High school sports: Watertown's Overton, Hall this year's Graf Award recipients

Jun. 17—WATERTOWN — Watertown High School seniors Tatum Overton and Deante Hall are this year's William I. Graf Award winners, the Northern New York Community Foundation announced Thursday night.

Overton, a three-sport standout for the girls' soccer, basketball and lacrosse teams for the Cyclones, and Hall, who excelled in football and track and field for WHS, received the honor that was created by the Italian-American Civic Association in 1954 in honor of Graf's civic involvement.

Overton established a career scoring record for the Cyclones soccer team with 63 goals for her career, recording the new mark despite a COVID-shortened season her junior year. Overton made the Times All-North first team her sophomore and senior seasons.

Overton played for five seasons on the WHS girls lacrosse team, starting as an eighth grader. She served as captain her senior season.

Overton started three years on the girls basketball team and captained the squad her junior and senior years, making the Frontier League all-star team as a senior. She also played junior varsity volleyball.

Overton was a member of the National Honor Society and was Student Council Class President for four years. She participated in several extracurricular clubs and activities, including Audio Visual Club, the Youth Advisory Council and was a member of the student-teacher committee Positive Interventions and Supports. She also volunteered with the backpack program, annual Angel Tree and Homecoming Committee.

Overton, the daughter of Leslie and Travis Overton, will attend Nazareth College in the fall and plans to study political science and business administration. She's also committed to the Nazareth women's soccer team. She aspires to work in a political field or related role in the north country.

Hall competed for the track and field team for four years and football team for three years. He won Frontier League champion honors, competing in the long jump and 400-meter relay and competed in the Section 3 meet and state qualifiers.

Hall was an all-state football player at running back for the Cyclones, serving as team captain his senior year. Hall twice made the all-state team, in 2019 and 2021. He made the Times All-North first team at running back in 2021, helping the Cyclones to the Section 10 championship, and was a Section 10 first-team player.

Hall also participated in numerous extracurricular clubs and activities, including Prom Committee, Yearbook and yearbook Club, FFA, and served on student-teacher committee for PBIS. He also volunteered as a reading buddy.

Hall, the son of Kristy and Michael Hall, will attend SUNY Cortland in the fall and plans to major in physical education. He aspired to become a physical education teacher and coach.

More than 100 graduating high school seniors have received the Graf Award, which is selected by WHS athletics staff. Recipients receive a $1,000 award in honor of Graf's son, William A., who died in 2013.

William I. Graf coached several sports at WHS and served as athletic director. Graf recipients are required to have participated in at least two varsity sports in their senior year and demonstrate exceptional character and sportsmanship as well as strong academics.