East Prairie senior Tony Jones was the area's fastest 100 runner, a top tackler for the football team and won the B.A. Sports slam dunk competition. [Click to enlarge]

EAST PRAIRIE -- There almost always seems to be that one particular athlete that stands above everyone else. The one that you know you can count on to make the winning shot on the court or make the open-field tackle when you need the stop.

But, for the truly great athletes, there appears to be more than just the on-the-field heroics you see. Like a drive and determination to excel outside of the world of sports and become a true model of a student-athlete. And all at the same time, face extreme adversity throughout their life and still be respectful and humble about your accomplishments the entire way.

All of those characteristics can completely describe our Standard Democrat Male Athlete of the Year: Tony Jones.

"He's a very determined kid, very committed," head football coach Jason Aycock said. "If there's one word that I could really use to describe Tony, it's focused. He's a focused student-athlete. He has set his goals straight and he has not lost focus on those goals.

"Everybody knows Tony's background and he's had it tough," Aycock added. "Through all that adversity, he's overcame a lot of it and that's through staying focused. He hasn't lost focus on what's most important to him."

Jones was a graduate of East Prairie High School in May. He participated in the basketball, football and track programs as an Eagle and was honored as an All-State participant in all three sports.

On the track team, Jones was named All-Conference, All-District and All-Region. He competed in the 400 meter and his best finishing time was in 50 seconds. He also competed in the 100 meter and at the SEMO South meet on April 28, he finished with a 10.82. That was the best time recorded in the Southeast Missouri area for the 100 meter this year.

On the football field he was All-Conference, All-District, and was selected as a member of the 2007 All-Standard Democrat Dream Team as a linebacker. Jones finished his senior season with an outstanding 132 tackles and seven sacks.

"Tony was a leader," Aycock said about his standout linebacker. "But, he was a different type of leader. He wasn't a vocal leader. He was a lead-by-example type of player. It's just that when Tony was there, you knew you could count on Tony."

Aycock said that he was a type of player on the field that the kids looked up to and they all knew that he was going to be there by their side. No matter what happened.

"And us, as coaches, we always knew that Tony would be there," said Aycock. "For example, if we had one particular play that we wanted to shut down, we would put Tony where that play was going to be ran. Because, we knew Tony would be there."

Even though he excelled on the track and on the the football field, the basketball court is where Jones says his true passion lies.

He was named to the Missouri Basketball Coaches Association All-State team, All-Conference, All-District and was the Scott-Miss Conference Player of the Year. He was also selected as a first team member of the 2007-08 Standard Democrat Dream Team where he averaged 19 points and 11 rebounds a game in his senior season.

"Basketball has always been my love," Jones said. "The whole year I got a whole bunch of football offers and no basketball. And then one came. So I decided to take that chance and see how far I can go there."

Jones has recently planned to attend Missouri Baptist University in St. Louis, the only college that offered him a basketball scholarship and an environment that he wanted to be around.

"It's a Christian environment," said Jones. "That's what I like about it. They said I can lead devotions there and I want to do that. But, hopefully my career in basketball doesn't stop at Missouri Baptist. I took that path because that's my opportunity to play basketball. I want to go beyond that. I want to keep on playing and reach Division 1."

Aycock said that the athletic side of Tony is not what catches his attention and is just a secondary thing. It's the adversity that he has overcome in his life and despite that, has kept focused " the whole way through.

"The athletic side of Tony does not catch my attention with him," Aycock said. "I'm sure I can speak for everybody, that the athletic side is just a secondary thing. What's exciting about Tony is what he's overcome. He has been through some tough adversity and he has stayed focused all the way through it. He's held a 3.8 GPA and was in the top half of his class. And playing three sports and holding a 3.8 is pretty tough."

Aycock said that Jones is also involved in other extra-curricular activities through his church and very talented in poetry and is a gifted musician and singer.

You don t see this that often in high school athletics but, he is a true Christian-athlete," Aycock said. "It's not the athletic side of him. It's the Christianity, the academic side, the musician and the poetry side of him. There's other things besides athletics in Tony. He's very gifted in everything that he does."

Jones said that through all his success and hardships, he leans on his relationship with Christ through all of it.

"When I was going through all those problems with family issues, once I got into church and learned about Christ, that's when I learned the important things in life," he said. "I learned that none of that stuff meant nothing to me as long as I had Christ. I can do anything."

All of the pure talent and characteristics that describe him like, self-discipline, determination and focus led to a successful tenure at East Prairie High School for Jones. All of that and much more epitomizes Jones as a church member, student and athlete.