Mustangs honored in tennis, golf and track
MARBLE FALLS — Marble Falls High School athletic director Cord Woerner took a microphone to welcome fans to the golf, tennis and track awards ceremony May 11. He marked the third one in seven days serving as master of ceremonies.
“It’s really neat to see the guys be honored for what they do,” he said.
Golf head coach Lonnie Tackitt, track head coach Kyle Futrell and tennis head coach David McDonald each said how much they were going to miss their seniors.
Futrell reminded fans the Mustangs were second at the Lake Travis and San Angelo relays. Those results fueled their desire to compete for a team district crown.
After the field events, Marble Falls led. But after the running preliminaries, they were out of contention.
“If you compete, you’re guaranteed disappointment,” Futrell said. “You don’t win everything. I saw several seniors crying because they poured their hearts into this and strove to do their very best.”
Senior shot-put thrower Cyril Lemon was the track and field’s overall outstanding performer, while senior discus thrower Austin Sparks was the outstanding field athlete and sophomore Cody Schulz was the outstanding track performer.
Junior Priscilla Martinez was the outstanding female field performer, while sophomore Stephanie Garcia was the outstanding female track performer. Freshman Sarah Stripling was the newcomer of the year, and the teams’ spirit and leadership award winners were senior Tarron Machen and senior Gloria Angel.
Academic all-district honors went to Lemon, Garcia, Martinez, Stripling, junior Whitney Ulbricht, seniors Amber Lecates, Stephen Tee, Tanner Rowland, Steven Castillo and Justin Cox, sophomores Kiara Etheridge, Brian Shrubar and Justin Gregg, and freshman Aidin Parnell.
Tackitt said he was saying goodbye to seniors Ethan Turner, Logan Clark, Ben Causgrove and Zack Wagner, who helped the Mustangs defeat 319 teams during their four years playing on varsity.
“That’s quite a lot of whipping,” he said to laughter. “It’s fun coaching them.”
Clark and Caugrove were named the most valuable players for the boys, while sophomore Tori Gomez was the girls’ MVP. Senior Abbe Kittman and junior Chad Chesnutt were their squads’ most improved athletes.
Academic all-district honors went to Gomez, Causgrove, senior Abbe Kittman and Chesnutt. Kittman also was named academic all-state by the Texas Association of Golf Coaches, while Gomez was named to the association’s academic all-state super team.
McDonald said the No. 1-ranked students in their classes played tennis. They include freshman Lauren Parten, sophomore Egzon Bislimi, junior Mei Li Hester and senior Kyleigh Ann Futrell.
Junior Tanner Parten and senior Afton Heinatz were their team’s MVPs, while juniors Shane Amos and Keagan Washington were most improved.
Academic all-district honors went to sophomore Mattie Cryer, seniors Walker Klingsporn, Shiloh Ribera and Kristyn Cunningham, junior Kayci Pittard, freshman Mike Stripling, Taylor Tackitt, Hannah Dockery and Tanner Parten, Lauren Parten, Washington, Futrell and Heinatz.
“It’s a great bunch of kids,” McDonald said. “I’ve had a lot of fun. This has been a delightful year.”