Dexter honors athletes at Fall Sports Recognition Program

DEXTER, Mo. - Dexter held its annual Fall Sports Recognition Program at the high school cafeteria Thursday night.

Athletes competing in cross country, volleyball, football cheerleading, football and girls tennis were recognized at the event.

Senior football player Noah Kronk received the Charles Bland Award.

The award is presented yearly to the most well-rounded football player.

"I'd like to start out by saying 'thank you for this award," Kronk said in a speech at the banquet Thursday night. "It means a great deal to me. I can remember when I was just a freshman watching Tyler Miller, someone I still look up to today, win the award. I knew right then this is something I would like to work towards achieving.

"That being said football is a tough sport," Kronk continued. "It demands a lot of you physically and mentally, but I've made a lot of friendships and memories that I will cherish forever.

"I'd like to thank all the coaches for their support over the years, thank mom and dad and thank [everyone] for this award," Kronk concluded. "We had a good year. We finished 4-6 and we beat Sikeston."

Four other football awards were presented at the banquet.

Junior football player Jared Deal received the Lineman of the Year Award, senior football player Peyton Pollock received the Most Valuable Back / Skilled Position Award, and Kronk received the Defensive MVP Award and Overall MVP Award.

Deal made the play calls on the offensive line and Kronk tallied a team-high 112 tackles. Pollock had 130 completions for 1,572 yards and 142 carries for 730 yards.

Senior volleyball player Jessica Lindsey received the Defensive Player of the Year Award and Kill Award. Junior volleyball player Julia Hahn received the Setting Award.

Hahn tallied a team-high 292 assists in 2014. Lindsey had a team-high 138 digs, team-high 72 blocks and team-high 297 kills.

Dexter junior tennis player MaKayla Waldner received the Most Singles Wins Award and MVP Award. Dexter senior Destiny Robertson received the Most Doubles Wins Award.

Waldner finished 13-5 in singles and Robertson went 13-5 in doubles matches.

In cross country, junior Josh Ladd was selected as Most Outstanding Male Runner and freshman Emily Ladd was selected as Most Outstanding Female Runner.

25 athletes lettered for the first time.

Athletes who received letters for the first time were: cheerleaders Michaela Gard, Shellbie Hill, Britney Hubbard, Karlie McKuin and Paige Moore; football players Alex Bellers, Bo McMullin, Spencer Owens, Kris Rinehart, Payton Tinnin, Nick Trout and Dalton Twomey; girls tennis players Kalee Howard, Reagan Miller and Nicole Sells; volleyball players Lexie Barnes and Krysten Garrison; and cross country runners Weston Avery, Carly Dean, Veronica Hampton, Tyler Heil, Emily Ladd, Dylan Long, Nick Phillips and Sean Rybolt.

DUSTIN WARD - dward@dailystatesman.com Pictured are Dexter athletes who received top awards at Thursday night's Fall Sports Recognition Program. Pictured left to right (top row) are: cross country runner Josh Ladd, football player Peyton Pollock, football player Jared Deal and volleyball player Jessica Lindsey; pictured left to right (bottom row) are: cross country runner Emily Ladd, volleyball player Julia Hahn, football player Noah Kronk, tennis player MaKayla Waldner and tennis player Destiny Robertson.

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