By JIMMY KISSEE

CHESTERTON - Student athletes, coaches, administration, parents, family and friends all gathered Tuesday night in the Chesterton High School Auditorium for the annual Sports Award Banquet to honor the accomplishments of all this past season.

Once again, the Trojans had a remarkable winter season.

Both the boys and girls swim teams repeated as sectional and conference champs, along with turning in another solid showing at state where the girls placed sixth and the boys ended 16th.

The 200 free relays earned top finishes on both sides as the girls foursome of Talor Whitaker, Taylor Lipniskis, Sarah Kehe and Christy Grcevich brought home the school’s first ever relay title, while the boys quartet of Robert Fozkos, George Grcevich, Kyle Pawlak and Gage Barry placed fourth.

In all, Chesterton’s senior swimmers, both girls and boys, have won conference and sectionals all four years, while each has placed in the top 10 at state 3-of-4 years.

Senior star George Grcevich, who was this season’s Duneland Athletic Conference MVP and was honored with an outstanding achievement award from head coach Kevin Kinel Tuesday night, was a 12-time DAC champ, along with holding two school records, three conference records and five sectional records. He also secured the top spot in all 16 of his sectional races throughout his brilliant four-year career.

Other swimming awards went to Kehe (Mental Attitude), Pam Johnson (Sportsmanship), Christy Grcevich (MVP), Whitaker (MVP), Kyle Pawlak (Mental Attitude), Casey Rosiecki (Sportsmanship), Barry (MVP) and Fozkos (MVP).

The divers, although fewer in numbers, were just as impressive.

For the first time Kinel could remember, Chesterton had both a boy and girl representative at state.

Mat Sommers and Carlie Frech, both sectional champs, earned MVP honors.

Although neither of their records indicate the hard work and dedication put forth throughout the entire season, both the boys and girls basketball teams remained positive throughout and have reason to be excited for next season with the amount of talent coming back.

Junior Kelly Peller and freshman sensation Zack Novak, who each led their respective teams in almost every category, were named MVPs and will both be back in action next season. Other award winners who will return next season are Molly Rau and Adam Hutnick, who each were named Most Improved.

Heather Banghart and Casey Martin earned Mental Attitude awards, and Katrina Pradziad claimed the Sportsmanship Award. Martin also received the Sportsmanship award.

In an emotional moment, Stephanie Boyle, whose final season wasn’t meant to be, after the senior star tore her ACL in the off-season only to fight her way back and get cleared to play, and then suffer a season ending injury in her other knee, received the first-ever Todd Talbert Award.

Talbert was a teacher, coach and parent, and just an all-around special person to be around at CHS, whose life was tragically cut short in an auto accident last June.

Although they seldom get the recognition, the Chesterton cheerleaders also had an exceptional past few months. The Lady Trojans, behind MVPs Veronica Walton and Lisa Christensen, won the LaPorte Invite on both the varsity and junior varsity level, along with taking the top spot at a Midwest Competition held at Notre Dame University.

The win earned the team the right to compete at the upcoming Nationals in Virgina Beach, and also a grand champion banner from the competition, which features over 40 schools throughout the Midwest.

Other cheerleaders winning awards were Angela Stewart (Most Improved), Ashlee Johns (Mental Attitude), Ashley Thomas (Sportsmanship) and Alessandra Horban (Scholarship).

Wrestling head coach Chris Joll added some comic relief and has also brought the Trojans wrestling program back to respectability.

State qualifier and MVP Andy St. Germain, a 125-pound sophomore, led the way for the Trojans, winning conference, sectional and regional titles, before placing third at semistate. He finished this season 33-3 in the 125-pound weight class.

Other award winners were Ethan Newham (Mental Attitude, Sportsmanship), who also won the conference championship in the 215-pound weightclass and was a semistate qualifier; John Hanson (Most Improved) and Myles Evans (Sportsmanship).

Hanson, Newham and John VanDenburg also received state-wide recognition for their academic accomplishments.

Last but not least, Chesterton’s gymnastics team, which recently placed third at its own sectional, and will compete at the Valparaiso Regional this Friday named underclassmen Juliana Weaver and Lindsay Whittaker MVPs, Jessica Pesut Most Improved and Jessica Kuehl Mental Attitude. Weaver also won the Sportsmanship Award.

Weaver and Whittaker were each scholar athletes and first team all-DAC selections.

Altogether, 70 scholar athletes (40-percent) were awarded for grade point averages of 3.5 or better.

SCHOLAR ATHLETES

WINTER 2005

(Based on a 1st semester final grade or cumulative GPA of 3.5 or better.)

BOYS SWIMMING

Gage Barry (11), Jake Cross (9), Eric Foor (10), Greg Franzen (9), Patrick Glasgow (10), George Grcevich (12), Sean Handly (10), Albert Miller (9), Kyle Pawlak (12), Michael Schlundt (10), Mat Sommers (11).

GIRLS SWIMMING

Katie Cahillane (10), Jamie Detmar (11), Ashley Furmankiewicz (11), Christy Grcevich (10), Pam Johnson (11), Stacey Kammerer (9), Sarah Kehe (11), Taylor Lipniskis (9), Stephanie Maggio (10), Brandi Nay (9), Kendra Prather (11), Jessie Reeder (12), Miranda Taubert (9), Talor Whitaker (10).

WRESTLING

John Hanson (12), Peter Horban (10), Erik Ledbetter (10), Ethan Newham (12), John VanDenburgh (12), Jim Wilson (9).

CHEERLEADING

Holly Brady (9), Courtney Jurick (9), Rebecca Kharsa (10), Brittany Newton (11), Tara Vogan (10), Veronica Walton (11).

GIRLS BASKETBALL

Heather Banghart (12), Kate Bement (10), Kristin Chemma (10), Rachel Hargarten (11).

Kristin Kalita (10), Kaelyn Marcus (9), Kathleen McMannes (9), Mel Mitchell (9), Kelly Peller (11), Karli Smith (10), Katie Stahura (11), Katie Talbert (10), Kristin Talbert (9), Maddie Wilk (11).

GYMNASTICS

Sarah Cohn (10), Allana Koziczynski (9), Chloe Lawson (9), Jessica Pesut (11), Julian Weaver (10), Lindsay Whittaker (9).

BOYS BASKETBALL

Mark Babcock (10), Curt Bradford (11), Colton Charlson (9), Andrew Huddleston (10), Adam Hutnick (10), Jordan Lewis (9), Matt Mabry (9), Casey Martin (12), Zack Novak (9), Chase Saylor (10), Evan Schmidt (10).

CHEERLEADING AWARDS

VARSITY AWARDS

SENIORS

Alessandra Horban, Ashlee Johns, Jennin Michels

JUNIORS

Lauren Carr, Lisa Christensen, Brittany Newton, Ashley Thomas, Veronica Walton.

SOPHOMORES

Brittany McCoy, Kari Ross, Angela Stewart.

FRESHMEN

Courtney Jurick

JV AWARDS

Holly Brady (9), Rebecca Kharsa (10), Susan Lowe (10), Crystal Suitor (10), Tara Vogan (10).

FRESHMAN AWARDS

Alyssa Berindei, Sarah Hass, Natalie Jackson, Samantha Kattalie, Kodie Kennoy

CAPTAINS: Lisa Christensen, Alessandra Horban.

Sportsmanship Award: Ashley Thomas

Scholarship Award: Alessandra Horban

GYMNASTICS AWARDS

JUNIORS

Jessica Kuehl, Jessica Pesut. SOPHOMORES

Sarah Cohn, Ashley Crepps, Juliana Weaver.

FRESHMEN

Allana Koziczynski, Chloe Lawson, Lindsay Whittaker.

JV AWARDS

Britney Cisarik (9), Lovisa Johansson (11), Ali Lawson (11).

MAROON and GOLD AWARD: Juliana Weaver, Britney Cisarik.

TOP LEVEL II SCORER: Ashley Crepps

SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD: Juliana Weaver

BOYS BASKETBALL AWARDS

VARSITY AWARDS

SENIORS

Chris Allison, Matt Maple, Casey Martin.

JUNIORS

Curt Bradford, Adam Nallenweg. SOPHOMORES

Mark Babcock, Adam Hutnick, Evan Schmidt.

FRESHMEN

Zack Novak

JV AWARDS

Nick Axelsson (11), Mike Briggs (10), Nick Holt (10), Andrew Huddleston (10), Simon Jeffrey (10), A.J. Jones (10), Jordan Lewis (9), Chase Saylor (10), Ryan Wells (10), Josh Zimmerman (10).

FRESHMEN AWARDS

Alex Beierwalter, Kevin Berglund, Colton Charlson, Jack Houpt, Erik Huber, Brian Kehe, Matt Mabry, Alex Mannen, Andy Reyes, Mark VanDenburgh, Robbie Walton.

CAPTAINS: Matt Maple, Casey Martin.

BOYS SWIMMING AWARDS

VARSITY AWARDS

SENIORS

George Grcevich, Kyle Pawlak, Jon Sichtermann.

JUNIORS

Adam Alfaro, Gage Barry, Rob Fozkos, Andrew Majchrowicz, Mick Radtke, Casey Rosiecki, Mat Sommers.

SOPHOMORES

Thomas Darnell, Eric Foor, Sean Handly, Craig Hasbargen, Steve Oates, Troy Pawlak, Michael Schlundt.

FRESHMEN

Greg Franzen, Erik Kozuszek.

JV AWARDS

Ryan Brogan (9), Jake Cross (9), Patrick Glasgow (10), Sean Swibes (9), Cameron Wright (10).

CAPTAINS: Gage Barry, Rob Fozkos, Kyle Pawlak.

SCHOOL RECORDS: George Grcevich 200 Individual Medley 1:57.45.

Rob Fozkos, George Grcevich, Kyle Pawlak, Gage Barry 200 Free Relay 1:26.87

SPECIAL RECOGNITION FOR CAREER ACHIEVEMENT - George Grcevich, Albert Miller, Adam Thieling.

GIRLS SWIMMING AWARDS

VARSITY AWARDS SENIORS

Kelti Cunningham, Jessie Reeder. JUNIORS

Jamie Detmar, Ashley Furm-ankiewicz, Kathleen Hollingsworth, Pam Johnson, Sarah Kehe, Kendra Prather.

SOPHOMORES

Ruth Bass, Katie Cahillane, Kellie Cahillane, Cassandra Callaway, Ashley Fozkos, Carlie Frech, Christy Grcevich, Elizabeth Halpin, Stephanie Maggio, Nikki Pierce, Katie Stauffer, Talor Whitaker, Lina Yanson.

FRESHMEN

Lauren Blender, Stacey Kam-merer, Taylor Lipniskis, Chelsea Richardson.

JV AWARDS

Jade Anthis-Rodriguez (9), Samantha Crownover (9), Brittany Gregg (10), Dawn McClellan (10), Brandi Nay (9), Katie Raffin (10), Katelyn Stephens (10), Miranda Taubert (9).

CAPTAINS: Kelti Cunningham, Sarah Kehe

SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD: Pam Johnson

MOST IMPROVED FRESHMAN: Taylor Lipniskis

MOST IMPROVED SOPHOMORE: Stephanie Maggio

MOST IMPROVED JUNIOR: Ashley Furmankiewicz

MOST IMPROVED DIVER: Chelsea Richardson

SCHOOL RECORDS:

Christy Grcevich 100 Fly :56.56

Talor Whitaker 100 Free :52.44

Talor Whitaker, Taylor Lipniskis, Sarah Kehe, Christy Grcevich 200 Free 1:36.51 amd 400 Free 3:32.72.

WRESTLING AWARDS

VARSITY AWARDS SENIORS

Pat Cubberley, John Hanson, Ethan Newham, Paul Robertson, John VanDenburgh.

JUNIORS

Matt Dutcher

SOPHOMORES

Myles Evans, Chris Hoenke, Peter Horban, Alex Sanchez, Andy St. Germain, Ben Virden.

FRESHMEN

Ethan Harbrecht, Ben Williams.

JV AWARDS

Jim Armstrong (10), Adam Boatright (9), Ian Bohannon (9), John Butz (10), Justin Dallas (9), Matt Jackson (10), Kirk Johnson (10), Brandon Kniola (10), Erik Ledbetter (10), Bobby Quinn (11), Ryan Sanchez (9), Bob Shaw (11), Joe Stahura (9), Scott Thorne (9), Drew Thorstad (9), Mike Tucker (9), Scott Tully (11), Jeff Wilkinson (9), Jim Wilson (9), Michael Wineland (9).

MANAGER: Liz Dunlap

CAPTAINS: John Hanson, Ethan Newham, John VanDenburgh.

SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD: Myles Evans

DEDICATION AWARD: Freshman - Ben Williams. Sophomore - Andy St. Germain

MOST TAKEDOWNS: Andy St. Germain (106)

MOST PINS: Matt Dutcher (17)

MOST WINS: Andy St. Germain (32)

GIRLS BASKETBALL AWARDS

VARSITY AWARDS SENIORS

Heather Banghart, Stephanie Boyle.

JUNIORS

Rachel Hargarten, Kelly Peller , Katrina Pradziad, Molly Rau, Katie Stahura, Maddie Wilk.

SOPHOMORES

Kate Bement, Kristin Kalita, Keri O’Brien, Katie Schneckenburger, Katie Talbert.

JV AWARDS

Kristin Chemma (10), Julie Farmer(10), Melissa Marchak (9), Angela Richardson (10), Karli Smith (10), Stacy Stawitcke (10).

FRESHMEN

Sam Bozak, Gabby Chumbley, Katy Foster, Amanda Gough, Kaelyn Marcus, Kathleem McMannes, Mel Mitchell, Kirstyn Nallenweg, Brittany Sleicher, Ambe Skleton, Kathleen Spears, Kristin Talbert, Taylor Walker.

CAPTAINS: Heather Banghart, Stephanie Boyle, Kelly Peller.

SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD: Katrina Pradziad

TODD TALBERT AWARD: Stephanie Boyle

MOST REBOUNDS: Kelly Peller - 123

BEST FIELD GOAL %: Maddie Wilk - .393

BEST FREETHROW %: Kelly Peller - .746

MOST ASSISTS: Kelly Peller - 44

Posted 3/9/2005