NASHVILLE — Senior Carisse Moody ofNorthern Nash High Schoolis one of the top players in North Carolina.

Last year she was a key member as the Knights won the 4-A championship. This season she leads the team in scoring with almost 20 points per game.

Moody will play next year at N.C. State on scholarship, but right now she stands tall at Northern Nash.

"Carisse is a role model," says coach Grover Battle. "She leads by example. At practice she is one of our hardest workers. In the classroom she's a hard worker. She drives and pushes everyone to be successful. Not only by example, but she gets out there and does whatever is necessary to win."

"All of us take our role seriously," Moody said. "All of us have a part to put in, and all of us do a good job. I am really proud to be on this team, and I know that I could not have done this without my teammates. They really supported me all the way."

Moody is excellent in the classroom as well. She is an A- student that competes just as hard academically as athletically.

"She is self-motivated. She is caring," says teacher Jim Bradshaw. "She goes beyond what is expected by the teacher, and she's very inquisitive. She won't settle for a general answer, she has to know more information. And she doesn't mind searching for the information herself when we give her that opportunity."

Moody is very close to her family. She says they have played an important part in her life.

"My family is very strong," Moody said. "We believe that we should do everything together. We're just a strong family, and I'm just glad they are my parents and nobody else's."

"She has meant a lot to our community," Battle said. "It has made our school very happy that she has been a part of it. The rest of the team has been very supportive, and they wish her well in everything that she's doing."

Carisse Moody is this weeks winner of the Extra Effort Award.