Cheboygan area high school sports 2023-24 awards, Part 1: The best athlete interactions

CHEBOYGAN – Everything slows down in July.

Sure, there’s things to look forward to like fall sports season , but that’s still a few weeks away.

One of the shows I loved watching as a youngster was ESPN’s ESPY awards, recognizing the year that was in sports.

While I haven’t watched that show in years, I recently came up with the idea of my own awards show when it comes to Cheboygan area sports. In what’s going to be at least a two-part series, here’s my version of the ESPY's.

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Here's a look at Part 1, which primarily focuses on my interactions with area athletes during the 2023-24 year.

Best Interview, Part 1: Justin Kramer-St. German (Onaway) – Ironically, I never had a full chat with Kramer-St. Germain prior to his senior football season , but during what was a memorable campaign for the Cardinals, he was fun to listen to from start to finish. While our talks lasted about 4-5 minutes, he was somebody you could’ve listened to for hours. That’s one senior I’ll miss.

Best Interview, Part 2: Gavin Rose (Cheboygan) – Another athlete I rarely chatted with until he was a senior was Rose, a stellar three-sport athlete for the Chiefs. From our talks during football season through hockey , he was a joy to listen to. Like Kramer-St. Germain, you could listen to him talk all day with how well he spoke.

Best Interview, Part 3: Gracie Beauchamp (Mackinaw City) – Whether it was following another dominating Mackinaw City win, talking about her twin sister Jersey, or speaking after signing to play women’s basketball at Olivet, Beauchamp was one of my favorite interviews and helped make my stories fun.

Favorite Random Interview: Jack Wilson (Inland Lakes) – It’s not too often when I’ll interview an athlete right in the middle of a game, but on this random Saturday – with Inland Lakes football blowing out Morenci – I went up and talked to offensive lineman Jack Wilson. A few minutes later, the interview was so solid that I had a story about one of the best position groups in the area . Thanks, Jack!

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Most Energetic: Sabastian Pierce (Mackinaw City) – From the moment I met him following Mackinaw City’s regional semifinal basketball win over Onaway in 2023 until a baseball game this past April, I don’t think I’ve talked to a more positive and upbeat person than Pierce , who was stellar in both sports.

Most Professional: Connor Wallace (Inland Lakes) – If there was someone around this area who always sounded like a professional athlete when I talked to him, it was this three-time first team all-state baseball player , who was a thrill to cover no matter what sport he played. I talked to Wallace so many times, and it was a pleasure each time.

Friendliest: Emily Clark (Cheboygan) – She might’ve been one of the quietest athletes I’ve ever covered, but the rare times I talked to this excellent three-sporter, Clark was great. From the first chat we had during golf season to a random talk after a basketball win, Clark could not have been nicer. And yeah, the basketball feature I wrote about her was one of my favorites of the year .

Contact sports editor Jared Greenleaf at jgreenleaf@gannett.com . Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter @sportsCDT

This article originally appeared on Cheboygan Daily Tribune: Cheboygan area high school sports 2023-24 awards, Part 1: The best athlete interactions