MUSKEGON – Each year, a Muskegon Area Sports Hall of Fame subcommittee selects Scholar-Athlete Award finalists and winners from a list of nominees submitted by area schools.
One senior female and one senior male from each Muskegon-area school is nominated for the award.
Scholar-Athlete Award winners for 2023 will be honored during the Hall of Fame’s annual induction ceremony and banquet Saturday, June 10, at VanDyk Mortgage Convention Center in downtown Muskegon.
Tickets for the Hall of Fame banquet are available to the public and cost $50. You may purchase tickets by CLICKING HERE.
Here are the male Scholar-Athlete Award nominees, finalists and award winner for 2023:
Notes:
- The numbers next to sports listed denote years of high school participation in that sport, not varsity letters.
- Muskegon-area schools not represented below did not submit nominations.
AWARD WINNER
MATT DANICEK, OAKRIDGE
Sports: Football (4), Basketball (4), Baseball (3, plus COVID year).
GPA: 3.683.
Athletic honors/awards: All-state, all-region, all-district and all-conference in football as a two-year starting quarterback and defensive back; all-conference honorable mention in basketball; academic all-conference scholar-athlete; earned 10 varsity letters.
Academic honors/awards: Magna Cord recipient; National Honor Society; Honor Roll.
Extracurricular activities: Volunteer to work basketball camp for Oakridge youth; gymnastics volunteer; also volunteered to help at a 5k race and with recycling efforts.
Future plans: Attending Muskegon Community College on the Muskegon Promise Scholarship to attain an associates degree. Considering business as a major.
FINALISTS
JORDAN BRIGGS, MUSKEGON
Sports: Basketball (4), Cross Country (4).
GPA: 3.72.
Athletic honors/awards: Two-time first-team all-state in basketball; 1,000-point scorer in basketball; led Muskegon to MHSAA Division 1 state finals as a senior; two-time MLive Muskegon Player of the Year in basketball; three-time all-conference in basketball; broke single-season and career records at Muskegon for 3-pointers made.
Academic honors/awards: National Honor Society; four-year member of the Muskegon High School Honor Roll.
Future plans: Signed with Wayne State University, where he will be playing basketball and studying marketing.
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SHANE COOK, WHITEHALL
Sports: Football (4), Wrestling (4).
GPA: 4.09.
Athletic honors/awards: Undefeated state champion (62-0) in Division 3 for 285 pounds in wrestling; 172-16 career record with 118 pins in wrestling with two all-state finishes; four-time all-conference in wrestling, three-time GMAA champion, three-time district and regional champ; member of two state runner-up wrestling teams; in football, first-team all-conference and academic all-state as a three-year starter on varsity.
Academic honors/awards: National Honor Society.
Future plans: Signed to wrestling at Division I Cleveland State University, where he intends to study math and education.
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HUNTER HOGAN, RAVENNA
Sports: Football (4), Soccer (4), Basketball (4), Track (3, plus COVID year), Baseball (2).
GPA: 3.0.
Athletic honors/awards: First-team all-state in football; CatchMark SportsNet West Michigan Conference Player of the Year in football; MLive Muskegon Dream Team in football; all-conference honorable mention in basketball; 15 varsity letters (no letters award in 2020 spring season because of COVID).
Extracurricular activities: Volunteer for Ravenna youth basketball and football; attended homecoming dance after being named homecoming king, but left early to be on the sideline with the kids at Ravenna’s “Under the Lights” youth football game.
Future plans: Attending Calvin University, where he will play football and study education.
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SAM KARTES, MUSKEGON CATHOLIC CENTRAL
Sports: Football (4), Basketball (4), Baseball (3, plus COVID year).
GPA: 3.973.
Athletic honors/awards: All-state in football two years; academic all-state in football as a senior; MLive Muskegon Dream Team in football two years; all-state academic in baseball; nine varsity letters.
Academic honors/awards: Top 10 in his class all four years of high school; National Honor Society; class vice president.
Future plans: Attending Kalamazoo College to study physics and play football. After Kalamazoo College, plans to attend U-M or WMU to earn a degree in aerospace engineering. Dream job is to work for NASA and be part of the team that will send the first person to Mars.
OTHER NOMINEES
Travis Boughan, Shelby
Sports: Football (4), Wrestling (3), Basketball (1), Baseball (4).
GPA: 3.24.
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Wyatt Dean, Hart
Sports: Cross Country (4), Basketball (4), Track and Field (4).
GPA: 3.8.
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Jack Duggins, Spring Lake
Sports: Football (4), Basketball (4), Track and Field (2).
GPA: 4.0.
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Sam Gallo, North Muskegon
Sports: Football (4), Basketball (4), Baseball (4).
GPA: 3.693.
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Grant Harkness, Newaygo
Sports: Football (4), Basketball (4), Baseball (3, plus COVID year).
GPA: 4.499.
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Silas Jancek, Montague
Sports: Football (4), Track and Field (4), Powerlifting.
GPA: 3.992.
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Paschal Jolman, Fruitport
Sports: Football (4), Basketball (4), Track and Field (1).
GPA: 3.307.
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Kyler Larson, Kent City
Sports: Football (4), Basketball (4), Baseball (3, plus COVID year).
GPA: 3.54.
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Josh McManus, Grand Haven
Sports: Football (4), Track and Field (4), Wrestling (1).
GPA: 4.18.
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Michael Romero, Fremont
Sports: Football (4), Wrestling (4), Track and Field (1), Golf (3), Baseball (1).
GPA: 3.89.
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Alexander Sayer, Hesperia
Sports: Wrestling (4), Baseball (4).
GPA: 3.56.
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Kyle Schlaff, Reeths-Puffer
Sports: Basketball (4), Baseball (4).
GPA: 4.333.
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Gavyn Stout, Mona Shores
Sports: Soccer (4), Wrestling (4).
GPA: 4.547.
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Korbin TenBrink, Orchard View
Sports: Soccer (4), Cross Country (1), Basketball (3), Bowling (2), Baseball (3).
GPA: 3.8.
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