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Award recognizes top student athlete
2/20/2005 11:19 AM
By: News 14 Carolina

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Five of the best student athletes in the nation competed Saturday night for a very prestigious award in Charlotte.

The Franklin D. Watkins Memorial Trophy award is the nation's only award recognizing an outstanding African-American male high school senior for athletics, scholastics and community service.

Mohamed Massaqoi and Ekom Udofia

Independence High School's Mohamed Massaqoi was a finalist. He joined four others – two from Texas, one from Arizona and another from California.

Massaqoi says he wants people to know he excels in the classroom as well.

“A lot of athletes are also great students and they do apply themselves. And if they didn't play a sport, they would be able to qualify at a major college.”

Ekom Udofia was the eventual winner of this year's Watkins award. He will play football for Stanford University in the fall.