For The Tribune
Luke Stuckwisch and Maddie Roark made major contributions for their respective Trinity Lutheran basketball teams this winter, according to their coaches.
For their efforts they were presented most valuable player awards when the high school honored the basketball and cheerleading squads in the school gymnasium Tuesday night.
Girls coach Mike Lang said Roark broke the school’s single season scoring record with 484 points this season. She also broke the single-game scoring record with 35 points at New Washington, and then came back with a 36-point game the following game at South Decatur.
Roark, a freshman, was named All-state honorable mention by the Indiana Basketball Coaches Association and was nominated for the top 100 workout for freshmen, sophomores and juniors.
Roark also received the assists award for contributing 48 this season.
Boys coach Aaron Rudzinski said he felt Stuckwisch was a near unanimous MVP for the boys.
He ranks in the top 10 on several career lists at Trinity.
He ranks No. 1 on the career 3-point (63), assists (317), and steals (140) lists. He holds the single-game assists record with 10, which he accomplished three times, and had 66 steals and 126 assists while averaging 9.7 points per game this season.
His high point games were 23 against Crothersville and 21 against Switzerland County, and Rudzinski said that during the Switzerland County game, “he turned it on to a new level. He had a deep passion for the game.”
Hailley Peters received the Cougar award, and Whitney Rogers was named the most improved player for the girls.
Sydney Stuckwisch topped the Cougars in rebounds with 187, and Angi Bergstedt topped the team in free throw percentage by hitting 62 percent at the line.
Senior awards were presented to Bergstedt and Kaitlyn Wright.
“It was a transformation season from losing all my assistant coaches to losing 85 percent of our offense from a year ago,” Lang said. “We had three seniors coming back, and we preserved and made it through the rough spots.”
Assistant coach Scott Gray’s junior varsity squad finished 14-4.
Toby VanLiew received the Cougar award for the boys.
“(VanLiew) was the face of our program,” Rudzinski said. “He was an excellent player for us. He had 16 rebounds in one game, and that ties the school record. He was definitely a team player. He would rather score 0 points and win than score 20 and lose.”
VanLiew ranks in the top 10 on several career lists at Trinity.
Clayton Potschmidt received the defensive player award, and Daniel Horton was named the most improved player.
“(Horton) stepped it up, and he was sort of our go-to guy on offense,” Rudzinski said. “He was vastly improved from last year. He is seventh in career scoring with 613 points, and I think he has a chance to before our all-time leading scorer next year.”
Stuckwisch, VanLiew, Jacob Christopher, Pottschmidt and Keenan Scifres received senior awards.
“We had a great season,” Rudzinski said. “These young men worked their tails off to get better.”
Ben Otte introduced members of the ‘C team’ and said that team was 4-7. Brian Stuckwisch introduced the junior varsity and said that team was 11-9.
Cheerleader sponsors Sherry Schult and Cheryl Fourman introduced the cheerleaders and presented the awards.
Kendyll Austin was named the most valuable cheerleader, Emily Morrow received the Cougar award, and Elizabeth Moses and Abby Currao were named co-winners or the leadership award.
Austin also received the jump award, and Currao received the base award.
Katie Sturgill received the most improved. Lauren Voss got the mental attitude award. Briley Abraham received the most improved base award. Andrea Foster and Lucy Coope were awarded the flyer award. Foster received the choreography award. Moses was named to the back spot award. Molly Crenshaw garnered the tumbling award. Sydney Bowers got the muscle award, and Kourtney Pottschmidt received the extra mile award.
Morrow and Moses received senior awards.