Athletic Director and Head Football Coach Scott Hawkins, who will be leaving for the head coaching post at Liberty Hill, tried hard to hold back tears as he thanked the community of Thorndale for their support during the Thorndale High School virtual athletic banquet.
“I appreciate all the coaches, players, parents, board members, administrators and this community for all they’ve done for my family,” Hawkins said. “It’s not easy to leave…and I’ll always have a special place in my heart for Thorndale.”
On May 18, THS held its virtual athletic banquet due to the rise of COV1D-19 cases in Milam County. Coaches honored spring and winter athletes through links posted on the Thorndale ISD Athletics Facebook page that led viewers to YouTube videos.
While coaches from the football team, volleyball, cross country, basketball, powerlifting, softball, tennis, and golf teams named individual award winners for their sports, the baseball and track and field coaches did not have enough of a season to give out awards.
“It was an interesting year to say the least,” said Baseball Coach Kelly Kuhl. “We were starting to get into a groove. Getting ready to get things going and things were starting to get fun.”
The team played three games during their season which was cut short by the pandemic.
The track and field teams also had a truncated season.
“We really didn’t get a season this year due to the coronavirus pandemic,” Doug Franklin said. “I can’t express the disappointment that I personally have for us not being able to compete more. I was looking forward to the season.”
Since Franklin was unable to see 50 percent of the boys and 40 percent of the girls compete, he said he decided to forgo giving MVP awards this year.
All coaches recorded brief videos in which they thanked their seniors for competing and discussed the highlights of their season.
Recognized for individual awards were the following:
Football–M V P : Michael Herzog; Offensive MVP: Jagger Rubio; Co-Defensive MVPs: Kolt Cauble and Hayden Kylberg; Co-Outstanding Lineman: Corbin Preusse and Mason Liles; Outstanding Back/ Receiver: Cain Brymer; Special Team Award: Herzog; Lee Roy Caffey Award: Rubio; Bradley Beran “Hard Hitter” Award: Kyle Northcott and Ronnie Conley Award: Mason Lindig.
Volleyball–Top Server: Jayci Martinka; Defensive MVP: Allison Albert; Offensive MVP: Kyndal Robinson; Co-MVP: Madison Smith and Landri Leschber.
Cross Country–Girls MVP: Jacey Paulsen; Boys MVP: Mason Drumm.
Girls basketball– Rodney Schneider Award: Paulsen and Ariana Anders; OPOY: Makayla Lafferty; DPOY: Sierra Winkler, Ashley Pesl and MVP: Savana Taylor.
Boys basketball– Rodney Schneider Award: Logan Davis and Ty Kovar; DPOY: Rubio; OPOY: Garrett Bernstein and MVP: Kolby Neumeyer.
Powerlifting–Girls Co-MVPs: Landri Martinka and Natalie Deary and Boys MVP: Mason Liles.
Softball–MVP: Riley White; Co-Defensive MVP: J. Martinka and Raeghan Carlson and Co-Offensive MVP: Emilee Baker and Kelsey Kovar.
Tennis–M V P Gi rl s: Katie Briones and Boys MVP: Wylie Barrett.
Golf–Girls MVP: Emma Paxton and Boys: Mason Drumm.
Track and field–No awards given due to UIL shutdown.
Baseball–No awards given due to UIL shutdown.
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