Looking back on MHS highlights

SPORTS SHORTS
Just as the past school year has blown by, it’s time to review the year in high school sports PW (Post Windig, and old English word meaning).  A windig shindig, if you will.
Monticello High School had one of their best sports years ever, if not the best, placing first or second in five sports. 
The top five 2011-2012 sporting results for MHS are:
1. Monticello takes state in 1A volleyball.  The girls team topped the mighty Rich Rebels, who had made the state 1A title their annual rite, winning 17 titles in the past 20 years or so. 
Sportshorts wrote at the time, “Playing with abandon, glee, and wonderful teamwork, the Lady Bucks blocked, frustrated and systematically dismantled the vaunted Rich Rebels to capture their third state volleyball championship for Monticello High and the first since 1987.  The Bucks routed the Rebels in three games, 25-21, 25-20, 25-20 in a match that wasn’t as close as the final score might indicate.” 
Powered by four time all-stater and 1A MVP Swayzi Slade, the Lady Bucks of Tony Esplin were certainly no one-woman team, with fellow “seniors Martha Beh, Robin Randall, Jaime Keyes, and Allison Anderson keeping the pressure on the Rebels along with juniors Devin Dalton, Jessica Ewart, and Shaylyn Black in a rotation that was relaxed, buoyant, and assured throughout, playing nearly flawless volleyball.  It was a pleasure to watch.” 
The girls finished the season at 27-3, which included a 16 match winning streak, two wins over the Lady Broncos of San Juan and winning the prestigious North Sevier tournament.
2. Boys Cross Country race to first place trophy. 
Sportshorts wrote, “This time of year, deer season, Bucks don’t often run in packs, except of course for the Monticello High School boys cross country team, who took pack running to the extreme, easily winning the state 1A high school cross country championship last week. 
“Collin Hatch, as he has all season, led the pack of Bucks with an all-state performance, finishing in ninth place.  He was followed by five more Buckaroos within 40 seconds, giving the Bucks the championship with 47 points.  Second is Bryce Valley with 85 points. 
“Kelland Brewer, a senior, was second for the Bucks and tenth overall, just two seconds behind junior Hatch.  Senior Dallin Anderson gave his all in his last race to finish 12th, 16 seconds after Hatch.
“Then the clinchers:  freshmen Sheldon Black and Jens Brewer and sophomore Easton Nielson finished 15th, 17th and 18th.  Tanner Eardley finished 26th overall for the state champs, the first boys cross country championship for the Bucks in ten years.”
3. Monticello Wrestlers take second.  The Bucks of Coach Kent Adair led the powerful Altamont Longhorns for most of the two-day affair, only to fall by sheer numbers to the defending champs. 
Three Buckaroos, Brian Robinson, Cole Eldredge and Austin Wilcox, won individual championships with two more, Brandon Musselman and Hunter Bowring took second. 
Sportshorts wrote, “Although the Buckaroos placed second in the team championship to Altamont, their performance bodes well for the future, as 11 of the 14 wrestlers who participated placed. Ten of those 11 placers will be back next year and 12 of the 14 overall.”
4. Boys and Girls track both take second at state.
Sportshorts wrote: “Monticello High School ended the year with a bang Saturday as both the boys and girls track teams competed their way to the second place trophies in the state track and field meet held at BYU. 
The boys actually tied for second with Rich with 77 points, trailing Duchesne, who was first with 121 points. 
“It was hurdling, jumping and the javelin that brought the highest placings for the girls from MHS as they continued their consistent state track showings of the past few years to score 80 points to first place Rich’s 117.  Last year the girls were third, fourth in 2010, third in 2009, and second in 2008. 
5. Golf team takes third in 1A golf.  Not since the glory days of golf, 1965-67, when the Buckaroos won three state championships in a row under coach Roy Thacker and 1977 and ‘78, when Terry Eardley guided the Bucks to two more state championships, have the Buckaroos fared as well at state. 
Eardley’s son Tanner, just a sophomore, led the Bucks at state, along with seniors Jonah Cafferty, Chase Doucett, Adam Black, Derek Ramsay and freshman Jens Brewer as the Bucks finished behind private schools, St. Joseph and Layton Christian.
Next week, Sportshorts will detail the Broncos’ year in sports, followed by a listing of the individual accomplishments of the year.

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