Graduating Talons’ rake in top athletic awards

Eagle Butte Talons'Megan Kowalski anbd Triston Duchscherer stand with their athlete of the year awards during the school's athletic banuqet at the Medicine Hat Lodge on June 5. Duchscherer also won the Dave Rozdeba Memorial AAA award.

ustin Seward
Commentator/Courier

Grade 12 Eagle Butte Talons’ athletes Megan Kowalski and Triston Duchscherer closed out their high school athletic careers with one last cheer from fellow teammates, family and friends at the school’s athletic banquet at the Medicine Hat Lodge on June 5.
Both athletes were awarded with the female and male athletes of the year plaques in front of the appreciative crowd.
“It was a really good honour,” said Kowalski, who will be playing for the Medicine Hat College Rattlers girls volleyball team next year.
“I worked so hard to get here and I couldn’t have done it without my teammates. They’re just the best people and encouraged me. The coaches especially just encouraged me to keep pushing to what I wanted and helped to achieve my goals of getting to the college level, so I’m pretty excited about that.”
Athletics meant a lot to her throughout the three years at the school as lasting relationships were made.
“Meeting my two best friends was probably my best memory. I met them in Grade 10 playing volleyball. We’ve been best friend since then and we’re going to continue to be best friends after high school,” she said.
Kowalski will be enrolling in the nursing program at the college.
“It just means a lot of hard work and dedication,” said Duchscherer .
“I just want to thank all my coaches, my fellow teammates, all my teachers, especially my parents. If it weren’t for them pushing me everyday, I wouldn’t be able to be where I am right now.”
Duchscherer participated in a lot of sports including football, basketball, badminton, rugby and track and field this season. But but it was ending the evening off by raking in the AAA Award- the plaque recognizes athletics, academics and attitude-in memory of the school’s late teacher Dave Rozdeba, who died of cancer in 2017 that was the cherry on top of him.
“That is the biggest honour you could give me,” said Duchscherer, who will turn is attention to solely the nursing program at Medicine Hat College.
“I had Dave Rozdeba as a teacher in Grade 10 and he really helped humble myself. He was always asking me questions, always being on me. If it wasn’t for him I don’t think I would be here.”
The list of individual team awards that were also handed out can be found below.
Golf
Most Outstanding: Brady DeBoice
Cross Country
Most outstanding: Kelsey Hamill and Terry Pearson (senior), Tiahna Blaquiere and Gavin Derksen (intermediate), Josie Drefs and Brendan Olson (junior)
Talon pride: Kassidy Simmons, Justin Vos, Azlin Ferguson
Girls volleyball
Most outstanding (senior): Megan Kowalski
Talon pride (senior): Karli Schnell
Most outstanding (junior): Sierra Siedlecki, Caitlyn McLean
Talon pride (junior): Sheridyn Herman, Megan Curran
Boys volleyball
Most outstanding: Chase Hart
Talon pride: Austin McDonald
Girls basketball
Most outstanding (senior): Janay Whitfield
Talon pride (senior): Madison Squire
Most outstanding (junior): Claire O’Connell, Kassidy Simmons
Talon pride (junior): Mya Berg Mackenzie Duchscherer
Boys basketball
Most outstanding (senior): Triston Duchscherer
Talon pride (senior): Kade Kleinknecht
Most outstanding (junior): Kayden Vollman
Talon pride (junior): Carter Lawson
Curling
Most outstanding: Charley Foster
Talon pride: Jacey Auger
Badminton
Most outstanding (junior): Mackenzie Duchscherer, Raquel Waldbauer
Most outstanding (intermediate): Triston Duchscherer, Lexie Waldbauer
Talon pride: Aiden Heller
Baseball
Most outstanding: Carter Krauss
Talon pride: Chance Davis
Softball
Most outstanding: Ashtyn MacKay, Mia Kelly
Talon pride: Victoria Philbert, Tatiana Bailey
Rugby
Most outstanding: Triston Duchscherer
Talon pride: Mike Konosky, Clayton Lehr
Track and field
Most outstanding: Brendan Olson, Kaden Cath, Montana Wright
Talon pride: Gage Reinhart, BailGolf
Most Outstanding: Brady DeBoice
Cross Country
Most outstanding: Kelsey Hamill and Terry Pearson (senior), Tiahna Blaquiere and Gavin Derksen (intermediate), Josie Drefs and Brendan Olson (junior)
Talon pride: Kassidy Simmons, Justin Vos, Azlin Ferguson
Girls volleyball
Most outstanding (senior): Megan Kowalski
Talon pride (senior): Karli Schnell
Most outstanding (junior): Sierra Siedlecki, Caitlyn McLean
Talon pride (junior): Sheridyn Herman, Megan Curran
Boys volleyball
Most outstanding: Chase Hart
Talon pride: Austin McDonald
Girls basketball
Most outstanding (senior): Janay Whitfield
Talon pride (senior): Madison Squire
Most outstanding (junior): Claire O’Connell, Kassidy Simmons
Talon pride (junior): Mya Berg Mackenzie Duchscherer
Boys basketball
Most outstanding (senior): Triston Duchscherer
Talon pride (senior): Kade Kleinknecht
Most outstanding (junior): Kayden Vollman
Talon pride (junior): Carter Lawson
Curling
Most outstanding: Charley Foster
Talon pride: Jacey Auger
Badminton
Most outstanding (junior): Mackenzie Duchscherer, Raquel Waldbauer
Most outstanding (intermediate): Triston Duchscherer, Lexie Waldbauer
Talon pride: Aiden Heller
Baseball
Most outstanding: Carter Krauss
Talon pride: Chance Davis
Softball
Most outstanding: Ashtyn MacKay, Mia Kelly
Talon pride: Victoria Philbert, Tatiana Bailey
Rugby
Most outstanding: Triston Duchscherer
Talon pride: Mike Konosky, Clayton Lehr
Track and field
Most outstanding: Brendan Olson, Kaden Cath, Montana Wright
Talon pride: Gage Reinhart, Bailey Pearson, Juliana Piques
Spirit Award
Kelsey Hamill
Team Academic Award
Track and field (86.3)
Athletes of the year
Female: Megan Kowalski
Male: Triston Duchscherer
Dave Rozdeba Memorial AAA Award
Triston Duchscherer Pearson, Juliana Piques
Spirit Award
Kelsey Hamill
Team Academic Award
Track and field (86.3)
Athletes of the year
Female: Megan Kowalski
Male: Triston Duchscherer
Dave Rozdeba Memorial AAA Award
Triston Duchscherer