Jakob Hiett and twin sisters Courtney and Haley Kent were named Most Valuable track and field athletes Wednesday, May 28, at the team’s awards potluck celebration.
Hiett, a junior, won a district title in the 3000 and finished second in the 1500, then finished second and third, respectively, in those races at the state meet. Hiett also won the award last year.
The Kents, seniors, were leading point scorers for the girls team throughout the year and Courtney was one of the top 300 hurdlers in the state rankings going into districts, where she finished a close third despite a nagging hip injury. Haley was third in the 200 at district after being a leading triple jumper in the district most of the season. She was able to compete at state after the second-place finisher decided to concentrate on other events.
“These are great people,” Coach Billy Snow said. “They are great athletes, in other sports, but they’ll be great at whatever they do because they have what it takes. They’ll be great parents.”
Snow said the Huskies had a tough year, with 10 athletes placing third at district – one place out of a trip to state. He noted that Sweet Home’s boys did not score at state in 2000, but won three state championships between 2007 and 2009, while the girls experienced a similar rise.
“These things are kind of cyclic,” he said. “You just never know.”
Senior Ashton Stutzman, who placed eighth in his return to the state meet after competing there as a freshman, was named boys Jumper of the Year, while Haley Kent and India Porter, both triple jumpers, were named Jumpers of the Year for the girls.
Throwers of the Year for the boys were senior Ben Terry, who dominated most of the shot put competition he was involved in all year, and Kyle Rose.
“He makes things look easy,” javelin coach Randy Whitfield said of Rose, also a senior, who has an stunted left arm but has played varsity soccer, basketball and thrown the javelin in spite of the disability. “He was dealt a card in life that most of you don’t know about because he never shows it.”
Senior Amanda Hubbard was the girls Thrower of the Year after leading a 3-4-5 sweep of the javelin at district with a 4-foot PR of 108 feet.
Distance Runners of the Year were Jakob Hiett and senior Nicole Rasmussen, who missed the state 3000 for the first time in her high school career during a season in which she underwent throat surgery but surprised some people by coming back and beating some of the best runners in the state in the 1500 in a meet at Lebanon.
“She made big improvements but our conference is tough this year,” Assistant Coach Andrew “Keebler” Allen said.
Snow noted that in any other year, or any other conference this year, Rasmussen would have qualified.
Sprinter of the Year for the boys was Spencer Knight, who had a big finish with a fourth place at state and a big PR to boot. Courtney and Haley Kent received the award for the girls.
“They’re like my own kids,” Assistant Coach Ramiro Santana said of the Kents, who also played for him in soccer. “You depend on them. They’re very special to me.”
Newcomers of the Year, voted on by team members, were freshman Dana Hiett for the girls and freshman Trey Reed for the boys.
“Nobody’s going to outwork Trey,” Snow said, noting that Reed was the only freshman in both the 4A and 5A state 400 competition.
He said Hiett is “willing to try anything, get beat up and keep on trying.”
The Will to Win award, presented to athletes who “prepare themselves physically and mentally daily for success,” who “go into competition knowing what it takes to succeed and will always leave their best effort out on the field or track,” went to sophomore Josie Knight who is not only versatile, Assistant Coach Krystle Streight said, but “comes out to practice every day.”
Ben Terry and Kyle Rose were the honorees for the boys.
The Hustle Award, for the “person who gets after it in practice as much as they would for a meet, always going 100 percent and doing what a coach or workout asks,” went to sophomores Kayleen Keeney and Sierra Swanson, who traded finishes in the 3000, 1500 and 800 for most of the season.
Coaches Award winners, described as “person(s) whom coaches rely on, will sacrifice individuality for the team, are positive leaders and impact the team in positive ways in addition to competing,” went to sophomore Egan Shamek and junior Alex Olin.
Four-year letter winners were Kaitlyn Watts, Ashton Stuzman, Nicole Rasmussen, Spencer Knight, Courtney Kent and Chace Hutchins.
Third-year letters went to Ian Wingo, Ben Terry, Kyle Rose, India Porter, Jordan Miller, Haley Kent, Jakob Hiett, Sadie Gordon and Eric Flierl.
“They were the heart and soul of this team,” Snow said, “not only by their performances but by their actions.”
Second-year letter winners were TJ Baham, Matt Davis, Amanda Hubbard, Josie Knight, Hannah Mather, Brycen Mitten, Alex Olin, Adriana Perez and Sierra Swanson.
First-year letters went to Gavin Baskin, Shania Baxter, Maria Daniels, Sarah Dunkley, Julian Hesberg, Dana Hiett, Issac Justham, Kayleen Keeney, Tucker Porter, Natasha Rasmussen, Trey Reed, Nick Rietz, Egan Shamek, Dillon Stutzman, Garrison Whitfield and Eric Whitlow.
Junior varsity certificate recipients were Makenna Ashton, Mikaela Batchelor, Patrick Bell, Natasha Benson, Justin Carpenter, Alexis Chase, Brenton Clark, Hailey Dellinger, Shelby Dinsfriend, Jacob Erickson, Evan Feigum, Tyler Fincher, Kiesha Goble, Robert Gourley, Charlie Guerrero, Oscar Hernandez, Kyle Lester, Raymond Moore, Megan Oberg, Hunter Olsen, Sierrah Owen, Lilly Parker, Wes Parker, Wanrada Puangmalai, Emily Ramsey, Joe Rasmussen, Mami Sakamoto, Daniel Sappington, Spencer Spenser, Linh Vu, Ivy Weidner, Allison Wickline and Ashley Wickline.