Cheboygan area high school sports 2023-24 awards, Part 3: Recognizing the athletes, key moments

CHEBOYGAN – We’ve finally reached the end of the Daily Tribune’s version of the ESPY awards .

So, here comes Part 3, which recognizes some of the most elite athletes and performances over the past year.

Best Senior Season: Taylor Bent (Cheboygan Girls Soccer) – This could have gone to many others, but I decided to go with this stellar Cheboygan standout, who tore it up on the pitch. Not only was Bent’s play superb, but her resiliency was also equally impressive. After suffering a knee injury midway through the campaign, Bent returned and finished strong. In the end, the future Grand Rapids Community College player earned all-state honorable mention recognition.

Most Electrifying Athlete: Aidan Fenstermaker (Inland Lakes) – I could talk about this kid as a football player for days , knowing the kind of heart, passion and drive he has. But this goes for all sports with Fenstermaker, who was dynamic in basketball and baseball as well. One of the most athletic kids in the area, it was a joy to watch Fenstermaker make big plays constantly over the last year. And the cool thing is, I've got one more year to cover him.

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Clutch Moment of the Year, Part 1: Cole Selke’s regional final gem against Inland Lakes – In the biggest of games, Selke was brilliant as he slowed down the Bulldogs with the best outing of his career . Despite surrendering a run in the first inning, Selke settled down and went the distance with a seven-inning complete game, allowing just three hits in a 3-1 regional championship victory. For a player who battled injuries during the season, this was a wonderful way to cap off a terrific career.

Clutch Moment of the Year, Part 2: Bella Ecker’s three to beat St. Ignace – In a defensive clash, big shots were hard to come by for the Chiefs and Saints. But late in the fourth quarter, Ecker, a senior for Cheboygan, drilled a 3-pointer – perhaps the biggest shot of her career – as the Chiefs held on for their first win over the Saints since 2015 . This wasn’t the prettiest of games, but this was one of those classic senior moments many fans love seeing.

Clutch Moment of the Year, Part 3: Willey’s two TD catches in the state final – Playing in the biggest game of his life, the senior wideout delivered multiple times for the Bulldogs , catching passes of 24 and 35 yards to help put Inland Lakes up 14-0. The more thrilling of the two came on the final play of the first half, when quarterback Aidan Fenstermaker delivered a beautiful throw to Willey, who made the catch and lunged into the end zone.

Best Duo, Part 1: Austin Veal and Jadin Mix (Onaway Boys Basketball) – I’ve seen some great duos in my time up here – Pellston’s Chris Hass/Andy Hamlin and Blake Cassidy/Tanner Byard come to mind – but over the last few years, Veal and Mix put themselves at the top of my list. The smooth scoring of Veal combined with the ferocious defense and solid offense of Mix made th ese two tough to stop.

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Best Duo, Part II: Gracie and Jersey Beauchamp (Mackinaw City Girls Basketball) – When you lose almost your entire starting lineup, things are bound to get tougher. But thankfully for the Mackinaw City girls, they saw the return of the Beauchamp twins , a terrific duo who fueled the Comets to a 20-win season and an undefeated Northern Lakes Conference clip. Gracie’s final season finished with an all-state honorable mention nod, while Jersey came back from a knee injury and delivered an outstanding all-around campaign.

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 3: Recognizing the athletes, key moments