RHS track and field awards banquet recognizes students, volunteers
Banquet honors Ryan Morgan as volunteer coach
By Joe Naiman
Ramona High School’s track and field teams concluded their 2012 seasons with the post-season awards banquet on May 30 at the school’s picnic area.
A catered dinner was followed by presentation of varsity and junior varsity certificates, and after that the post-season award recipients were recognized.
“It went great,” said Ramona head coach Sherri Edwards. “I had a lot of parents help me.”
Edwards is the head coach for both Ramona’s boys track and field team and the Bulldogs’ girls squad, and the banquet honored both teams while combining awards.
The most valuable sprinter was Caitlyn Choy and the most valuable hurdler award was given to Kelly Helman.
Preston Johnson was named the most valuable thrower, and the most valuable jumper honor went to Connor Guasti.
Forrest Riley was the boys most valuable distance runner, and Lauren Cortez received the girls most valuable distance runner recognition.
“It’s hard to pick one on a track team, so I picked a bunch,” Edwards said.
Several of those athletes were also given captain’s awards at the banquet. Choy was the sprints captain, Helman was Ramona’s hurdles captain, Johnson was the throws captain, Guasti served as the jumps captain, and Cortez was the captain for the girls distance competitors. Donny McKay and Alec Richardson were co-captains for boys distance and Darrell Millen was the pole vault captain.
Courtney Ford was given the most valuable newcomer award. During the year the sophomore competed in the 100-meter dash, the 200-meter dash, the long jump, the 4x100 relay, and the 4x400 relay.
The banquet also recognized Sarah Banegas as the most improved thrower, Brooke Brean as Ramona’s most improved jumper, and Tristan Stidham as the Bulldogs’ most improved runner.
Two “110 percent” awards were also presented: one to Richardson and one to pole vaulter and hurdler Taylor Uekert.
The banquet also saw the presentation of four-year varsity awards to Helman, Choy, Cortez, Johnson, Richardson, Amy Jordan,and Jose Pilar.
The banquet’s activities also included the presentation of gifts to two volunteer assistant coaches who had once been Ramona High School runners.
Ryan Morgan was one of those honored for volunteering as a coach. Morgan died four days after the banquet, on June 3, from injuries sustained in a motorcycle accident on Pamo Road. The 21-year-old had taken a semester off from West Point Academy and used part of that sabbatical to help coach the track team.
Also recognized for volunteering as an assistant coach was Jennifer Reynolds who recently graduated from Point Loma Nazarene College.
Edwards coached the jumpers and hurdlers in addition to her head coaching duties.
Steve Albanese was the assistant coach for distance runners, Billy Clark worked with the sprinters, James Kegrice handled assistant coach duties for throwers, and Bob Verhoest was the pole vault assistant coach.
“I think it was a nice ending to the season,” Edwards said of the banquet.