Fluco banquet celebrates top-flight athletes

By Duncan Nixon, Correspondent

The Fluvanna Flying Flucos hold a spring sports banquet every year to celebrate the end of the sports season and to honor the top athletes on the spring sports teams. This year’s banquet was held on June 5 in the Fluvanna High School cafeteria. Athletic Director Scott Morris was the master of ceremonies, as usual.

The first coach to the microphone was Fluco baseball Coach Joel Gray. He noted that his team had a very successful season. He also pointed out that All-Region players had not been announced. But, the next day a number of Flucos were honored. Receiving All-Region first team honors were: sophomore Andrew Ward as All-Region outfielder and Designated hitter, and senior Jacob Critzer as All-Region utility player.

Second team All-Region were sophomore Kevin Ward at first base and senior Dashon Carter in the outfield. Honorable mention honors went to Critzer at catcher. Furthermore, the All-Region Coach of the year was the Fluco’s Joel Gray.

The softball team did not have as successful year as the baseball team, but several players received Region honors. Junior outfielder Catera Marsh was named second team All-Region. Honorable mention honors went to senior pitcher Mariah Tawney, junior outfielder Katie Morris, and junior Tori Koczan and Tawney for their utility play.

Boys’ soccer coach Earl Gibson reported that his team came in with a 6-10-2 record and that it reached the Region semi-final. All-Region honors went to sophomore forward Emory Davis and junior midfielder Kamden Shephard who both were first team selections. Junior defender Finn McGothlin was a second team selection. Girls’ soccer Coach Katrina Ditta reported that her young team had a challenging season. Sophomore goalkeeper Brooke Nazar made Region honorable mention.

The Fluco track and field teams had very good season. Boy’s coach Steve Szarmach reported that his team finished third at the Region meet and sent a number of athletes to the State meet. All-region honors were won by Christian Holland in the long jump and the triple jump, Colby Martin in the long jump and the triple jump, Ledric Reid in the 110 high hurdles, Dante Eddings in the 100 meter sprint, Shane Morris and Ethan Yancy in the pole vault and Eli Hartzog in the discus and shot putt. At the State meet, All- State athletes were the 4X100 relay team of Jared Newman, Dante Eddings, Colby Martin, and Christian Holland, plus Holland in the triple jump, Hartzog in the discus and Yancy in the pole vault.

Track and field girls’ Coach Rose Brogan reported that a number of athletes gained All-Region and All-State honors. All-region were Hattie Lintecum in the long jump, Delaney Reid in the discus, Emily Beckman in the 1600 meter, Emily Smeds in the 1600 meter, Kristen Cabrera in the 800 meter, Saige Haney in the 3200 meter and Amina Wilson in the pole vault. The 4×400 relay team of Lintecom, Skylar Solga R’Tia payne and Cabrera achieved All- Region status. Smeds was the Region champion in the 3200. In addition, the 4X800 relay team of Kieri Hart, Haney, Lintecom and Cabrera garnered the Region title. The 4X800 relay team listed above was All-State as was the 4X400 relay team listed above. All-state in the pole vault were Wilson and Ashley Pieno. Smeds was also All-State in the 3200 meter.

The Coaches of the boys’ and girls’ lacrosse teams reported that their squads worked hard but failed to put up many wins. Girls’ tennis Coach Feda Morton also reported that her squad worded hard but did not have a lot of wins.