Pair of Cougars seniors PICKED AS SCHOOl’S ATHLETES OF YEAR

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Taylor Reynolds and Jacob Schult were named the Trinity Lutheran senior female and male athletes of the year during the spring sports awards program Monday night in the Bollinger Athletic Complex.

Reynolds played softball and volleyball for 4 years each and basketball for 1 year while Schult played baseball and basketball for 4 years each and football for 3 years.

Both helped their respective teams win sectional tournaments this spring and set numerous school records along the way.

Reynolds was named most valuable player of the softball team, while Schult shared MVP honors in baseball.

Reynolds plans to attend Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis to study nursing, while Schult plans to attend Rose-Hulman to study mechanical engineering.

Both also were among 21 recognized as tri-athletes of the year for participating in three sports this past school year, and both were among 78 scholar athletes of the year.

Those athletes were introduced by athletics director Aaron Rudzinski.

“We had a lot of great athletes to choose from,” he said before announced Schulz’s and Reynolds’ names.

Softball coach Chad Goecker listed Taylor’s school records and they included season RBI (39), home runs (4) and fewest strikeouts (2). She holds the career home run record with 13.

She received senior awards in softball and basketball. An athlete has to play a sport for four years in order to receive a senior award.

Goecker said Reynolds averaged 30 hits and nearly 30 RBIs per season during her career.

“She is a great athlete and was a solid contributor the past four years,” Goecker said.

MORE honors

Anne Franke took home the most improved award, Morgan Gabbard received the Coaches award and Kirstin Hoene received the Cougar award.

“We went into the season with an open mind,” Goecker said. “It was a big accomplishment the way we hit the ball.”

The Cougars were 12-9, and the sectional championship was Trinity’s first in softball.

Baseball coach Bob Tabeling said Schult had an outstanding season, which he topped off by being named academic all-state. He received senior awards in basketball and baseball.

Schult pitched the second no-hitter in school history, at Rising Sun and holds several school records including strike outs in a season (101), earned run average (1.32) and helped the team set marks for shutouts in a season (7) and strike outs in a season (248).

He had an 8-2 record on the mound and batted over .400 and led the Cougars in RBIs with 29.

“Jacob Schult was a tremendous offensive and defensive player,” Tabeling said. “We set or tied 26 school records. We had a lot of great accomplishments.”

Sam Crick shared the MVP award with Schult. Tabeling said Crick did an excellent job of relief pitching as he set a school record for saves (8).

The Cougars set a school record for hits in a season with 234.

In addition to winning the school’s fourth sectional, the Cougars won the Seymour Invitational and Lanesville Tournament.

Ross Kruse and Nick Mensendiek were named co-most improved players, while Bailey Baker and Chandler Reynolds got co-Cougar Awards.

Tabeling announced his retirement as Trinity baseball coach after 13 years at the helm. He compiled a record of 131-134.

Golf coach Greg Personett introduced members of his team and said it had a record of 10-2 in dual meets, and beat Jennings County for the first time in school history.

He also said he was proud of the Cougars’ tournament success that included winning the Rising Sun and Cougar invitationals, placing second at Hauser and sixth at New Castle.

Ryland Nierman was the most improved golfer, and Chad Stuckwisch received the Cougar Award, which goes to an athlete and is based on sportsmanship, work ethic and other qualities expected of a Trinity Lutheran athlete.

Cory Stuckwisch was named the most valuable player. He averaged 40 strokes per nine holes and 80 for 18 holes, and Personett said he was consistent throughout the season and broke the school record with a 73 in the New Castle Tournament.

Tennis coach Mark Voss said he felt like his team was more competitive this spring than in previous seasons.

The Cougars were 3-12 and defeated Southwestern (Hanover) twice and Waldron. He said the Cougars lost several matches by 3-2 scores.

Hayley Carter got most improved player, while Aurora Willman and Courtney Barker shared the MVP.

Olivia Benter received the Cougar Award.

Willman played No. 1 singles the past two years and had 48 percent games won percentage, and Barker played No. 2 singles this spring and won seven matches and led the team in three set matches.

Voss said the varsity won 634 games this season and had a 37 percent games winning percentage.

Track and field coach Chris Crenshaw introduced members of his team and mentioned the highlights of Hailley Peters competing in the girls’ state meet last weekend, and the boys’ team breaking four school records.

The boys placed second and the girls third at the Sam Sumner Invitational for Class 1A schools at Borden.

“We had a tough schedule where we had eight meets in two weeks,” Crenshaw said of a two-week span in the middle of the season.

Peters was named most valuable member of the girls’ team.

She set the girls high jump mark this spring at 5-feet-3. She placed first in the high jump in seven meets and first in the long jump in five meets.

Miranda Murphy received the Cougar Award, while Lexi Schneider was named the most improved.

Murphy also received a senior award.

AJ Goecker was named most valuable member of the boys’ team. He broke the school record in the 1600 and 3200 runs and helped the 4×800 team set he school mark.

The Cougars also broke the 4×400 relay school record this spring.

Dylan Maschino and Matt Mckay were named co-most improved, and Luke Onken earned the Cougar Award.

Onken and Keegan Rebber received Senior Awards.

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