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GC coaches honor spring<br>athletes during banquet

Cally Foo, Miles Hunter, Joe Wilkerson, Melissa Monroe and Michelle Harvey took home the top honors from Thursday night’s Grand Canyon High School spring sports banquet.

Assistant track coach Sally Wahler, right, gives head coach Annie Phillips a present during Thursday night’s sports banquet. It was a memory book.

Each of those athletes won most valuable player awards in their respective sports — Foo in track, Hunter and Wilkerson in baseball, and Monroe and Harvey in softball.

The Phantoms had limited success during spring sports this year. The baseball and softball teams combined to lose 20 of 24 games. The track team saw some success individually with exceptional performances at state by several athletes and school records by Foo and Ryan Eck.

“It was a wonderful season and it was tough,” track coach Annie Phillips said. “The extra two weeks (to the season) really pushed us to the limit.”

Along with Foo’s MVP, other track awards went to Kara Foo (Perseverance), Alfred Alarcon (High Achievement), Jacob Wahler (Leadership), Ryan Eck (Most points, boys), Jackie Wren (rookie of year, girls) and Justin Kremer (rookie of year, boys).

Two track athletes were announced as winners of the two scholar athlete awards. Cally Foo won the Debbie L. Clancy Award while Wahler won the Hugh J. Shevlin Award.

In baseball, even though the Phantoms won just two conference games this season, the team was still in the running for a state playoff berth heading into the final weekend of the season. Losses to Seligman ended hopes of a postseason berth.

“It’s been a rough year,” baseball coach Andrew Aldaz said. “We had no field to practice on, the weather didn’t cooperate ... it’s the hardest year I’ve had coaching baseball here.”

Along with the MVP awards to Hunter and Wilkerson, other baseball honors went to Shaun Cochran (inspiration), Danny Vincent (outstanding defense) and David Robinson (rookie of the year).

The softball team went 2-12 with a young ballclub. Coach Pat Martinez handed out several awards.

In addition to the MVPs going to Monroe and Harvey, other softball awards went to Kristin Gabaldon (offensive player), Becky Richardson (defensive player), Jenna Diaz-Gonzalez (hustle), Mary Spoehr (most improved) and Ashley Gerber (rookie of the year).

The U.S. Army Distinguished Athlete Awards were announced the previous night during the high-school academic awards program, those honors going to Hunter and Melissa Skeet.

The Grand Canyon Booster Club hosted the banquet, which featured an oriental theme. Xanterra chef Joe Nobile, who is also an assistant track coach, prepared dinner.


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