Winter sports teams manage to get in awards night presentations

By Bob Balgemann

Reporter

Possibly the last official gathering of the 2019-20 sports season was held not long before such get-togethers of any size were banned because of the coronavirus threat.

There were plenty of successes to remember team-wise, at the state and NIC-10 levels, along with celebrating the 49 who achieved conference scholar-athlete honors.

First-year Athletic Director Rebecca Hoffmann presided over the winter sports awards night.

Competitive dance, led by head coach Summer Henderson, fared the best among Harlem teams with 14 scholar-athletes.

For this group of Lady Huskies, captains were Chloe Broshous, Emma Bounphithack, Zayda Davidson, and Hailey Vrolyk. Broshous and Bounphithack were first team, all-conference, as were Cassandra Lee and Addyson Olson. Vrolyk was accorded special mention, all-conference honors.

The competitive cheer squad qualified for state again, after taking fourth place at the Belvidere North sectional. Head coach Rebecca Doxtater was one of three coaches of the year at Harlem this season.

Team captains this winter were Arianna Austin, Michaela Day, Madison Johnson, and Kennedy Robison. Austin, Johnson, and Madelyn Wissbroecker were first team, all-conference; Day was special mention, all-conference.

This squad had eight scholar athletes.

Basketball (subhed)

The girls basketball team was on fire at year’s end, winning 11 of its last 13 games including seven in a row. A huge victory in that streak was 69-61 over eventual NIC-10 champion Auburn, which finished 16-2 in league play. Harlem wound up 11-7 in the conference, good for fifth place, and 18-14 overall.

Captains for head coach Beth Meyer were Alison MacGregor and Brielle Shaw, who was first team, all-conference. Bri Jackson received special mention, all-conference honors.

This team had six scholar athletes.

The boys basketball team was 14-16 overall and 9-9 in the NIC-10, which put the Huskies in fifth place.

Head coach Mike Winters was in his third year at the helm, with his captain this season being Bryce Meeks. Dominic Dawsey was first team, all-conference; Austin Casteel was special mention, all-conference. There were four scholar athletes.

Bowling (subhed)

The girls bowling team, with six scholar athletes, took second at state under longtime head coach Jimmy Heathscott.

There were five first team, all-conference selections in Laura Bartelt, Amanda Bohn, Paige Carpenter, Jocelynn Eggert, and Olivia Watton. In addition, Watton was the NIC-10’s most valuable player. Joana Araojo was special mention, all-conference.

Nick Whitmire, head coach of the boys bowling team, was named coach of the year for 2019-20.

The Huskies finished seventh at state with Ethan Pash being the individual state champion. During the regular season Harlem turned an opening NIC-10 victory over rival Hononegah to claim the conference championship with a perfect 9-0 record. The Huskies finished second in both the regional and sectional tournaments.

Pash and Josh Roth were elected as captains.

First team, all-conference selections were Roth, Patrick Mellies, Alexander Cleaveland, and Pash. Devon Schwanke was special mention.

Boys swimming (subhed)

Kellie Eickstead, head coach of the boys swimming team, also was selected as coach of the year for the winter season. Her team enjoyed a highly memorable campaign by finishing second in the NIC-10 to champion Hononegah.

Captains this year were Daniel Lamb and Jose Martinez. Kai Anucauskas Kevin McMillan and Jeremy Mueller were selected as first team, all-conference. Special mention honors went to Martinez and Donovan Zezniewski.

Three members of the team were scholar athletes.

Wrestling (subhed)

Cameron Pryor served as captain of this year’s wrestling team for head coach Sam Enderle.

Pryor was first team, all-conference, as were Jevin Doke, Cadence Hecox, Kyetin Lindquist, and Chad Richards. Marshal Cruz was special mention for this band of Huskies, five of whom were scholar athletes.

Other honors (subhed)

In addition to team recognitions there were some other special awards handed out that night.

A number of student athletes were four-year varsity letter winners during their time at Harlem. The list included:

Josh Roth, boys bowling; Arianna Austin, Michaela Day, Madison Johnson, Kennedy Robison, Elizabeth Thomas and Madison Williams, competitive cheer; Chloe Broshous and Maleah Lewis, competitive dance; Brielle Shaw, girls basketball; Laura Bartelt, girls bowling; Lucas Anucauskas, Daniel Lamb, Jose Martinez and Donovan Zezniewski, boys swimming; and Jackson Cross, Riley Derry, Jevin Doke, Joseph Kucher, Kyetin Lindquist, and Chad Richards, wrestling.

Another special award was for most valuable player, and those honors were accorded to:

Austin Casteel, boys basketball; Ethan Pash, boys bowling; Jose Martinez, boys swimming; Arianna Austin and Madison Johnson, competitive cheer; Chloe Broshous, competitive dance; Brielle Shaw, girls basketball; Olivia Watton, girls bowling; and Chad Richards, wrestling.

Special thanks went to the athletic trainer, Jason Lubben, and the school’s student trainers.