Edenton grad Brian Leary suffered through an injury-marred football season last year at Methodist College. A knee injury sidelined the Monarchs' defensive back for three games. Despite having surgery, Leary returned for the final three games of the year and his performance on the field in just seven games was enough to be named the team's defensive co-MVP at the Methodist athletic banquet on April 28.

"(The injury) really wasn't bad at all," Leary said. "I was fortunate, the surgeon did a wonderful job. Like he told me, there is no such thing as a minor surgery, but if there was, what I had would be it."

Photo courtesy Methodist College (ENLARGE)

Brian Leary (center) covers a kickoff as a member of the Methodist College kickoff coverage team. Leary, a defensive back for the Monarchs, was a two-way player at Edenton.

The sophomore was fifth on the team with 47 tackles, 28 solo. He added four tackles for loss, eight pass breakups, one interceptions and one fumble recovery.

"It's a coaches award. Each week you're given production points by your coach and at the end of year, the total number of production points goes toward being the defensive MVP," Leary said.

Leary tied for the award with linebacker Daryl Lawrence, who played all 10 games this year.

"Being in the secondary, you get a lot of opportunities for production points because you not only get them for tackles, but you're involved so much in the passing game, you get them for breakups and interceptions," Leary said.

Leary was a two-way star at Edenton, playing quarterback and linebacker. In the Monarchs' 3-5 scheme, Leary lines up at an outside linebacker position, but is in reality a defensive back after starting the year at free safety.

"We have to do a lot in the secondary coverage," Leary said. "I play what is considered a bandit or cat. Some schools may it call it bandit and robber. I get involved a lot in man-to-man coverage and going out on the slot receivers."

Leary is majoring in exercise science with an eye on going to graduate school for physical therapy. Although he is doing well now, Leary admits to having some difficulty with the transition from the high school classroom to college.

"(In high school) you have your mom and dad or a guardian at home that is there to say, 'Get your homework done, make sure you get that assignment.' Even the teachers in high school remind you constantly about assignments that are due," Leary said. "In college, it's not like that. Nobody is really here to hold your hand. It's a lot of personal responsibility. That was a tough transition, but now that I've settled in and learned that, I really enjoy it."

The Monarchs did not have that great a season record-wise, but Leary is hopefully the club is headed in the right direction.

"Every team, all across the nation, every year their goal is to win and that is obviously our goal also," he said. "This year, one thing I am so excited about is we created a new motto for our team. 'We will not be denied, not now, not ever.' That is the kind of mind set our team is trying to take home, because we feel that we obviously want to win, but there are certain steps we need to take to get there. That means we'll get it done in the weightroom, we'll get it done in the classroom, on the field. Hopefully, that will carry over onto Saturday game days."

Some other highlights from the spring sports season:

• Zach Beasley (Currituck) has been tearing it up at Chowan this spring. The freshman outfielder is hitting .351 for the Hawks. In 47 regular-season games, all starts, Beasley is tied for the team lead with 60 hits and is third with 39 RBIs.

Chowan battled from the loser's bracket to win the National Christian College Athletic Association South Region championship on Saturday. Beasley went 3-for-4 with a home run and three RBIs in the deciding game. The Hawks advance to the NCCAA World Series in Strothers, Ohio, which begins on Wednesday.

• Dustin Boothe (Currituck) picked up the coach's MVP award for golf at the Elizabeth City State University Athletic Awards Banquet on April 28. The junior led the Vikings to a fifth-place finish at the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association tournament. Boothe shot a 77 and an 81 in the two-day event to finish 17th overall.

Sara Elliott (Edenton) was named the volleyball team MVP at the Meredith College Athletic Banquet on April 28. Elliot, a junior, was a team co-captain, ranked third on the club with 1.82 kills per game and was second with 2.75 digs per game. Elliott was the team's defensive MVP in 2006.

• Jenna Lassiter (Perquimans) made her mark on the Chowan softball team, finishing the season as the team's third-leading hitter at .297. The sophomore third baseman started 49 of 52 games for the Hawks.

• Weston Curles (Perquimans) has emerged as a force on the mound for Mount Olive, the top-ranked team in Division II. Curles, who helped the Edenton Steamers win the Petitt Cup championship in 2004, owns a 5-0 record with a 3.10 ERA this season. The Trojans are 49-5 and have been No. 1 in nine of the last 10 polls. Mount Olive will play next in the South Atlantic Regional on May 15-18.