Harlem celebrates triumphs of spring sports teams, players

By Bob Balgemann
REPORTER
State qualifiers in track, a conference champion in softball and standout individual performances, such as a second straight NIC-10 MVP in softball and the conference MVP selection in field events for girls track, recently were celebrated during Harlem High School’s annual awards night for spring sports teams.
Athletic Director Kurt Weigt and coaches always stress the importance of athletes doing well in the classroom. There consistently is evidence of that happening at Harlem and it was especially in evidence among the spring teams.
Head coach Scott Scholl’s girls track team led the way with 21 scholar-athletes, who carried grade point averages of at least 3.3 on a 4.0 system. The boys track team was next with 11 scholar-athletes.
The Lady Huskies qualified four individuals and three relay teams for the state track meet. Sophomores Olivia Lewis and Catie Daily came home as medalists. Lewis, who qualified last year, finished eighth in the triple jump with a new school record of 37 feet, 5 inches. And Daily threw the discus 119 feet, 2 inches, which put her in 10th place.
Seniors Emily Kern and Kahley Logan qualified in the shot put, as did the 4-by-100, 4-by-200 and 4-by-800-meter relay teams. None of them reached Saturday’s finals.
Co-captains this year were KlaireBoisvert, Madelyn Burke, Katie Dietmeier, Emily Kern and Jordynn Warren.
Lewis was the NIC-10’s most valuable performer in field events.
First team, all-conference selections were Zakia Buchanan, Daily, Dietmeier, Taylor James, Kern, Lewis, Warren and Kathleea Washington. Special mention all-conference recognition was accorded to Boisvert, Reagan Cejka, Cloey Fare, Logan and Breanna Sheldon. Many of them will be back next year.
In boys tracksenior JustinBraskett went to state and wound up 11th in the shot put with a toss of 54 feet, 9 1/4 inches. Another senior, Jayvious Johnson, returned to state for the second year in the 100-meter high hurdles. He did not reach the finals, nor did seniors Max Dixon in the shot or Gabe Haun in the 100-meter dash.
Co-captains for 2017 were Braskett, Haun and Johnson.
First team all-conference selections were Jake Elmer, Michael Gille, Haun, Johnson and Christopher Nix. Braskett and Brady Johnson received special mention honors.
Head coach of the boys team is Mike Oliveri.
Longtime head coach Bill Dredge returned for another season with the boys tennis team, which had nine scholar athletes. His captains were Martin Schwebke and Josiah Wolf, with both receiving special mention all-conference attention.
Captains for this year’s baseball team were Seth McPeek, Jake Nimtz and Eric Steiner. Steiner was first team, all-conference and one of the Huskies’ top hitters and pitchers. Takuma Kobayaski was a special mention, all-conference choice.
This was the first year as head coach for Scott McCloy.
Love Patel was captain of the 2017 boys volleyball team, coached by Lani Mitchell.
Co-captains of the girls soccer team this year were Adela Pelayo, Gabriela Ruiz and Hannah Scott.
First team, all-conference honors went to Pelayo, while Delaney Anderson received special mention. This team, coached by Brad Heidenreich, had 10 scholar-athletes.
Harlem’s girls softball team finished atop the NIC-10 with a 14-2 record, and was 25-8-1 overall. Junior Bianca Barone was the league’s most valuable player for the second consecutive year and received first team, all-conference recognition. Other first-team selections were juniors Elle Adams, Kirstin Fudge, Megen Johnson and Mackenzie Lawrence. Hailey Howard was special mention all-conference.
There were seven scholar-athletes on this team, which didn’t have a captain. The head coach was Kurt Head.
Special recognitions
Omar Ramirez was the offensive most valuable player on the baseball team with Nimtz the most valuable in pitching.
Barone was the softball team’s MVP; it was Joseph Procopio for the tennis team.
The soccer team had three MVPs: Pelayo for the team; Sydnie Gribble, offensive; and Anderson, defensive. Lewis and Washington were MVPs for the girls track team; while Braskett and Johnson were MVPs, field events, in boys track.
Those who have participated in three sports include Boisvert, volleyball, basketball and track; Burke, cheer, cheer and track; Cejka, cheer, cheer and track; Jada Cooper, cheer, cheer and track; LexiGoodall, cheer, cheer and track; and TambrynHecox, tennis, basketball and track.
Also, Devon Lawrence in football, bowling and track; Logan, volleyball, basketball and track; Procopio, cross country, swimming and track; Sheldon, dance, dance and track; Leah Starnes, cheer, cheer and soccer; and Anthony Galindo, football, basketball and volleyball.
Those who received four varsity letters during their careers at Harlem were Nimtz in baseball; Pelayo and Scott, girls soccer; Julia Fewell, Kern and Warren in girls track.