Athletic director Rick Lin served as master of ceremonies at the Gallatin High School Winter Sports Banquet on March 19, 2009, and started the program by giving a recap of the girls basketball season after a brief booster club report by Alicia Chrisman.
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Coach Lin introduced players from his 21-7 Lady Bulldog basketball squad that also finished 7-2 in the Grand River Conference. The Lady Bulldogs finished first in the Gallatin Invitational, third in both Lawson and Hamilton tournaments and second in the Class 2, District 16 Tournament.
"Even though we fell short of our ultimate goal, we were very competitive every single night,"said Lin. "I was proud of the effort the girls gave every night," he added.
Fourteen underclassmen return next season. "I challenge them to continue to improve their skills," Coach Lin asked.
Returning next season will be Ashley Beck, Carly Boyd, Jamie Brinnen, Ashley Owens, Savannah Butcher, Alex Richards, Becca Mott, Shawna Stout, Rebecca Chadwick, Mattie Burge, Ashley Burns, Kristin Critten, Cali Welch and Tory Wood.
Coach Lin, who was assisted this season by Cindy Boles, praised the efforts of six seniors who have contributed much to Gallatin’s success over the last four years <197> Alex Burge, Kelly Critten, Tye Humphrey, Courtney Ray, Maggie Strange and Wren Tolen.
"They’ve done a lot for us in their four years," he said.
Ray and Tolen were recognized as four-year letterwinners. Other special awards went to: Humphrey <197> Top Rebounder, Ray <197> Offensive Player of the Year and Tolen <197> Defensive Player of the Year.
Basketball cheerleading sponsor Chanel Burge read a poem that characterized her girls’ preparation and participation in the season. Cheers for 2008-09 were Kaddie Mott, Bailey Bozarth, Megan Chadwick, Sara Lawson and Dannette Teel.
Recognized for their service as basketball managers and statisticians were Shelby Bradley, Elizabeth Thomas, Julieann Turley, Kaitlyn Hefley, Kaitlyn Wilson, Sara Lin and Derrick Lin.
Coach Jeremy Slaughter, assisted by Chad Sullenger, gave highlights from the Bulldog boys basketball season that was a big success in terms of overall wins (17-10) and victories in the GRC (7-2).
"We experienced a 12-game improvement," Coach Slaughter said in regard to victories gained over the previous season. "We had great and exciting wins against Bethany, Gilman City, Maysville and King City, and heartbreaking losses to Braymer and Princeton," he added. "We shot the ball well and won; we shot the ball poorly at times and still found ways to win, which is what I am most proud of, finding a way when it’s tough."
Six seniors on this year’s squad were Ben Adams, Kale Hefley, Matt Pottorff, Robert Rhoades, Derrick Sprague and Ethan Walton.
"Our seniors had such a huge impact on our program, from where we are now and where we started," Coach Slaughter stated.
Underclassmen included Casey Alden, Tyler Avriette, Gibson Bott, Logan Henderson, Marcos Huerta, Brandon Hunt, Daniel Jones, Jason Moore, Colton Selby, Donovan Stout, Preston Turley, Riley Vanatta, Vince Wiley and Jeremy Wilson.
Coach Slaughter presented four awards. Stout received the JV Hustle Award. Selby was Offensive Player of the Year based on hustle stats, assists and offensive rebounds. Hefley, who was recognized as a four-year letterman, received the Defensive Player of the Year Award based on steals and defensive rebounds.
Rhoades received the "Bulldog Award" after starting the season on the bench with an injury and working hard to play himself into a starting role.
Head wrestling coach Phillip Limb detailed a season in which the Bulldogs finished 18-3 in dual meets.
"Expectations were pretty high coming into the season," Limb said. "We wrestled four teams in the top ten and won two of those," he added.
Members of the 2008-09 Bulldog wrestling squad included Nick Lagodny (cpt.), Brandon Ness (cpt.), Jordan Phelps (cpt.), Terrill Wood (cpt.), Matt Atkinson, Hayden Bott, Tyler Brackett, Brendon Cosgrove, Ryan Hicks, Jordan Jeffers, Dylan Leeper, Mitchell Lewis, John Macy, Bo Malo, Myrick McLey, Levi Michener, Greg Parton, Shadow Phillips, Peter Steele, Sterling Steele and Justin Taul.
The Bulldogs placed fourth in the Lexington Tournament, second in both the Lathrop and Grand River Conference tournaments and first in the Albany Dual Tournament. A school-record (tie) five wrestlers qualified for state.
Lagodny, Hicks, Michener, Taul and Peter Steele were recognized as state qualifiers. Phelps was introduced as a four-year letterman.
Awards voted on by team members were: Heart Award <197> Terrill Wood, Top Newcomer <197> Shadow Phillips, Rookie of the Year <197> Peter Steele and Most Improved <197> Mitchell Lewis.
The Coaches Award went to Levi Michener and Outstanding Wrestler to Nick Lagodny.
Assistant coaches this season were Barron Gann and Rusty Hendricks. Statisticians were Nicole Everman (4 yr. letterwinner), Addey Gann and Danielle Ness.
2008-09 Winter Sports Leaders
Varsity Girls Basketball:
Courtney Ray, 11.8 ppg (319)
Wren Tolen, 45% FG (122/269)
Courtney Ray, 31% 3pt. (35/112)
Ashley Beck, 76% FT (16/21)
Tye Humphrey, 99 def. rbds. (167 total)
Wren Tolen, 79 off. rbds. (154 total)
Courtney Ray, 102 assists
Courtney Ray, 133 steals
Varsity Boys Basketball:
Kale Hefley, 13.3 ppg
Derrick Sprague, 50% FG
Vince Wiley, 36% 3pt.
Kale Hefley, 66% FT
Colton Selby, 6.2 rbd. per game
Kale Hefley, 3.9 assists per game
Kale Hefley, 4.1 steals per game
Varsity Wrestling:
Nick Lagodny, 39 wins
Levi Michener, 27 pins
Matt Atkinson, 56 takedowns
Justin Taul, 36 escapes
Brandon Ness, 31 reversals
Levi Michener, 38 near falls
Levi Michener, 246 match points
Levi Michener, 90% winning percentage
Nick Lagodny, 241 team points