That they were there at all was something of a miracle.
On June 2, PCHS athletics honored their baseball, softball and track teams. The athletes gathered on the stage of the PCHS Auditorium.
Russell Fecht, Jonathan Reynolds, Mike Brooks and Tom Donaldson pulled rabbits out of their hats to make sure Pershing County got to play this year. The coaches and athletes stepped up. They had to.
The players had eight weeks to learn everything they usually learn in twelve. They succeeded. On sports awards night, everyone looked like a champ.
Baseball/softballall teams produce 12 all-conference players
The Northern 2A recognized six baseball players. Wyatt Diaz, Jordan Gentry and Aaron Kienbaum received Honorable Mentions. Blake Barter, Tim Fecht and Blake Burrows made the second team.
For softball, Senicka Happy, Anna Happy and Jasmine McKinney earned Honorable Mentions. Taylor Garland made the second team. Bela Rosas and Aledda Sam landed on the first team.
Coach Jordan McKinney conceded that baseball and softball are fertile grounds for errors.
“In baseball and softball, you are challenged every pitch, every game,” she said. “The real success is learning from your mistakes.”
Track team gathers on stage
In May 2019, at Desert Oasis High School in Las Vegas, freshman Presley Burrows won an individual state championship for the Mustangs. Due to the pandemic, she lost her chance to compete at the state level as a sophomore and junior. She’ll return as a senior this fall for a shot at another gold medal before she graduates.
Judging by the regionals, Burrows has more than a fighting chance. So do her teammates. “Everyone medaled at regionals and would have qualified for state,” said Coach Matt Fuller. Wednesday night, he and Coach Cassidie Fuller recognized their 11-member team. Six graduated on Saturday.
Student-athletes make the grade
Principal Jonathan Reynolds refers to the ballplayers, runners, jumpers and throwers as student-athletes, noting that they are students first and athletes second.
Balancing the two roles can be as challenging as the most complex football play or quadratic equation.
The Academic All-Star team kept their grades to a high standard while participating in their favorite sports or club.
They are Cheyeanne Diaz (track and field), Conner Fecht (baseball), Timothy Fecht (baseball), Victor Flores (track, football), Kylee Fuller (track, soccer), Jordan Gentry (football, baseball), Jesse Gonzalez (leadership), Hannah Gonzalez (leadership, soccer), Madison Grenz (leadership, softball), Connie Kersnowski (track, soccer), Maile Kauvaka (leadership), Devin Moura (football) and Daniel Reitz (football).
The principal called each student to the stage and congratulated them.
Personal
Achievement Awards
The evening closed with personal achievement awards for several students. Lynn Christofferson gave a tribute in memory of her daughter, Lisa. The most improved female athlete award went to Cheyeanne Diaz.
Haydon Burrows is the most improved male athlete.
Senicka Happy and Tim Fecht won sportsmanship awards. The coaches recognized Dalton McNeff and Nikita Pavlov for overcoming obstacles.
Connie Kersnowski won the Peter Thompsen memorial award. The Corky Mendenhall Award went to Jordan Gentry for contributions to his athletic teams throughout his high school career.
After the ceremony, friends and family crowded the stage to take photos of their favorite spring athletes.
In a few days, they’d watch l2 of them graduate.
