Hannah Saunders and Taylor Jepson were named Caribou High School’s Outstanding Senior Athletes to highlight the CHS spring sports awards program held June 8.
Saunders participated in cross country, cheering and track during her athletic career. She was a two-time state champion in the race walk and holds the state record in that event. She also qualified for the New England cross country championships as a junior and led the Vikings to berths in several state meets.
Jepson competed in golf, skiing and tennis. He was part of the state championship tennis team his junior season and was also an outstanding nordic skier.
Other special awards presented during the evening were the Jack Gardiner Athletic Scholarship, the Paul Soucie Memorial Award and Dwight P. Hunter Athletic Achievement Awards.
Kristen Espling and Eric Brown were the recipients of the $300 Gardiner scholarships, given annually by the CHS Athletic Boosters to a senior boy and girl who have best demonstrated outstanding achievement in athletics, good school citizenship and acceptable character traits, and qualities of leadership.
Katie Ouellette and Chad McCarthy were both presented Paul Soucie Memorial Awards, given to student-athletes who have best demonstrated fair play, hard work, commitment and leadership to the Caribou High School athletic program.
Dwight P. Hunter Athletic Achievement Awards were also presented. Hunter, a former long-time athletic director at CHS, stressed the importance of participation, school citizenship and the value of academics during his tenure and 12 students who lived up to Hunter’s expectations were recognized. To qualify, students must participate on a sports team every season for four years. The recipients were Saunders, Jepson, Espling, Brown, Ouellette, Serena Grier, Philip St. Peter, Seth Sager, Jesse Stephens, Meagan Bossie, Emily Collins and Ally Pizutti.
Members of the eight spring sports teams were also given awards during the evening. Boys varsity track coach Todd Alley presented JV certificates to Brian Brewer, Cody Charette, Chris Gustafson, Charm Karunasiri, Vincent Lewis, Jake Maher, Jeff Pucci, Nick Pucci, Mitchell Reck, Jesse Sandstrom, Cole Sirois, Ethan Stetson, Marc Sturzl, Levi Swan, Justin Wilcox, HongTao Wu, Lance Jandreau, Nicholas Michaud and Robert Kiehn.
Varsity letters went to Matt Belanger, Levi Bither, Jon Brewer, Deion Caudill, Nick Dobson, Shawn Holmquist, Joshua Kovach, Kyle McEwen, Jake Michaud, Kevin Strid and Joe Sturzl.
Receiving plaques (second-year letters) were DJ Flynn, John Forbes, Steven Melbourne, Christian Sleeper and Matt Till. Trophy (third-year letters) winners were Finn Bondeson, Tim Freme, Jared Sleeper and Nate Swan, while Jesse Stephens received a jacket as a four-year letter winner. Nate Swan was named team MVP.
Girls varsity track coach Roy Alden presented Renee Dube, Erin Madore, Brittany Shields, Kellene O’Hara and Emilie Patton with JV certificates. Earning varsity letters were Laura Collins, Annie Collins, Demaree Doody-Corriveau, Marigan Doody, Kelly Kashian, Cory Marrett, Sam Murchison, Katie Plourde, Sarae Sager, Paige Small, Abby Small, Megan Wood, Jessica Zbylut, Jacqueline Garrity and Christine Kashian.
Plaque recipients were Nicole Cyr, Danielle MacDonald, Dayna Michaud, Ally Pizzuti and managers Kaysie Pelletier, Kelsey Morin, Chelsea Butler and Amy Corriveau. Trophies went to Emily Anderson, Meagan Bossie and Christine Savage; while jackets were presented to Paige Bradstreet, Emily Collins and Hannah Saunders. The team MVP was Saunders.
Boys varsity baseball coach Jim Thibodeau made the following presentations: certificate: Adam Chartier; letters: Nathaniel Kamm, Stephen St. Peter, Royce Landeen, Ted Walker and Ethan McDuffie; plaques: Chad McCarthy, Brandon Caverhill, Cameron Anderson and managers Liz Keaton and Hannah Saucier; trophies: Philip St. Peter, Matt Kinney and Seth Sager; and jackets: Eric Brown and Pat Thibodeau. Named MVP of the team was Pat Thibodeau.
Arik Jepson, coach of the JV baseball team, gave letters to team members Evan Susee, Cody Thibodeau, Caleb Chapman, Ben Lulofs, Ben Wyman, Derek Dufour, Matthew Kamm, Brandon Holdsworth, Lance Lamothe, Nate Rossignol, Kjetil Rossignol, Garrett Jordan, Ryan Plante, Kyle Wickstrom, Chad Caverhill and managers Kayla Collins and Amanda Violette. Chapman was named team MVP.
John Habeeb, coach of the boys varsity tennis team, presented the following awards: certificate: Preston Jackson; letters: Gerald Belanger, Ezra Duplissie-Cyr, Phil Smith and Nick Willey; plaque: Matt Coty; and jackets: Shane Belanger and Taylor Jepson. The MVP choice was Belanger.
Habeeb also recognized members of his girls varsity tennis team. Certificate: Allyson Michaud; letters: Katie Keaton, Cintamini Johnson and Carlee Pinette; plaques: Jenna Selander and Laura Collins; trophies: Melissa Nadeau and Elizabeth Barbosa. The team MVP was Selander.
Members of the varsity softball team were honored by coach Ryan Deprey. Letters: Jamie Martin, Emily Staples and managers Mallory Thompson and Colleen Harris; plaques: Brittany Doak, Ashley Ayotte and Danielle Soucy; trophies: Ashley Doucette and Katie Ouellette; jackets: Serena Grier and Kristen Espling. Selected as MVP was Espling.
Andrew Kirby was the JV softball coach and made the following letter presentations: Desiree Lavallee, Tia McHatten, Breanna Randolph, Danielle Akerson, Shelby Damboise, Sare Damboise, Siera Kimball, Brianna Gorence, Annelies Walker, Danielle Landry, Riley Parady, Britney Emerson, Morgan Swan and manager Bethany Curtis.
Chosen as team MVP was Sare Damboise.
