Kroner’s Picks: Mahomet-Seymour All-Decade Team (Spring), Kenney and Whitehouse named Athletes of the Decade
By FRED KRONER
The final installment (fall, winter) in our series on all-decade athletic teams concludes today with the release of the elite spring-sport athletes.
Before we get to the particular sports, we will recognize two individual athletes. The designation is for Male and Female Athlete of the Decade.
In a sense, the winners picked themselves. One person was selected to all-decade teams for each of the three seasons.
Tom Kenney, a 2016 graduate, was honored for football, basketball and baseball. His feat was unmatched by any other former Bulldog during the decade and he stands alone as the top overall M-S Male Athlete between 2010-19.
The Female Athlete of the Decade was a choice between six athletes who were recognized on two all-decade teams. Only one person earned individual all-state accolades in two sports, however, and that was enough for Lauren Whitehouse to receive the nod as the school’s top female athlete for the decade.
Other M-S girls who were two-sport all-decade choices were Brittany Bohn, Emma Cabutti, Jessica Franklin, Brisa McGrath and Keida Nichols.
Other M-S boys who were feated on two all-decade teams were Austin Armetta, Derek Bunch, Hunter Crowley, Cully Day, Riley Fortune, Jordan Geese, Alex Keeble, Joe Kenney, Mathias Powell, Jack Rettig, Ben Stahl and William Wolf.
Before turning our attention to the spring-sport all-decade teams, two points should be remembered. The selections are based entirely on what the athlete did during high school. Subsequent college accolades were not taken into account.
Also, a great number of athletes from the school received All-Area first- or second-team honors during their time in high school and that recognition was the foundation for compiling the all-decade lists.
MAHOMET-SEYMOUR BASEBALL
NAME POS. GRAD YR.
Austin Biehl SS 2018
Brooks Coetzee OF 2018
Cully Day OF 2014
Joe Kenney INF 2015
Tom Kenney OF 2016
Brannon Kwiatkowski OF 2010
Josh Raymond INF 2010
Jack Rettig P 2015
Alex Smith C 2011
Jordan Veldman C 2019
Jason Ziegler P 2011
Player of the Decade – Joe Kenney, who was a four-time All-Area first-team selection. In his illustrious prep career, he slugged 20 home runs, had 141 hits, 116 runs batted in and maintained a .401 career batting average.
MAHOMET-SEYMOUR GIRLS’ SOCCER
NAME POS. GRAD YR.
Nyah Biegler D 2021
Kathy Bradley G 2013
Aleyna Brunner M 2015
Kelsie Donley F 2010
Sarah Hohenstein G 2018
Meredith Johnson-Monfort F 2018
Maddie Louis D 2019
Sarah VanWingerden M 2014
Hillary Veitch G 2010
Maddy Wade M 2019
Player of the Decade – Meredith Johnson-Monfort, who set season (43) and career (117) records for goals scored and was twice chosen as The News-Gazette Area Player of the Year.
MAHOMET-SEYMOUR SOFTBALL
NAME POS. GRAD YR.
Ashley Anglin OF 2015
Kameryn Brotherton INF 2018
Allison Gwinup INF 2010
Lindsey Ogle OF 2013
Jessica Roberts INF 2013
Jaime Scott INF 2011
Aubrie Shore P 2021
Alyssa Spoerer INF 2014
Sam Tamburo INF 2019
Alie Tarrant P 2013
Emily Ziegler INF 2015
Player of the Decade – Alie Tarrant, who set season (217) and career (566) records for strikeouts as well as a career record for home runs (17) and was The News-Gazette Area Player of the Year as a senior.
MAHOMET-SEYMOUR BOYS’ TRACK AND FIELD
NAME EVENT GRAD YR.
Austin Armetta PV 2012
Brandon Bretz 400 2018
Derek Bunch Shot 2012
Colton Fender Hurdles 2011
Riley Fortune 800 2018
Hunter Hendershot Weights 2020
Alex Keeble 3,200 2016
Zach McClughen Jumps 2011
Mathias Powell 3,200 2019
Andrew Roney PV 2013
C.J. Shoaf HJ 2021
Brennen Shobe PV 2017
Callan Whitehouse PV 2018
William Wolf 3,200 2015
Athlete of the Decade – Hunter Hendershot, who is a two-time Class 2A state champion and three-time state-placer in the shot put as well as a one-time state champion and three-time state placer in the discus. Holds school records in both events at 62-1 ¼ and 182-4, respectively.
MAHOMET-SEYMOUR GIRLS’ TRACK AND FIELD
NAME EVENT GRAD YR.
Brittany Bohn 800 2011
Jessica Burke Hurdles 2012
Emma Cabutti Sprints 2012
Jessica Franklin Hurdles 2018
Mackenzie Joop Weights 2014
Emily Kauffman Weights 2015
Brisa McGrath 3,200 2019
Jessica Melchi 400 2013
Keida Nichols Sprints 2019
Cassie Perry Weights 2017
Mara Pletcher PV 2019
Lauren Whitehouse 3,200 2016
Morgan Young Weights 2013
Athlete of the Decade – Jessica Franklin, who was at the school for one year, but was the Class 2A state champion 300-meter hurdler as a senior and set the school record with a time of 43.45 seconds. She was the school’s only individual state titlist during the decade and also helped the 1,600-meter relay earn state medals.
Just as a personal correction here. I was an OF. Which would make sense, it appears the softball team would be missing one.