was named the 2025 Football Team MVP, earned All-Conference honors twice in football, received Honorable Mention All-Conference recognition in baseball, and was selected as Wilkes Central High School’s Male Athlete of the Year. Trey will continue his education at East Carolina University. But his accomplishments on the field and court are only part of what made Trey stand out. Basketball Coach and Athletic Director Brandon Shore described Trey as “a hard worker, dependable” and someone who “played his tail off for every coach that he played for.” He also recognized Trey as a leader for the men’s basketball team over the last two years. Former football coach Dustin Foster echoed that, describing Trey as respectful, a pleasure to coach, and someone who was always willing to go above and beyond to help his team in any way possible.
Caeleigh Ridgell has been one of the area’s premier soccer players throughout her high school career, earning All-Conference, All-Region, and All-State honors while helping lead the Wilkes Central soccer program. A team captain since her freshman year, Caeleigh will continue both her education and soccer career at Lees-McRae College. Soccer Coach Craig Langston described Caeleigh as “the backbone of the women’s soccer program at WCHS” for the past three years and praised the leadership she has shown since her freshman year. While her athletic accomplishments speak for themselves, Coach Langston said what he is most thankful for is her ability to lead with passion and integrity, adding that she has been an enormous joy to coach and that “no one is more deserving of this scholarship.”
The James Cook Memorial Scholarship was established in 2019 to honor student-athletes who demonstrate the qualities James valued throughout his life: sportsmanship, leadership, integrity, and putting the team before themselves. Trey and Caeleigh are wonderful examples of those qualities.
We are incredibly proud of these two students and all they have accomplished, and we’re excited to see where they go from here. Congratulations, Trey and Caeleigh!
Over the next few weeks, we’ll be highlighting the recipients from each of Wilkes County’s four traditional high schools and sharing more about the incredible students selected for this year’s scholarships.
Now let’s show these two incredible students some love and give them the recognition they deserve! ❤️👏
