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26 WSun-Tfibsml’lhwsdaxlum 19,2008 BY MIKE HAYAKAWA Staff Writer There has been little difficulty in identifying the top senior and junior athletes at Stoufiville District Secondary School. Before this year, that is, Jamie Hewitt recalled. But when the committee of coaches had to choose this year’s honourees, the Spartans’ physical education department head con- ceded they had difficulty. That’s because there was a healthy cast of nominees. Cyclists ride through a trail near Hillsdale Road, south of Musselman’s Lake during Saturday’s 160-lcm Moraine For Life Adventure Relay supporting the Oak Ridges Trail Association. A total of 22 teams hit the course that began at Gore’s Landing on Rice Lake to the association’s headquarters in King City. Toronto’s Team 7 Systems finished first in a time of 10 hours and 41 minutes. The association’s Ridge Racers finished second overall, but won the Recreational Mixed title. The Millbrook Masters were third overall, but first in the Masters category. For more information on the race, log on to: www.moraineadventure.com When the final tabulations were compiled, the four winners were unveiled at last Thursday's annual athletic banquet at the school. Tough choices for top athlete awards at Stouffville Secondary Markham Ribffit RACING THOUGH, AND FOR, THE MOHAIHE Matt Raguseo was named the senior boys' athlete of the year while Jaime Sparks and Natalie Geiger shared the senior girls' honours. In the junior category, Jeremy Brownridge was the boys winner while the girls honour went to Dayle erkinson. “There were definitely some tough decisions to make," Hewitt said. “We had a lot of candidates.” Nominated were 13 boys and 11 girls in the senior class. In junior, it was 11 girls and nine boys. Presenting the toughest chal- lenge in making their final selec- tions though. was the senior class, Hewitt said. “The Grade 12 graduating group Call Susan, Judy or Linda SPORTS we had here is the best group of stu- dent-athletes I’ve had the pleasure of being involved with,” he said. For it marked the sec- ond straight year the national rugby team player was named top ath- lete. This past year, the Grade 12 stuâ€" dent was a member of the school’s Ontario Federation of School Athâ€" letic Associations AA gold-medal winning hockey and rugby teams. He also played volleyball. While honoured to earn the award, he said being a part of the two hockey and rugby OFSAA gold- medal winning teams was far more significant to him. Stouffville Sun-Tribune 905.294.2200 Markham Fairgrounds NATIONAL TEAM PLAYER Also a Grade 12 student, Sparks was voted the school’s junior girls athlete of the year when she was in Grade 10. “Those awards mean a lot more," he said of the team titles. During the year, Sparks was a member of the school's basketball, volleyball, hockey, soccer and bad- minton teams. Geiger, a Grade 12 student and former junior girls athlete of the year when she was in Grade 9, par- ticipated with the school’s track and field, basketball, volleyball and bad- minton teams. She has accepted a track and field scholarship at Notre Dame University earlier this year and www.markhamribfest.com The Stouffville Mennos extended their Oshayva City and Distn'ct Fastball League Winning streak to three games by downing the host Newmarket Stingers 7-3 Monday. After scoring a run in each of the second and fifth the Mennos erupted with dueeinthesixthandaddedapairinthe seventh to improve their record to 6â€"3. First baseman Kris Burkholder ignited the Mennos' ofience with a double, single and two RBIs while catcher Dale Boadway had a triple and single and one RBI. Greg Dalgamo give up nine hits through seven innings to earn the win. The Menhos resume league play tonight when they are scheduled to host Aurora at Memorial Park at 8:30 pm. SPLIT TOURNAMENT GAMES The Mennos went 2-2 last weekend in a tournament in Grafton and failed to make the playofis. Afte'r suffering losses to' the Hamil- ton Smoke 2-1 and Napanee Express 10- 3 in their first two outings, the Mennos rebounded to defeat the Newmarket Sting- ers 6-0 and Picton 7-6. 1n the win over Newmarket, the Menâ€" nos erupted for four runs in the fourth inning with Chris Burkholder and Kyle Barber delivering key hits. Scott Eyre belted a twoâ€"run homer in the fifth inning. lay Nesbitt struck out five batters and limited the Stingers to just six hits to earn the win. Against Picton, the Mennos trailed 6-3 entering the bottom of the ninth inning and rallied for four runs and the win. Rich Burkholder collected three hits, including a single in the ninth inning that drove in the game-winning run. Eyre also had three hits and Chris Burkholder one. Mennos hot in men’s fastball scheduled to enrol at the storied Indiana campus this fall. Geiger set a school mark by winning the OFSAA 400 metres race in each of her four years at Stouffville. Sparks and Geiger are 90-per cent students in the classroom. Of this year’s junior recipients both of whom are in Grade 10 Brownridge was a member of thc boys’ rugby, volleyball and basket- ball teams. \Mlkinson played with the girls hockey, soccer, basketball and vol- leyball teams. Student-athletes were numb nated for the awards by the school coaches in late May. The final selecâ€" tions were made in early June.