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Former Northside High School catcher Bryan Keith Woolard died in an automobile accident in January of 2009 but his legacy continues in the form of a memorial scholarship his family has presented every year since to a Panthers senior baseball player.

Right handed pitcher/catcher/infielder Brandon Arthur is the 2024 winner of the $500 award and will use it at Barton College, where he will pitch for the Bulldogs.

Arthur earned the victory in an 11-1 Panthers win over Jones Tuesday after the presentation and has an 0.43 earned run average with 69 strikeouts in 49.1 innings.

Bryan Keith Woolard was the catcher on the Panthers 1994 state championship team and went on to play at Lenoir Community College. He was named Most Valuable Player and Best Defensive Player during his career at Northside.

“He would come out to the mound (during a game) and either pat you on the back or put his foot up your tail, Either way he was trying to help our side win,” former Northside pitcher Doug Dixon said. “He was the leader on our championship team, a great friend and teammate. I’m proud his family has kept his memory alive with this scholarship.”