Winter sport athletes receive All-State & All-Conference honors

After a long and eventful winter sports season, 10 Platte Valley student athletes snagged All-State or All-Conference recognition for their performances during 2013-14.

Making the boys' All-State 1A team was Encampment sophomore Guy Erickson, who throughout the season averaged 15.3 points and 2.5 assists per game, and knocked down 79 percent of his free-throws. Erickson, who also received second team All-Conference, said this was the first year he received either honor for any sport.

"I guess I scored enough that they thought I was good enough to be qualified, and I had a good free-throw percentage and three-point percentage," he said. "I was also a good sport most of the time. My main goal for my junior and senior year is to get a trophy at state, instead of just going to state."

On the girls' side, sophomore Cassidy Little of the Lady Tigers reigned as a first-team All-State and All-Conference placer. She averaged 12.6 points and seven rebounds per game for 2013-14.

Overall, Little earned 169 rebounds, and hit 41 percent from the field and 59 percent at the foul line.

"This is my first time even getting all-conference," Little said. "I think I put in extra time into the sport, and my teammates pushed me to be the player I could be. I want to keep putting in extra time and working hard."

Junior Luke Pantle, another top scorer for the Encampment boys' team, was also tabbed as a first team All-Conference honoree this year. Pantle previously received the title for basketball last year, while playing for North Park High School in Walden, Colo.

"I guess they appreciated how hard I worked to help the team," he said. "What I'm planning on working on this year is making my legs better so I can jump higher, and I want to work on rebounding and defensive stuff mostly, since I think that's what I need to improve on the most."

Sophomore Lady Tiger Alyssa Barkhurst pulled in second team All-Conference for this past basketball season. This was the second time she received an All-Conference honor, with the first time being for track and field after earning first in the 100 meter dash, 200 meter dash, 100 meter hurdles and long jump.

"I worked really hard to improve since last year on ball-handling and shooting, so I worked really hard on my fundamentals and being a team player," Barkhurst said. "I definitely want to help strengthen the team so we play team ball, because that's one of the most important things about the sport. If you can't play as a team, then you're not successful. Personally, I want to work on fundamentals again like ball-handling and improve upon those skills."

Among Class 2A Eastern Conference selections, Saratoga's John Brennan and Justine Fourman were named on the boys' and girls' teams respectively. Brennan, a senior, said this was the first time he received All-Conference recognition.

"I've never really had any recognition, and it was up for Ben, Braxton and I as the ones on the team to go for it," he said. "I was the only one who ended up with it, but they deserved it too. I was happy with the season and it was fun, but even though it didn't turn out the way we liked it to, I had a great time and learned a lot of things. I'm planning on playing college ball next year, so it will help a lot."

Brennan's 2013-14 season record consisted of 412 points, which included 52 made free-throws, 91 rebounds, 69 steals and 54 assists. He was by far the highest scorer for the Panthers, with Braxton Schwartzkopf coming in second with 305 total points.

Brennan said he felt his assist and scoring streaks as a point guard helped him gain notice this year, in addition to his role as a team leader.

"I felt like I did really good leading, and along with the rest of the seniors, I feel everyone stepped up really well this year," he said. "It was really a team effort that helped me. They were able to give me the ball when I was hot, and I was able to feed them."

Fourman, a junior this year, said this was her first year receiving All-Conference for basketball.

"I worked hard, and I think we all worked hard as a team," she said. "This was my first time getting All-Conference, but I got All-State for golf one year. For next year I just want to be successful as a team, and get to regionals and then hopefully to state."

Fourman's season averages included 10.7 points per game, for a total of 246 points on the season, which was third overall in the conference. Her peak scoring performances included 20 points each in games against Cokeville and Burns.

Adding to Fourman's record were 80 defensive rebounds (fourth in conference), 50 offensive rebounds (seventh in conference), 130 total rebounds (fourth in conference), 62 steals (first in conference) and 63 assists (third in conference).

"Justine was our leader this year, and as you can see from her stats, she's our strongest all around player," said coach Matt Love. "Justine can play any position very well, as she was moved around a lot this season. She never complained about where she played though, she's a great team player. I look forward to watch her next year, as I expect her to have a great senior year."

Saratoga's wrestling team boasted several All-Conference honorees, and state medal winners who placed in the top five at state. The state medal winners included Daynon Mowry (third place at 113 pounds), Hunter Mason (third place at 120), Thomas Ingleby (fourth place at 120), Chaze Wiant (fifth place at 126), Thatcher Spiering (fifth place at 132) and Jacob Wells (third place at 285).

All-Conference honorees were Mason, Wiant, Spiering and Wells. Spiering, a sophomore, received both All-Conference and All-State last year as a freshman.

"It was hard work that helped me this year, and wrestling really is a sport where you get out what you put in," Spiering said. "Hard work and dedication is what's going to get you there, and next year I'd like to get a state championship or even just All-Conference again. I'd like to keep working harder, and hopefully get to the top."

Ingleby said he felt that wrestling smart and getting many takedowns is what got him noticed as a freshman this year. He said he hoped to make the top two at state next year to be eligible for All-State honors.

"I got third in conference and fourth at state, and it was pretty exciting," Ingleby said. "It was cool because I started out the year trying to place in the top six at state. I wasn't expecting to get all the way up to fourth, because I thought 'I'm only a freshman in high school, so I might get my butt kicked.' I'd like to get into the championships next year and place in the top two."

Mowry, a sophomore, said he has become much more confident with himself while wrestling in high school.

"The coaches helped me a lot, and I've improved a lot since middle school," he said. "I improved a lot more since high school began. For next year I'd like to improve upon everything, and you can always get better."

Mason said it was great to receive All-Conference again this year, and feel the energy rush during state competition.

"It feels good to go in and be in that finals match, and it's sure exciting with the adrenaline and such," he said. "I've been working hard up in the room, and improving on my stance was my best area this year by far. I was also good at being able to explode out of the bottom as well. I've had All-Conference for all my years in wrestling, and next year I'd like to keep trying and get in that state finals match."

Wiant said he was proud to have received fifth at state and second at regionals for the 2013-14 season. He said he kept pushing himself harder each practice, and was happy to have an injury-free season for his junior year.

"All of us wrestlers including me were bound and determined that this was our year," Wiant said. "We all did really, really well, and I feel pretty proud of myself. In my freshman year I got hurt and broke my right elbow and couldn't wrestle, and last year I got beat out at state and had my left elbow operated on. I came and got my revenge this year, and next year I want to get faster and stronger and place in the top four."