Despite some challenges the Mount Markham winter sports season saw a number of successes.
At last week’s Mt. Markham Board of Education meeting Athletic Director Phil Keida reviewed the seasons for varsity, junior varsity and modified teams.
Successes include:
Boys basketball, girls basketball, girls volleyball, boys indoor track, boys volleyball, girls indoor track all being named Scholar Athlete teams;
Of the 149 students who participated in winter sports 32 were Scholar Athletes;
Girls volleyball had eight of nine players with an academic average of 90 percent or higher; Boys volleyball was named a Scholar Athlete team after three of the eight players had season-ending injuries and the team couldn’t finish. The Mustangs continued to practice with Central Valley Academy;
Boys volleyball coach Cody Homer was named Coach of the Year in the league;
In wrestling Dom Jones qualified for the state tournament. His fourth-place finish is the highest in school history.
Keida said next year more Mustangs teams will play in Section Three’s Class B. “We’re going from one of the biggest schools in Class C to one of the smallest in Class B,’’ he said.
Moving up will be girls soccer, girls basketball, softball and baseball. This season boys basketball played in Class B.
Keida said Section Three will continue to have post- season playoffs open for any school that wants to participate.
Numbers of athletes are down on the modified levels, Keida said, attributing that to these students missing youth sports seasons during the pandemic.
Keida talked about the proposed athletics budget for 2024-25. Salaries will increase as coaches move up a step in experience, he said.
Also, equipment costs continue to rise. Baseballs are $10 each and a football costs $110.
Speech and Debate advisor Sue Culver told the Board five students in the club qualified to compete in states and nationals.
The National competition is in Chicago over Memorial Day weekend. ...
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