OBSERVER Photo by Braden Carmen Silver Creek cross country athlete Leah Mays, middle left, was recognized at a recent Board of Education meeting by Superintendent Dr. Katie Ralston, middle right. Varsity cross country coach Ray Graf, far right, commended Mays’ character at the meeting.

SILVER CREEK — Ever since she arrived at Silver Creek, Dr. Katie Ralston has made a point to celebrate people deserving of a spotlight, whether it be through social media posts or through recognition at Board of Education meetings. At the latest Board of Education meeting, it was one of the district’s top athletes who received the attention she deserved.

Leah Mays was singled out for her athletic achievements this past fall as a member of the Silver Creek cross country team, which is also combined with Forestville. Mays represented the district at the New York State Public High School Athletic Association statewide meet last month.

Mays was accompanied by her family as her varsity cross country coach, Ray Graf, spoke to the stellar season she put together this past fall sports season.

“She has basically been the MVP of every team she’s been on,” Graf said of Mays.

Graf has been associated with the program for two decades, and over that time, the program has sent several athletes to the state championship meet. Mays posted a better time this year than any of her predecessors. Graf stated that he went back to 1988 to find a runner who posted a better time from Silver Creek than Mays did.

Mays finished the Class C girls cross country race with a time of 19:44.7, good for 26th overall in the state. Along with Southwestern’s Emma Lewis, who finished seventh in the girls Class C race with a time of 18:51.9, the Section VI team finished in first place out of all regions in the state with 229 points.

After the state championship race, Mays went on to run in the Nike Cross Regionals race, in Poughkeepsie, where she finished 20th. The following day, she ran in the Checkers All-Star race, in East Aurora, where she finished second.

Despite all of her accolades, Graf said it is something else about Mays he finds most impressive. “What I’m most proud of her for is her character,” Graf said. “She is willing to work hard to keep her academics at a scholar athlete level.”

The Silver Creek-Forestville girls cross country team also won the Chautauqua-Cattaraugus Athletic Association Sportsmanship Team award this year.

“On a team of girls who show what it means to be a great friend, teammate, community member and human, she is a shining example of them all,” Graf said.

Graf then thanked the Board of Education for recognizing Mays, not only for her accomplishments, but also so “more people can meet, see, and appreciate what a strong and talented role model her family and the community have helped her become.”

Following Graf’s comments, Ralston presented Mays with the gift of a Silver Creek blanket and the group posed for a photo. They then dashed out the door to avoid the final 110 minutes of the Board of Education meeting, which recessed to executive session shortly before 9 p.m.

The next Silver Creek Board of Education meeting is scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 9.