MHS athletic department issues awards

MEEKER | Toward the very end of the May 4 awards assembly, Meeker School District Athletic Director Klark Kindler took to the dais at the high School awards assembly to make several presentations. First, he named the U.S. Marine Corps distinguished athlete awards which went to Trapper Merrifield and Sierra Williams. Next, he named Maggie Phelan the Army Reserve national scholar athlete of the year.
He announced the following Academic All-State First Team recognition award winners for junior and senior athletes who have GPAs from 3.6 to 4.0: Logan Hughes, Trapper Merrifield, Eli Newman, Madeline Amack, Delenn Mobley, Nishiko Thelen, Julia Eskelson, Christopher Strate, Cole Brown, Sheridan Harvey, Chase Rule, Casey Turner, Brittney Adams, Peyton Burke, Reese Pertile, Maggie Phelan, Anna Walsh, Sierra Williams, Madi Russell, Rosie Wans, Kinzy Burke and Natalie Simonsen.
Academic all-state honorable mention award winners for junior and senior athletes with GPAs from 3.2 to 3.59 went to: Hunter Garcia, Cooper Meszaros, Zach Dinwiddie, Valentin Rosas, Shelby Steele, Korey Hood and Cody Nielsen.
The Colorado High School Activities Association (CHSAA) three sport athletes were: Gracie Bradfield, Kirsten Brown, Kale Burke, Makenna Burke, Pake Burke, Peyton Burke, Josh Cochran, Josh Dinwiddie, Julia Dinwiddie, Sarina Goedert, Tannen Kennedy, Madison Kindler, Andy Kracht, Tory Lasker, Karlee Nielsen, Cole Rogers, Colton Wille, Isabel Feichter, Maggie Phelan, Colby Shelton, Jake Shelton, Megan Shelton, Christopher Strate, Kenzie Turner, Ridge Williams, Sierra Williams, Brayden Woodward, Elijah Deming, Garrett Frantz, Hunter Garcia, Ty Gibson, Logan Hughes, Doak Mantle, Trapper Merrifield, Luis Villalpando, Brynlee Williams, Delenn Mobley and Nishiko Thelen.
Of those 38 athletes, four received the CHSAA three sport for four years award: Peyton Burke, Maggie Phelan, Hunter Garcia and Josh Cochran.
Kindler spoke about the school’s purpose being to support the academic success of all students while providing experience opportunities that might be outside a student’s comfort zone, taking healthy and appropriate risks in classrooms, courts, fields and stages, while also taking full responsibility for outcomes. In this context, Kindler announced that the athletic department’s team academic championship award goes to the 2016 girls volleyball team which had the highest cumulative average GPA (3.76) of any 2016-2017 MHS athletic team.
Kindler also recognized Julia Eskelson and Austin Russell for their planned collegiate athletic pursuits.