This winter it was a record-breaking Warrior in the pool and a dominant Lady Bulldog on the hardwood that distinguished themselves among the best athletes that Suffolk has to offer.

Nansemond River High School sophomore swimmer Logan Eubanks and King’s Fork High School senior basketball player Khadedra Croker were the male and female recipients, respectively, of the Duke Automotive-Suffolk News-Herald Winter Player of the Year award.

They were joined by members of their families and their high school coaches on Saturday at Duke Automotive as its vice president, Eley Duke, and Suffolk News-Herald editor Res Spears presented them with plaques commemorating the honor.

“I think both of their achievements are awesome,” Duke said, after learning of Eubanks’ state championship and Croker’s 19.9 points, 15.5 rebounds and eight blocks averaged per game.

Both Duke and Spears expressed their enduring enthusiasm to spotlight local athletic talent.

“We continue to be proud to work with Duke Automotive to offer the high school Player of the Week feature, and I could not be more pleased with the caliber and character of the athletes chosen for the winter season Player of the Year winners,” Spears said.

Croker provided her reaction to receiving further recognition for her performance this year when she said, “It feels great,” and admitted she was at “a loss for words.”

She helped her team reach the regional playoffs and register a 21-3 overall record for the 2013-14 season, including a perfect 12-0 finish against conference teams. For her play during the regular season against conference opponents, she was named the inaugural Ironclad Conference Player of the Year.

Croker is not new to such an honor, having received it as a sophomore from the Southeastern District.

She said her proudest achievement this year was reaching 1,000 career rebounds. In 2013, she became the third female basketball player in school history to score 1,000 points, but she is the first from the school’s girls’ or boys’ programs to have hit the four-digit mark in both categories.

This is particularly impressive given that Croker attends a school with the likes of Sugar Rodgers, JaQuon Parker and Davante Gardner among its alumni.

The 6-foot-3-inch Croker also tallied 954 career blocks.

Shelley Davis, Croker’s mother, was pleased with her daughter’s latest recognition.

“It’s awesome, and it shows that hard work pays off,” she said.

Croker expressed gratitude for those who helped her develop as a player.

“I’d like to thank my head coach,” she said, referring to King’s Fork’s Maurice Fofana, and she also referenced his assistant, Darius Bailey, and her Amateur Athletic Union coach, Stanley Bland.

Fofana, who was at the presentation, shared a mixture of feelings.

“I’m ecstatic about the recognition and in the same breath, I’m a little sad,” he said. “There won’t be a kid to replace her.”

Croker will move on to the Division I college level, having committed to Virginia Tech.

After receiving his award, Logan Eubanks said, “It feels good. Didn’t expect this.”

Eubanks became the first athlete from Suffolk Public Schools to win a swimming state championship, and he did it while setting a new Group 4A state record in the 100-yard backstroke — 53.61 seconds.

He continued breaking school records, including logging a 5:03.90 time in the 500-yard freestyle at states, where he also helped the 400-yard freestyle relay and the 200-yard medley relay teams set new school records.

Twelve days before states, he became the first swimmer in Suffolk to win a regional championship. Before that, he helped Nansemond River win the Ironclad Conference championship as a team, individually winning the 100 back, 100 butterfly and contributing to wins for the 200 medley relay and 400 freestyle relay teams.

Measuring how he did against his personal goals, Eubanks said, “I wanted to make the Junior National cut, which I did.”

He qualified to compete in the National Age-Group Swimming Association Junior National Championship Cup in Clearwater, Fla. when he swam his 53.61-second time in the state final.

His father, Ron Eubanks, said he was “very proud of him for his accomplishments.”

Melissa Eubanks, Logan’s mother, pointed out the broader significance of his being honored on Saturday.

“I think this is good also for swimming in Suffolk,” she said.

Agreeing with her was Logan’s Nansemond River coach, Shamus Riley, who was on hand. He also could not help but think of what else Logan may accomplish in high school.

“We still have a bright future ahead of us there,” Riley said.

Eubanks thanked his parents for their sacrifices, driving him to practice every day, and also thanked Riley and his Old Dominion Aquatic Club coach, Steve Bailorucki.

“I hope that other kids see this and it will give them a little shot in the arm to stick with the sport that they’re doing,” Eley Duke said.