NATCHEZ — Seven area high school athletes were honored with scholarship awards at the 27th annual National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame, Miss-Lou Chapter banquet.

A total of $10,000 in scholarship money was given to the student-athletes, who represented each of the seven local high schools.

Receiving $1,000 scholarships were Lee Guedon of ACCS, Kendrick Harris of Ferriday, Seth Swilley of Huntington and Jeremy Washington of Vidalia.

Kendall Logan of Natchez High received a $1,750 scholarship while Jesse Morrison of Cathedral received a $2,000 scholarship.

The winner of the top award, a $2,250 scholarship, was Parker Brumfield of Trinity Episcopal.

“It’s right up there with the best awards I’ve won,” said Brumfield, who starred as the quarterback for the 13-1 Saints this past season. “It’s a great award to win because you have to not only be a good athlete, but do well in school.”

Trinity football coach David King called Brumfield one of the hardest working and smartest players he’s ever coached.

“He’s a coach on the field,” King said. “He’s one of the few people who can become really anything he wants to become. It’s a tribute to the teachers (at Trinity) and his family. The Trinity family is very proud of his accomplishment.”

Each of the school’s nominated one athlete on the basis of academic performance, athletic achievement, extra curricular and community service and overall balance.

The nominees were given to a committee at Copiah-Lincoln, Natchez campus, which selected the winners.

Seven junior high athletes were also recognized at the banquet.

Kent Yates of ACCS, Daniel Huffines of Cathedral, Derius Jolla of Ferriday, Levi Austin Brown of Huntington, Levarious Dorsey of Natchez Middle, Kent King of Trinity and Christopher Dylan Knapp of Vidalia each received a plaque of achievement.

Alcorn State head football coach Ernest Jones was the featured speaker at the event.

“You being here tells me you understand the importance of academics,” Jones told the athletes in his speech. “You’ve represented your schools and communities well. You are the future leaders in the community.”

Jones challenged the high school athletes to succeed not only on the playing field, but in the classroom as well.

“Be like Nike and just do it,” Jones said. “Be like GE and bring good things to life. And be like the Army and be all that you can be.”

The foundation also awarded the late Jerry Roberts with the Contributor to Amateur Football Award.

Roberts was involved in youth sports for many years and was instrumental in the building of a brand new sports facility at Vidalia High School, which is named the Jerry Roberts Field House.

Vidalia football coach Dee Faircloth presented the award to Roberts’ son Graham.

“He wasn’t able to see the building, but he’ll always be a part of it,” Faircloth said of Jerry Roberts.

The Distinguished American Award was given to the late Barr Brown.

Brown was instrumental for many years in youth sports, and helped found the AYA football and basketball leagues as well as an AAU summer league.

He also coached at Trinity, served as the head of the Trinity Athletic Booster Club and was the force behind the building of a new field house at the school.

Cathedral athletic director Roy Garcia, who coached Brown when he played for the Green Wave, presented Brown’s wife Beth with the award.

“Barr loved Coach Garcia and so many of you,” she told the audience. “Thank you for recognizing him. Our family appreciates this so much. We love you all.”