Live Oak High School had a lot to celebrate Wednesday evening as
athletes, coaches and parents gathered for its second annual
Student Athlete Awards night.
Morgan Hill – Live Oak High School had a lot to celebrate Wednesday evening as athletes, coaches and parents gathered for its second annual Student Athlete Awards night.
The event was hosted by the Live Oak booster club, who provided a plaque and a $250 scholarship for all four student-athletes that were recognized.
“This event came from Live Oak athletics and the booster club to basically say thanks to our athletes,” Live Oak athletic director Mark Cummins said. “They put in a lot of hard work this year for their school and we want to honor them for that.”
Senior Jeff Mounteer was given the male athlete of the year award for excelling in three sports.
As a second-team all-league selection in football and basketball this season, he said he credited his success to hard work and support from his coaches and teammates.
“They always pushed me to work harder,” Mounteer said. “They were always giving me support and allowing me chances to excel.”
After finishing his first season as a member of the Acorns baseball team, Mounteer will be kicking for West Valley next year.
This past season, he kicked a school-record 47-yard field goal against Alvarez.
“He wasn’t the biggest or strongest player,” said Rick Booth, Live Oak’s head football coach last season. “But he was there when we could count on him.”
The female athlete of the year award went to senior Taylor Sutton, who excelled in field hockey, softball and basketball.
Sutton was the Senior of the Year in softball for the Blosson Valley Athletic League Mt. Hamilton Division and started for the Acorns field hockey and basketball teams.
She said the award meant a lot to her as an athlete at Live Oak.
“I’m really excited and honored,” Sutton said. “I want to thank all of the people who nominated me. I had a great year with all my coaches. All the girls and all the teams I played for had a lot of heart.”
Sutton’s softball coach Barry McDonnell said that she was not just an athlete but a tremendous person and leader.
The school also took time to recognize the athletes and teams who excelled in academics as well.
Senior water polo player and swimmer Kyle Fast, who maintained a 3.9 grade-point-average was the male scholar-athlete of the year while senior Janet Lee won female scholar-athlete of the year, maintaining a 4.38 GPA while playing field hockey and running track.
A few of the girls sports teams were recognized for collectively scoring high GPAs.
The girls tennis team had an overall GPA of 3.9 while the girls field hockey team had a GPA of 3.6.
The evening then took an emotional turn as they honored former varsity football and track coach Norm Dow.
Dow, who coached the Acorns to four CCS and 10 league titles, said that ever since he was in high school, has been interested in working with kids.
He is retiring after teaching 32 years at Live Oak.
Boys water polo and swimming coach Mack Haines, girls softball coach Barry McDonnell and baseball coach Cummins were all recognized for their BVAL Coach of the Year awards.
Cummins humbly accepted his recognition but made it a point to thank the students.
“It is they who are carrying on our tradition of athletic excellence here at Live Oak.”
