Senior Athletic Banquet recognizes achievements
By JOHN GALBREATH Sports Editor
Tessa Voelckers (foreground), was honored as SHS Girl Athlete of the Year at last week's Senior Athletic Banquet. Voelckers lettered in volleyball, basketball, track and tennis during her four-year career. Following a catered dinner and guest speaker Eric Monson's address to the gathered students, parents, teachers, coaches and administration, the Stanwood High School Athletic Department, under the direction of Tom Wilfong, presented a plethora of well-earned awards to its student-athletes at the third annual Senior Athletic Banquet last Tues., June 9.
Probably considered the most prestigious, awards were earned by a quartet of Spartan athletes. Earning Girl Scholar Athlete was Thea Marriott, who participated in girls' tennis and volleyball while maintaining a 3.978 grade point average throughout her high school career.
Jeff Epperson was the choice for Boy Scholar Athlete. Jeff kept a 3.950 GPA during his four years while playing golf and tennis.
Tessa Voelckers and Tom Enquist were named Girl and Boy Athletes of the Year, respectively. Each was a three-sport participant this year. Voelckers lettered in volleyball, basketball and tennis while Enquist played football, swam and was an integral member of the baseball team.
PHOTOS BY JOHN GALBREATH Stanwood High's Tom Enquist was honored as SHS's Boy Athlete of the Year at the Senior Athletic Banquet last Tuesday evening. Enquist participated in football, swimming and baseball for the Spartans. Speaking of multiple-sport athletes — a quickly vanishing breed in high school athletics these days — the aforementioned pair were only two of eight who lettered in three sports in their senior year.
Others included Cameron Redmond (football, swim, track), Matt Pelham (cross country, wrestling, baseball), Taylor Liberty (cross country, swim, track), Laine Daly (fall cheer, winter cheer, tennis), Richard Bascom (cross country, wrestling, track) and Trista Peterson (fall cheer, wrestling, track), a state participant in the latter two events.
Those athletes earning between six and eight varsity emblems over the course of their four years at Stanwood High and thereby qualifying for the White Award were Laine Daly (8 letters), Tessa Voelckers (8), Jordan Nemo (7), Matt Pelham (7), Tom Enquist (7), Kara Callaghan (6), Kaylee Nauman (6), Michael Vaughan (6), Christina Freedman (6), Jordon Solvberg (6) and Trista Peterson (6).
Leah Titus and Tom Enquist were honored with the Cliff Gillies Student Award, which was named in honor of Gillies' commitment to education and student activities during his stellar career as a teacher, coach, administrator and as executive director of the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association. The WIAA governs all school activities and athletics of the state of Washington.
Selected Volunteer of the Year was Mick Hanson, longtime devotee to area athletics who has always placed children first. Besides his seemingly lifelong devotion to such things as coaching and officiating kids' athletics, he was a founding father of the Stanwood High School AAAA Booster Club, he helped start the SCJAA youth football program, has been on the chain crew at Friday night football games and has organized the timing crew for track and field events for years.
Once again, the Sportsmanship Award was earned by the ever-improving girls' swim team under the direction of Rita Brennan and Art Wiper.
Two other senior athletes — Emily Defreese and Ryan Miller — garnered the Army Reserve National Scholar Athlete award and another pair — Mason Wrolstad and Jordan Nemo — won recognition by receiving the U.S. Marine Corps Distinguished Athlete Award.
Twenty-nine members of the Class of 2009 earned a 3.70 GPA or better over their four-year stint in the halls of Stanwood High. Among those were (in no particular order) Cale Kaufman, Alex Keller, Kyle Jacobsen, Taryn Hynek, Thea Marriott, Kyle Hushagen, Mason Wrolstad, John Mighell, Jeff Epperson, Ryan Miller, Courtney Hicks, Drew Barquist, Lindsey Warner, Trevor Bell, Tessa Voelckers, Tiffany Morgan, Kylie Bodle, Jesse Opp, Ian Bishop, Kaylee Nauman, Kelsey Musgrove, Klayton Brown, Wendy Chang, Emily Defreese, Kyle Murray, Kelsey Dingman, Kaitlyn Dowd, Tom Enquist and Anne Hamiter.
