Wednesday night in Shelby, KSEN and K96FM honored 46 local athletes at our annual Athlete of the Year Banquet and Awards Ceremony. We had over 150 people in attendance as local athletes were honored for their exceptional performances during the 2011-2012 sports year.

(photo by Mike Bashor)
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Our featured speaker was Ron Kowalski, former Cut Bank Wolves head coach. Coach Kowalski is a Roundup native who spent 32 years coaching in Cut Bank and 29 of those years as the head coach. He began as the head coach in 1972 and ended the year with a 4 and 4 record. That was a rarity among the next twenty eight years where Coach Kowalski had only a handful of .500 or below seasons.

Athletes honored included students from Browning, Choteau, CJI, Conrad, Cut Bank, Dutton/Brady, Northstar, Power, Shelby, Simms, Sunburst and Valier.

At the end of the evening, four finalists each, male and female were named and finally our Athletes of the year. Female finalists included:

(Photo by Mike Bashor)
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Marti Eaglefeathers – Junior Browning High School– Jan. 3rd-6th, 2012

Marti is a very quick guard who could drive to the basket, score from outside and play great defense. She was named Athlete of the Week after scoring 24 points in each of Browning’s victories for the week over Cut Bank and Conrad. She led the Central A Conference in scoring with 15 points per game and was a 1st team All-Conference and All-State player. Marti was also an Honorable Mention All-Conference Volleyball player and is an All-State performer in track. She has already won multiple events at several meets this spring.

Molly Klinker – Senior Fairfield, Jan. 27th-28th, 2012

Molly is a talented post player for the Fairfield Eagles. She has been a member of two straight State Championship teams and she has played in the State Championship all four years of her career and Fairfield won 3-4. Molly was named Athlete of the Week after scoring 21 points against Class A Lewistown and 11 against Browning. She was leading the high scoring Eagles with 16 points per game. Molly was also a two-time State Tournament MVP and three-time selection of the Great Falls Tribune Super State Team. Her Fairfield Eagles are currently on a 52-game winning streak.

Jill Barta – Sophomore – Fairfield, March 1st-3rd & March 15-17th, 2012

Jill is a talented post player for the Two-time State B Champion Fairfield Eagles. In her Sophomore season she was a feared shot blocker and scorer For the Eagles. In two seasons she is still perfect, having never lost a game and winning two straight State Championships. In the Northern B Divisional Championship she constantly denied Malta any space around the basket and blocked 4 shots in the game. She also shot 6-10 from the field and had 12 points and 11 rebounds. In the State B Championship game she had 12 rebounds, 24 points including 16-18 at the free throw line and 2 blocked shots. Jill was a 1st Team All-Conference and All-state selection. She was also named to the State B Tournament All-Tournament Team.

Alisha Breen – Junior – Choteau, Nov. 10th-11th, 2011 & Jan. 13th-14th, 2012

Alisha is an outstanding athlete who excels in Volleyball, Basketball & Track and Field. Her first Athlete of the Week award came after Choteau finished 3rd in the State Tournament. In the third place match against talented Red Lodge, Alisha knocked down 20 kills and had 16 digs. Head Coach Ann Funk told us, Alisha took on a lot of big hitters and came up a winner. Her second award came in mid-January when Choteau had improved their record to 8-2 and Alisha was averaging more than 15-points a game. She had 44 points in two games during the week and for the past two weekends had been averaging in double figures in rebounds. She is an All-State performer in all three sports that she participates in.

Male Finalists:

Luke Schlosser – Senior – Conrad, Jan. 7th & Feb. 11th, 2012

In his 4-year career in Conrad, Luke accomplished more than any Conrad wrestler in history and more than most wrestlers in the State. Luke was first named Athlete of the Week after winning the Cut Bank Invitational and named Outstanding Wrestler of the Tournament for the lower weight classes. Just 3 weeks earlier he won his 200th career match (jr. high & high school) as he won the CMR Holiday Invitational. The real culmination to a great career came in February at the State Wrestling meet where he became just one of 23 wrestlers to win four State Championships. Luke had only one loss his Sr. year and only 6 losses in four years. He was also a starter on the Conrad Football team and a Class B State contender in Tennis doubles.

Trace Brady – Senior- Fairfield, Sept. 23rd & Feb. 16th-18th, 2011-12

Trace was a Quarterback on the State B Champion Fairfield Eagles football team and a guard-forward on the State qualifying Fairfield basketball team. He is an exceptional 3-sport athlete who accounted for 6 Touchdowns and more than 400-yards in the State Championship game. He was a 1st team All-Conference selection on offense and 2nd team defense and also honored as an All-State player. Brady’s accolades in Basketball were also impressive. He averaged in double figures scoring and could always be diving for loose balls…..helping Fairfield to a 16-2 regular season record, a District 1B Championship, 2nd Place at the Northern B Divisional and a Top 6 finish in the State Tournament. As of press time he had the 9th best throw in the State in the Javelin.

Kyle Pederson – Sr.- Power, Oct. 29th, 2011

Kyle is a multi-sport athlete who excels in Football and Basketball. Judging by the numbers alone, he did everything there was to do for Power/Dutton/Brady to get a first round playoff on the road at perennial power Wibaux. He rushed for 136 yards and 3 touchdowns. He passed for 90 yards and did not rest on defense where he had 10 solo tackles and 11 assists. Kyle was an All-Conference 1st team selection on offense and defense and also an All-State pick. He was also a 1st team All-Conference and All-State pick in Basketball.

Colin Allen – Senior – Fairfield, October 19th, 2011 & April 14th, 2011

Colin was a starting wide receiver for the State B Champion Fairfield Eagles. He was named Athlete of the Week after hauling in two Touchdown receptions in the Eagles final regular season game in which he had 5 catches for 180 yards and 2 touchdowns. In the State Championship game he had 8 catches for 204 yards and 3 touchdowns. In the 1B District he was named 1st team All-Conference offense, defense and kicker and he was an All-State selection. Colin was also a starting forward on the Fairfield Basketball team and An All-State Track Athlete. He was again named Athlete of the Week after winning the 100m dash, the High Jump & the Long Jump at the Fairfield Invitational this spring.

And Congratulations to our Athletes of the Year:

(Photo by Mike Bashor)
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Alisha Breen of Choteau

Colin Allen of Fairfield

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