Benny Westcott
The Sweet Home boys soccer program distributed its team awards Wednesday, Nov. 3, at its annual postseason banquet, which took place at the Towry residence.
Award winners were selected through “a conglomeration of input” from people associated with the program, according to head coach Eric Stutzer.
Junior Caleb Christman was named team MVP. As its captain, he scored four goals and had eight assists on the season, playing a part in all but one of the team’s 13 goals this year. Mostly, he played midfield and forward, but also contributed defensively.
“Teams were having to watch him,” Stutzer said. “He was hands down our most valuable player on the field.”
Junior goalkeeper Evan Towry and sophomore defender Max Klumph both received Mr. Husky awards, which Stutzer said typically go to “workhorses of the team taking on responsibilities that others don’t, and who represent Sweet Home High School well.”
Senior midfielder Joseph Hiemenez won the Coach’s Award, an honor whose recipient is determined by input from team coaches.
“The kid is absolutely amazing,” Stutzer said of Hiemenez. “The award goes to somebody that’s a standout. We’ve never had a senior that came alongside freshmen like Joey. He had them under his wing and was helping them out. He was the first to come and the last to leave, and was trying to make the team’s performance on the field better and the community better.”
Stutzer added that Hiemenez plans to stay involved in the sport by becoming a coach and referee after high school.
The Slow Feet Don’t Eat award, voted on by the players, went to junior defender Cooper McKinnon.
“He always does what he is supposed to on the field,” Stutzer said. “He was out all summer long working his absolute tail off to get better. He really showed a lot of improvement and is a deserving winner of the award.”
Most Improved honors went to freshman midfielder Gavin Gardner and junior defender Mason Lopez. Stutzer called the former “pretty green” at the beginning of the season, although he was “showing a lot of leadership” at the end. Lopez was hailed for the “night and day difference in his ball control from the beginning to the end of the season.”
The boys soccer team finished 12th out of 32 Class 4A teams with an average 3.2 GPA last semester. All of the players’ scores, except the freshmen, were submitted to contribute.