Wednesday, November 8, 2006

It was a fine fall for Cutthroat athletes

Fall sports banquet is a Sun Valley salute


On the job for 19 years, Community School athletic director John Remington has appreciated the state championship trophies won by a number of Cutthroat tennis and boys' soccer teams.

To his surprise, Remington discovered recently that Cutthroat senior Mali Noyes has turned quite a few heads with her recent State 2A/1A championship cross country running effort at Lewiston.

"I want to thank Mali Noyes for bringing recognition to this school," said Remington Friday night during the Sun Valley independent school's Fall Sports Banquet in the Limelight Room of Sun Valley Inn.

Remington's salute was one of many given Friday night, most of them coming from coaches and assistant coaches who talked in glowing terms about the fall seasons of cross country, soccer and volleyball.

Indeed, The Community School sent teams to state boys' and girls' soccer tournaments, and state cross country, and very nearly sent a squad to the State 1A volleyball tourney.

Remington, in his introductory remarks Friday, said the success of the fall teams was due to committed coaches who love their sport and care about the kids, as well as players and parents who are committed to sport and their coaches.

Here are some of Friday's awards given by coaches:

Cross country

Mali Noyes, a 17-year-old Cutthroat senior from Ketchum, became the first Community School runner to ever win an individual State 2A/1A championship Oct. 28 at Hells Gate State Park in Lewiston.

Noyes, a Sun Valley Junior Nordic ski team athlete in the winter, added a gold to the second-place and third-place finishes she posted as a sophomore and junior at state. She competed for all four years at the state cross country competition.

She was named the team's Outstanding Girl by co-coaches Abi Holt and Rick Kapala Friday night. In her comments, Holt paid tribute to a smallish team of only eight runners who loomed large on the running trails and had fun with each other.

Mike Matteson, a senior who cracked the top 10 at state with a ninth-place finish, was Outstanding Boy. Most Improved was sophomore Sam Farnham and Rookie of the Year was freshman Max Durtschi.

Boys' soccer

Fifteenth-year boys' soccer coach Richard Whitelaw had nothing but good things to say about the 17-3-1 Cutthroat varsity that won the consolation championship of the State 3A tourney at Meridian Oct. 21.

Whitelaw's squad outscored its opponents 113-23 and posted a glittering 11-1-1 home record. The coach said, "Twenty-seven players contributed time on the field and we had 14 different goal scorers."

Five specific goals over the course of the 21-game campaign were nominated for the prestigious "Goal of the Year," award. The one chosen was Travis Stone's wonderful effort that resulted in the game-winning goal in the 3-2 victory over Bonners Ferry that clinched the consolation title.

Stone (38 goals this fall, 59 goals in 50 starts over 3 years) scored a three-goal "hat trick" in that Bonners Ferry game, a feat he accomplished six times this fall. He was named the team's State Tournament Most Valuable Player and the overall season MVP for the Cutthroats.

Most Inspirational was senior defender Ryon Campbell (13 goals in 49 Cutthroat games), who Whitelaw said was "an immense presence on the field" and the only Cutthroat to score in the two games against Bliss.

Most Improved was senior goalkeeper Regan O'Reilly (7 shutouts), who "kept us in the state tournament with tremendous play," the coach said.

The Factor Award went to senior midfielder Alden Remington (18 goals in 3 years, 10 this season), who "plays with pure heart, pride and passion," according to Whitelaw.

Team captains were Caleb Sonneland (who started 48 games in his Cutthroat career with 20 goals, 16 this fall) and Alden Remington. Logging the Most Minutes was sophomore defender Alex Conn.

Making the new High Desert Soccer Conference All-League boys' team were Remington, Stone, Jackson Bates, Sonneland and Campbell.

Junior varsity awards were given to two players: Most Improved to junior Rafael Pena and Most Inspirational to junior Wiley Chubb.

Volleyball

Head coach Reamy Goodwin complimented the 2006 Cutthroat varsity volleyball squad for "an exceptional season and a terrific showing at the district tournament."

Goodwin was also pleased with the individual growth and progress shown by the girls in the junior varsity program coached for the first time by Wood River and Albertson College volleyball star Kristyn Price.

The Cutthroats (8-9) earned the fourth seed in the seven-school Northside Conference during the regular season and then won two dramatic five-game matches over Carey and Dietrich at district to come within one match win of qualifying for the State 1A tournament.

Goodwin said, "We fought as hard as we could but finally ran out of gas at district. All season, the girls put themselves in positions to win matches and succeed. I look back on the season with great pride and joy."

Two-time captain Rachael Becker, a senior, won the Coaches Award. Most Improved was freshman McKenna Anderson. Rookie of the Year was freshman Jessica Bradley.

Most Inspirational was junior Caroline Fairfield. Sharing the Most Valuable Player honor were junior hitter Amaya Ingram and junior setter Khrystyne Inman.

Ingram was voted as a first-team selection on the All-Northside Conference team. Making All-Northside honorable mention were Fairchild, Inman and junior Shawnee Brew.

Girls' soccer

Fifth-year head coach Kelly Feldman saluted "a fabulous group of seniors who provided great leadership," for the 9-4-2 varsity this fall.

Unbeaten district champions for a third straight year, the Cutthroats were the highest-scoring team in school annals with 73 goals and made their fifth consecutive trip to the State 3A tourney at Meridian.

Leading the way were senior captains Sara Berman and Krista Detwiler.

Berman, Cody Curran, Grayson Palmer and Emily Eshman made first team on the All-State tournament team, while Detwiler and Katie Rothgeb earned honorable mention.

Voted Most Inspirataional by her teammates was four-year starter Berman (17 goals, 4 years). Coaches Award went to four-year starter Detwiler.

Most Improved was sophomore outside back Marin Shepardson. Most Valuable Player was junior top scorer Cody Curran (16 goals, 24 goals 3 years). Next year's captains are Cody Curran and Emily Eshman, who will be seniors.

Earning the distinction of Fastest Player on the Team was junior back-up goalkeeper Jean Montgomery.

Making the High Desert Soccer Conference All-League squad were Kathryn Farmer, Palmer, Detwiler, Rothgeb, Berman and Cody Curran.

Third-year junior varsity coach Carolina Stevens talked about the 13 full-time players she enjoyed on the JV and the team's undefeated 3-0-2 season. Defensive and offensive leaders were sophomore Keller Gibson and freshman Maddie-Kate Currie.

Coaches Award winner for the JV was freshman Nellie Brown.




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