Kenneth Rooks has been named a Finalist for both Scholar Athlete of the Year and Male Athlete of the Year for the Union Bulletin, which spans the Spring of 2017-Winter 2018 Seasons. See the full ballot and information about each nominee below. Congratulations Kenneth!
Blue Mountain Sports Awards
2018 Finalists Ballot
Male Athlete of the Year
Tim Howell, Whitman College men’s basketball; all-Northwest Conference first team; D3hoops.com honorable mention All-American; D3hoops.com second team all-West Region honoree; National Association of Basketball Coaches honoree; West District member of NABC/Reese’s All-Star Game roster; NWC athlete of the week.
Mitchell Jacobson, Wa-Hi track, second in state in high jump, ninth in triple jump; school record-holder in high jump at 6-10.
Kenneth Rooks, College Place track, cross country, basketball; state champion in 1,600, second in 800, part of eighth-place 1,600 relay team; all-SCAC cross country first team, cross country state champion.
Hayden Scott, Weston-McEwen track; state champion in 800, part of second-place 1,600 relay team, third at state in 1,500.
Female Athlete of the Year
Emily Adams, Waitsburg track; state 1B champion in 800, 1,600 and 3,200, regional champion in triple jump, third at state in triple jump.
Paige Gardner, Wa-Hi swimming; all-MCC first-team 200 medley relay, 200 freestyle relay, 400 freestyle relay, all-MCC second-team 50 free, 100 free; seventh at state in 50 free, eighth in 100 free, anchored Wa-Hi’s fifth-place 200 free relay and seventh-place 400 free relay teams.
Cierra Jo McKeown, WWCC women’s basketball; NWAC East MVP, NWAC Tournament MVP; led Warriors to 32-1 record and NWAC title.
Casey Poe, Whitman College women’s basketball; NWC Player of the Year, all-NWC first team; D3hoops.com honorable mention preseason All-American.
Coach of the Year
Eric Bridgeland, Whitman College men’s basketball; Basketball Times DIII Coach of the Year; HoopDirt.com’s DIII men’s coach of year; NABC West District coach of year; led the Blues to 29-2 overall record, advanced to DIII national tournament sectional championship game.
Dave Boyer, Pomeroy baseball, state Class 1B champions.
Bobbi Hazeltine, WWCC women’s basketball; NWAC champions, NWAC East Coach of the Year, NWAC East champions.
Loran Monaco, Weston-McEwen track; led boys to state championship.
Jessica Nelson, Pomeroy softball;, state Class 1B champions.
Team of the Year
Pomeroy baseball, state champions
Pomeroy softball, state champions
Weston-McEwen track, state champions
WWCC women’s basketball, NWAC champions
Scholar-Athlete of the Year
Gabrielle Browning, WWVA; 4.0 GPA, AP and honors classes; volunteers as swim instructor for special needs children; AAUW-Washington State Scholar Award, Excellence in Science; recognized as Outstanding Female in Science; in volleyball, had 277 kills, 73 aces, 73 blocks, 159 digs, was Fall Classic tournament MVP for champion Knights, U-B Athlete of the Week, led WWVA to first state tournament appearance, first-team all-EWAC; in basketball, averaged nine points, eight rebounds, three steals and four blocks, led WWVA to Friendship Tournament title, all-EWAC honorable mention.
Kenneth Rooks, College Place; 4.0 GPA, honors courses, first school Valedictorian; Eagle Scout and church community service; state champion in 1,600, second in 800, part of eighth-place 1,600 relay team; all-SCAC cross country first team, cross country state champion.
Katie Skramstad, Touchet; 3.4 GPA; Class vice president, ASB officer, Homecoming Queen, AAUW Technology Award, 4-H Decade Award, May Day Queen; Future Farmers of America President; all-SE1B girls basketball first team, all-league honorable mention in softball, four-year player in softball, volleyball, basketball.
Maddy Thomas, DeSales; 3.766 GPA; ASB President, Girls League President; AP Calculus, Physics courses, HOPE emcee, National Honor Society officer; 2017 MaxPreps Small School All-American second-team as softball catcher, first-team all-EWAC catcher; softball, volleyball team captain, volleyball Most Inspirational Player, EWAC District 5 softball MVP; two-time WIAA Athlete of the Week, U-B Athlete of the Week.