EASLEY — Emotions ran high at Dacusville Middle School on Thursday as faculty, staff and studentsgathered in the gymnasium for the inaugural presentation of an award named in honor of a student who died tragically over the summer.

The Play Like Payce award, set to be given to one female volleyball player in the Anderson, Oconee, Pickens Middle School Athletic Conference (A.O.P), is named in honor of Ansley “Payce” Chappell, a Dacusville Middle School student and volleyball player, who passed away from bacterial meningitis on July 1 at the age of 12.

Dacusville Middle School’s Lucy Hazel, a lifelong friend and teammate of Chappell, received the inaugural award at a surprise assembly held at the school.

Both Chappell’s family and Hazel’s family were there to witness the announcement, along with the entire

You must be logged in to view this content.