MUKILTEO — Lots of people say, “The sky is the limit.”
Several local scholar athletes have gone above and beyond, and are shooting for the stars.
The Snohomish County Football Officials Association (SCFOA) honored 46 local football players — a lineman and a back from each Snohomish County high school — at its 33rd annual Hall of Fame Banquet on Wednesday night at the Rose Hill Community Center.
Five athletes also were given scholarships, including Marysville Pilchuck defensive back Nick Alonso.
“People say, ‘The sky is the limit,’ but there’s footsteps on the moon. I really take that to heart,” Alonso said. “If you put your mind to it anything is possible.”
Alonso won the $2,000 Jeff and Betty Schireman Armed Service Award. Jeff Schireman, a SCFOA member, selected Alonso for his community service with his church, strong academic record and his participation in the Naval Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps at Marysville Pilchuck.
Alonso hopes to attend the U.S. Military Academy or the U.S. Naval Academy. He had a congressional interview Wednesday morning at the office of Rep. Rick Larsen, who was one of the scholarship winners at the first-ever SCFOA banquet in 1982.
“I was very honored, hearing everyone else’s stories and background,” Alonso said. “It’s an honor being a candidate amongst these guys. It was incredible being here tonight.”
Other top winners included Archbishop Murphy’s Isaac Westlund and Arlington’s Gareth Henderson. Henderson, who won the $2,000 lineman scholarship, has a 4.0 grade-point average and plays football, wrestles and competes in track and field for the Eagles. Henderson also volunteers at the Arlington Public Library, serves as a volunteer football coach and helped lead fundraising for victims of the Oso Mudslide.
“I wasn’t really expecting this,” Henderson said. “I just kind of threw everything I’ve done in my life on paper and I was just hoping for the best — hoping I was what they were looking for.”
Henderson is “applying all over Washington” to go to college and study engineering. The senior also hopes to play football at the next level.
“I really want to play football so that’s heavily weighted,” Henderson said. “I’ve just got to find out the best fit. I’ll find somewhere to go.”
The $2,000 back scholarship went to Archbishop Murphy’s Westlund. Westlund, who also is on the Wildcats’ track and field team, has a 3.96 GPA while taking several honors classes. He also volunteers at Providence Hospital to give breaks to parents of special needs children.
“It was fantastic. And really unexpected,” said Westlund, who hopes to run track at Stanford or Princeton. “I feel very fortunate and grateful. I’m sort of blown away by this right now.”
Mariner running back Dyonte Law won the $1,000 back award and Bryan Strachan of Stanwood was given the $1,000 lineman scholarship. Law, who posts a 3.75 GPA, is also the class tresurer at Mariner while Strachan (3.91 GPA) spends time volunteering for Special Olympics.
The annual celebration, now in its 33rd year, is hosted by the county’s football officials looking to give back to the players they referee for on Friday nights. Players, coaches and their families attend a dinner and award ceremony celebrating the student-athletes. Former University of Washington linebacker, and the author of the book “Run 2 Win — Devotions and Chapel Talks for Athletes, Coaches and Sports Fans,” Mike Rohrbach was the guest speaker.
“Dreams do come true,” Rohrbach told the student athletes. “But they don’t come easy.”
Fortunately for those honored Wednesday night, working hard isn’t a problem.
Athletes honored at the Snohomish Football Official’s Association Hall of Fame Banquet:
$2,000 SCFOA back scholarship award—Isaac Westlund, Archbishop Murphy.
$2,000 SCFOA lineman scholarship award—Gareth Henderson, Arlington
$2,000 Jeff and Betty Schireman Armed Service Award—Nick Alonso, Marysville Pilchuck
$1,000 Engineered Sports Therapy back award—Dyonte Law, Mariner
$1,000 SCFOA lineman scholarship award—Bryan Strachan, Stanwood
Archbishop Murphy—Isaac Westlund, Kody Coop. Arlington—Connor Bovard, Gareth Henderson. Cascade—Hamilton Kendrick, Kelsi Colon. Cedarcrest—Adam Golden, Duncan Robertson. Darrington—Trent Green, Tyler Davis. Edmonds-Woodway—Nick Morales, Brandon Hohengarten. Everett—Thien Ngo, Andrew Caindoy. Glacier Peak—Spencer Pettit, Mosese Fifita. Jackson—Alex Cheesman, Ken Day. Kamiak—Jared Pexton, Connor Mitchell. Kings—Ryan Fransen, Calvin Kispert. Lake Stevens—Justin Brown, Kolby Jones. Lakewood—Drake Chaves, Alex Golovin. Lynnwood—Andrew Katzenberger, Mahdi Shahhosseini. Mariner—Dyonte Law, Jeremiah Bell. Marysville-Getchel—Brendan Hofmann, Andrew Degraff. Marysville-Pilchuck—Nick Alonso, Hunter Trueax. Meadowdale—Caleb Tingstad, Payton Smyer. Monroe—Andrew Zimmerman, Alex Vidican. Snohomish—Aidan Kutsch, Alex Fairhurst. South Whidbey—Parker Collins, Angus Jones. Stanwood—Mitchell Wells, Bryan Strachan. Sultan—Matt Baller, Deion Bonilla.
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