The Marin Athletic Foundation presented Outstanding Student Athlete Awards May 2 at the Embassy Suites in San Rafael.
Student athletes from around Marin were honored by the Marin Athletic Foundation.
The MAF was founded in 1984 by people concerned about the decrease in funding for athletic programs in the Marin County high schools.
Athletics is a vital part of every high school experience and provides important educational and developmental outcomes for students. MAF believes that school districts need community support to keep athletic programs from being eliminated and to ensure that broad participation by all students in both interscholastic and intramural programs continues.
Honorees this year are:
JADA SHORE
Jada Shore of Archie Williams High School is an accomplished Field Hockey, Basketball, and Lacrosse player. She has been captain of all three teams and she has been playing as a starter in both basketball and lacrosse for four years.
BENNETT BRADFORD STEIGER: This young man from Archie Williams High School is not only his high school’s Water Polo “MVP” but also the MCAL All-League “Player of the Year” and a USA Water Polo “Academic All- American in 2021 and made the Sonoma Valley High School water polo team NCS President’s list in 2018.
ANNA LARDNER: Anna Lardner of Branson is the definition of a student-athlete. While athletics are an incredibly important aspect of Anna’s life, she knows the importance of the non-athletic parts, like her family, friends, school, and the time to just enjoy life and
have fun. Anna plays both tennis and soccer with tennis as her main sport.
JOAQUIM ARAUZMOORE: Joaquim ArauzMoore of Branson is a true student-athlete. Coach Stevie Johnson attests, “I have coached from Denmark to China and in the United States and I’ve never come across a kid with his passion and commitment…He can do it all from scoring at will to facilitating and defending the other team’s best player.”
REBECCA SHERRY: Four years ago, Marin Academy’s Rebecca (Becca) Sherry arrived on
campus, looking to make her mark. And that she did. In Rebecca’s second
season of leadership as co-captain, the MA women’s soccer team won
their first-ever NCS championship in 2022. Named the season’s Bay
County League – West MVP, she was previously honored in 2020 and 2019
as 1st and 2nd Team All-League, respectively.
ETHAN CARR: One will know when they meet Marin Academy’s Ethan Carr as he is the one with a soccer ball at his feet or by his side. He takes it everywhere. Coach Josh Kalkstein
shares, “Ethan Carr is a fantastic soccer player…one of the most passionate
human beings I’ve ever met. And it’s infectious. Ethan carries his ball with
him wherever he goes. And that’s not an exaggeration”.
LEAH LABOY: For the past four years, Leah LaBoy has proven to be an outstanding
Student-athlete for Marin Catholic. An accomplished volleyball player, she has played
competitively for ten consecutive years and has been on varsity since her
freshman year. Her coach, Jake Spain, states, “The commitment to
excellence that Leah possesses is unlike any player I have ever seen.”
CHARLES KNAPP: As stated by Marin Catholic’s Twitter, “When people say, ‘Incredible player but a better person, THIS is who they are talking about,” exemplifies Marin Catholic’s dual-sport outstanding student-athlete Charlie Knapp. Charlie has achieved success playing both football and lacrosse.
KALEY MCINTYRE: “Kaley is probably the most decorated girl athlete at Novato High School, certainly the swim team,” says coach Polly Mora. Kaley is a dedicated
athlete and student who, despite excelling in an individual sport, works
hard to support her team and community.
DEREK BARTRAM: “Derek Is the type of athlete and player anyone would want on their team…he leads by example, but when he voices his opinion his teammates listen,” says teacher and coach Jason Searle. As the only D1 male athlete in his class at NHS, Derek has excelled in both athletics and academics over the past four years.
MIA HAMANT: An all-around athlete, Mia Hamant started at a young age playing soccer, basketball, softball, and volleyball, and she played on CYO and travel teams for as long as she could. Eventually, Mia chose to focus on soccer. She was MCAL all-league all four years, team captain her Junior and Senior years, voted as her team’s Defensive Player of the Year her Sophomore and Junior years and was voted MVP her Senior year for her Redwood soccer team.
JAMES PHELAN: James (Jimmy) Phelan proudly states, “My defining characteristic is my effort to expand my boundaries and build friendships where I otherwise wouldn’t find them.” One such example is his relationship with a Ukranian teen whom he volunteered to tutor in English for two years, resulting in a strong friendship to this day. During his four years at RHS, he has participated in football, soccer, and rugby.
PIPER FLEECE: At first glance, you wouldn’t think Piper of San Domenico School was a co-captain and the starting point guard for a Division 5 state championship basketball team. At only 5’2”, she’s deceivingly quick and smart on the court and plays much bigger than her stature. Coach Mike Fulton states, “Piper brought an intensity level that inspired her teammates and coaching staff.”
KEZIAN DUNN: Kezian is proud to be, “Among the first class of boys in SanDomenico High
School’s 150-year history.” He has spent the last four years helping San
Domenico launch its new boys’ athletics program. Whether it be on the track,
in the press box, or at the scorer’s table, Kezian has made his impact in a
variety of ways. Kezian was named a captain for the Varsity Track and Field
team and has won BCL West titles in both Shot Put and Discus.
JENNA NOTTINGHAM: Passionate and dedicated are two words that describe San Marin’s, Jenna Nottingham. After completing 3 years on both Varsity Volleyball and Basketball, a 2-year captain for both, Jenna is a prime example of a leader. She is part of the STEM program, participated in multiple clubs, and won “Most Spirited” as a Senior Superlative because of her active involvement in school- wide events.
NICHOLAS TYLER: Coach Dominic DiMare describes Nick as someone who, “Stands out as a young man with strong integrity…he shows respect for his coaches and teammates.” Nicholas Tyler is an outstanding student-athlete who grew up playing sports like soccer, baseball, and football. In high school, he stuck with football and picked up volleyball playing both at the varsity level. His senior football season at SMHS brought home a state title for the first time in the school’s history.
MARIANNA STANLEY: Marianna Stanley truly embodies what it means to be a San Rafael bulldog. “She is humble, kind, driven to be a good teammate, determined to find success even in her failures, a true support system for her teammates, a source of strength and stability. Marianna possesses qualities that are unteachable,” states coach Jessica Woodall-Massey. She has been on the Varsity volleyball team all four years, helping to build the program and establish a positive team culture. Quickly earning the nickname “Sunshine” for her positive attitude, her enthusiasm for volleyball helped to establish a supportive team culture, which greatly contributed to the program’s success over the past four years.
ARCHER GLICKSTEIN: San Rafael High’s Archer Glickstein often finds himself in positions of leadership. As a student, he leads his peers, setting the pace for keeping up with assignments and concepts and helping those who struggle. As a parkour and gymnastics coach of five years, he leads his students, teaching them how to make bridges between perceived barriers, and how to find confidence in the face of challenges. And as a cheerleader, he leads his teammates, exemplifying persistent hard work, dedication, and spirit.
ABIGAIL BROOKS: “If you would’ve polled opposing players after our games, asking the height of number four, they would have said Abby was 7 ft. tall!” (Abby is 4’11”) Tam High Water Polo Coach GP Panawek says, “Abby is a coach’s dream. She unselfishly makes hard drives to open up her teammates for scoring. She always knows who is in trouble and when she needs to move to give aid. She’s good at the things that are thankless and you need people like Abby on a great team. The world is not without poetic justice, and Abby finally got the moment in the spotlight that she has so deserved for so long… against Archie Williams, scoring the huge winning goal in quadruple overtime.” In addition to this year’s MCAL Championship in Water Polo, Abby was also named to 2021
MCAL All-League Second Team.
CADEN CARNEY: Caden Carney has been dedicated to the sport of running and proudly states that, “Cross Country and Track have become a major part of my life and have led me to many great accomplishments.” This includes Freshman: Cross Country Rookie of the year; Track JV MVP. Junior: Tam CC Varsity MVP, Track & Field Varsity MVP. 2021 MCAL, NCS, and D3 State Champion Cross Country, MCAL Cross Country Athlete of the year. Coach Phil Oreste affirms, “He has shown to be a young man of character, respect, and talent…He leads by example.”
KAYA LASH: Kaya is a three-sport participant at Terra Linda High in soccer, water polo and basketball with her main emphasis on soccer. Terra Linda high school soccer coach Dylan Arroyo claims, “Kaya Lash is the best women’s soccer player ever to pass through TL.”
RYAN HOANG: “Ryan’s athleticism, focus, and dedication is what separates him from other athletes on the courts. His instincts and the ability to learn and absorb a lot of information is very impressive,” affirms Dmitry Dzyuba of Chabot Tennis Academy. Outside of school, he has devoted his time to tennis, achieving a career-high USTA ranking of #12 in Northern California and a top 250 ranking in the nation for his grade level.
In his final season at Terra Linda High School, he served as Team Captain and supported his teammates by running a clinic so that they can train outside regular practice hours.
DIANA PAOLA PADILLA FRANCO: “Diana is not just a stellar athlete at Tomales High School, she is a hard worker, a team leader, and a remarkable young woman,” affirms Russ Sartori, Diana’s basketball and tennis coach for several years. Diana is one of the best examples of a three-sport student-athlete that Tomales has to offer. She has played varsity soccer, basketball, and tennis since her freshman year. During freshman year she attained the soccer sportsmanship award and the tennis year MVP. While her performance has been exceptional, having achieved two all-league soccer selections and one all-league basketball selection, it is her role as a leader on these teams that truly makes her stand out. She has been a team captain of all three sports, working hard to push her teammates to improve, while serving as a role model to
younger players.
RYAN JOHNSON:Ryan came to Tomales High with a mission to make the most of his athletic and academic experience. In his senior season of football, Ryan quickly rose to a leadership role serving as team captain. His strong character was on full display mid-season when the starting quarterback went down with a concussion. Ryan did not hesitate to fill this position having no experience as quarterback.The offense thrived with him at the helm and he earned a First Team All-League selection as a result.
Leave a Reply