On Feb. 26, the annual Winter Sports Awards Night wrapped up the season in the CORE Butte gymnasium. Parents and families sat in the bleachers, student-athletes in the chairs in front, as coaches spoke at the podium to celebrate their talented teams.
Boys’ JV Basketball: Our junior varsity boys finished 0-12 overall, a season of repeated losses. The young roster finds footing in this winless year by looking to development. Players showed up each day and worked on fundamentals, and JV Coach Chris Spears repeatedly praised the players for their steady improvement and team cohesion despite the results. Ismael “Izzy” Cardenas, a freshman guard, was the team’s primary scorer and took home the Offensive Player of the Year award; junior Devon Stewart received the Coach’s Award after a season limited by his injury but defined by his leadership; sophomore Gavin McGarr was voted team MVP, and freshman Frank “Ace” Sands earned Defensive Player of the Year. JV did not qualify for playoffs.
Girls’ Varsity Basketball: The varsity girls went 7-11 overall and 1-7 in local league play, finishing fifth in league standings and ranking 12th by points in the CIF Northern Section Division 4. Senior forward and team anchor Brianna Hayes paced the team (13.9 PPG, 9.4 RPG; 223 points, 150 rebounds) and earned the MVP award and all-league honors. Brianna’s season placed her on multiple Northern Section and Division 4 leaderboards for scoring, rebounds, and double-doubles; coach Mikayla Bumgarner noted her multi-sport background and ongoing college recruitment at the ceremony. Sophomore Polly Hansen (7.7 PPG, 5.6 RPG) and senior Bella Haselton complemented frontcourt play in statistics; sophomore Serina Rogers earned Defensive Player of the Year, and Polly received the team’s “Beast Mode” award. Coach Mikayla Bumgarner — in her first season leading the program — praised the group’s adoption of new offensive and defensive strategies and singled out late additions who adapted quickly. The team fell short of NCS playoff qualification but built clear pieces to return with next year.
Boys’ Varsity Basketball: The varsity boys finished 0-22 overall and 0-8 in league play (5th place), including several lopsided losses such as a 100-25 defeat at Biggs and other double-digit losses. Still, Coach Ben Salberg framed the season around character and growth: with thin rosters at times, the team kept showing up, practiced hard, and improved their ball movement and decision-making as the year progressed. Senior A.J. Taylor was named the team’s MVP for his floor leadership and shooting; junior Elijah Hastain received the Hustle Award for his relentless effort; senior Brian Patton earned the team’s leadership (Lynx) honor, and senior Izaijah Bass was voted Most Improved. Statistics and team leaderboards had modest scoring and rebounding totals, but coaches repeatedly emphasized the experience gained by younger players who saw varsity minutes. The team did not qualify for playoffs.
Sideline Cheer: Coach Kirsten Frudden described this season as one of advancement, particularly in stunting. She credited both experienced members and newcomers for pushing the team’s limits. The Dynamic Stunting Duo award went to juniors Elena Cuny and Serenity Meyer for their quick progress in a newly formed stunt group; sophomore Jody Beckley was named Most Improved after her noticeable gains in technique, and sophomore Madison Henry received the Lynx Award as the team’s anchor. Frudden also highlighted the choreography and leadership contributed by junior Ava Patane and senior Stacey Hickman. She also emphasized that practice — even medicine-ball work at home — paid off in safer, more advanced lifts this season, particularly by Junior Jett Young. The team is likely to participate in competitions in the near future.
