All-Conference, All-State spring selections made

With the close of the 2010 school year also comes the announcement of the athletes who qualified for All-Conference and All-State honors in spring sports, many of whom are Bigfork High School students.

Since spring sports are individual sports, the athletes must earn their spots on the list by placing well at the divisional and state tournaments. For team sports, candidates are voted on by coaches across the conference.

In golf, Sara Keenan and Kyle Parker each earned All-Conference honors. The golf team was ineligible to earn All-State honors due to the members' disqualification at the Class B State Tournament following a violation of the Montana High School Association's rule concerning Sunday practices.

Bigfork tennis players Hannah Barrett, Emily Hardman, McKinze Shults, Carolina Tietzel, Kianna Wicklund and Claire Wilken each earned All-Conference honors. All-State selections for tennis were Jade Bosic, Ryan Gembala, Evan Jordt, Bridger Mahlum and Dylan Reichenbach.

All of the Bigfork track and field athletes that qualified for the state meet earned All-Conference honors. Valkyries included on the All-Conference list were Kayla Carlson, Caitlin Charlebois, Jenna Egdorf, Jessica Killian, Mallery Knoll and Quinci Paine. Representing the Vikings' track and field team on the All-Conference list were Keenan Evans, Travis Knoll, Ian Lorang, Derek Minemyer and Ben Sandry.

All-State awards were given to Carlson and Evans for their individual achievements at the state track meet this year. Additionally, the boys 400-meter relay team, which took first place at state also earned All-State honors. That relay team consisted of Evans, Travis Knoll, Derek Minemyer and Ian Lorang,.

Wall of fame

The conclusion of the spring sports season also marks the end of the 2009-2010 high school sports season, which means the list of Wall of Fame inductees was also announced last week at the end of the year awards assembly.

This year eight students met the criteria to have their pictures added to the Wall of Fame, which is the highest honor given to an individual student at BHS. They represent the highest level of achievement in the state academically or in their given activity.

Criteria for earning a spot on the wall, which is located in the entry way to the school's gym, state that a student must earn first team All-State in a team sport, be a state champion in an individual sport or activity, be a National Merit Finalist or champion in a national academic competition or be selected to a national choir or band. All honorees must also be graduates of BHS, which is why students are not added to the wall until they have completed their senior year. The exception to that rule is when a team is honored for earning a state championship, and then each of the members of that team gets their portrait on the wall when the eldest member of that team completes his or her senior year.

That exception to the rule is being used this year as Lorang, who is a sophomore, and Knoll, who is a junior, will join 400-meter relay teammates Evans and Minemyer, who are seniors, on the wall. Evans will also have his individual accomplishments of winning state titles in the 100-meter and 200-meter race highlighted underneath his Wall of Fame picture.

Also being added are Carlson, Hardman, Brandon McDonald and Alec MacCallum. Carlson earned her spot for being a state champion in speech for Memorized Public Address and track in the 1600-meter. Hardman was named to the All-State volleyball team, McDonald made the All-State list for football and MacCallum was All-State in soccer.