McCormick & Company presents their annual McCormick Unsung Heroes where they honor high school athletes who have been models of sportsmanship and team. The 2020 McCormick Unsung Heroes Awards will take place in a virtual format on May 11. Every school in the region has a male and female athlete nominated for the award and Eastbaltco.com will profile each athlete from eastern Baltimore County over the next week.
Chesapeake
Girls soccer player and track athlete Eustacia Narcis and football and lacrosse player Lance Haley are the two nominees from Chesapeake High School in Essex.
Eustacia Narcis
Narcis was a four year Varsity Soccer Player at the school and she also partipicated in three years of indoor and outdoor track. In addition to sports, Eustacia was involved in NJROTC at the school. She was accepted by McDaniel College and Towson University.
Narcis was nominated by Chesapeake Athletic Director Shuan Downey, who described her as a good model for her teammates.
“I nominated Eustacia based on her leadership, determination and love for Chesapeake High School and soccer. She is a true leader on and off the field. She is a true student athlete and helped make her teammates and fellow classmates better.
Narcis recommends other students to play high school sports because it taught her leadership and responsibility. According to Narcis, she was more aware and open minded about the people around her. She said she has grown from freshmen year to my senior year.
“I am more confident with my choices and more sociable I came out of my shell, I guess. I demonstrated self-confidence, self-respect, and a boost of self-esteem; which I shown not just on the soccer field but in my classes too,” Narcis explained.
She added that sports in high school gave her access to multiple of opportunities and an opening to help reach and encourage others.
“I also have made lifelong friendships with my teammates. I am going to miss it when I go to college, but I will always have such great memories and friends,” Narcis said. “I owe it all to the game I love SOCCER!”
Lance Haley
Haley was a four year varsity football and lacrosse player at Chesapeake. He plans to attend Albright University for football and maybe walking on to the lacrosse team. His football coach Darryl Hunter said that Haley played on both the offensive and defensive lines. Those are not glory positions but Hunter said that Haley played selflessly to help his teammates excel.
“Lance is one of the best linemen Chesapeake High School has ever had. Lance is a true Iron man, he played both side of the ball as a left tackle and defensive end. He never wanted to come of the field,” Hunter said. “He protected the our quarterback at all times, selflessly leading the offensive line always taking on the other teams best player and always giving 100 percent. On defense, Lance was a nightmare for the opposing team. He would take on a double team every down but always made a difference.”
Haley’s lacrosse coach Tony DaChino explained that Haley showed those same characteristics on the lacrosse field too and he will be missed by coaches and teammates.
“Lance was our crease defender and vital to the success of our team. He used his athletic ability to help and always being there on the slide. He was a wall and built a fortress in front of the goalie,” DaChino said.
Haley said that playing high school sports have taught him to become a great time manager at school, work, meetings and his social life. He was also named football captain which taught him leadership and how to earn trust.
“I’ve always heard the saying ‘it takes a village’, I would like to thank my teachers, family members, teammates, friends and coaches for making up my village at Chesapeake. Participating in high school sports has taught me just that,” Haley said.
“I hope to continue to learn things in life through my continuation in education to eventually pass down my knowledge to others so they can understand the importance in education and athletics.”
