Never let it be said that Oxford High School doesn’t know how to honor student athletes for their hard work and perseverance.
OHS has just capped a phenomenal year of accomplishment, and its athletic programs have led the way. So, to demonstrate their appreciation for the dedication exhibited by OHS seniors, the Oxford Wildcats Athletic Boosters recognized 108 athletes (for a complete list of all the honorees, please see Page 12) from the Class of 2012 on May 27 at the OHS Performing Arts Center.
The 2012 crop of OHS seniors was comprised of 64 males and 44 females who earned a combined 434 letters over four years at OHS, the most ever by a Wildcat graduating class.
Michael Kitchner had the most letters among the men in his graduating class, 12 in all, while among the lady Wildcats, Heather Lafnear had the most at nine. Kitchner has been awarded a full scholarship to Ashland University in Ohio, where he will play baseball and kick for the football team.
From these ranks, two athletes rose to claim the highest OHS athletic awards. The Helen Smith trophy, awarded to the best senior female athlete of the year, went to Brittany Johnson. Johnson took home the top prize for her exceptional performances in Cross Country and Track, in which she has garnered five letters.
Prescott Line won the George Prince Award, an honor given out yearly to the Best Male Athlete of the graduating class. Line is well known for his standout efforts as starting fullback, was also successful at his endeavors in Wrestling, Track, and Golf. Line has earned 10 letters over the last four years. Line is headed for Southern Methodist University next year.
The Wildcat Scholar-Athlete awards went to Brooklyn Allen and Marshall VerSteeg. These students merited the honor because of their cumulative GPAs, the two highest among senior athletes at OHS. Allen led the way with a 3.99, while VerSteeg closed his high school career at 3.985
The Bud Rowley Scholarship was bestowed on Anthony Cappuccilli, a starting running back for the Wildcats.
The keynote speech was delivered by Oxford parent and Board of Education member Bill Keenist. Keenist regaled the listening seniors with tales of Barry Sanders? perseverance, and encouraged the athletes to remember their many hours of practice and the working through adversity, encouraging them to ‘lean on never quitting,? as they have so far in their pursuit of excellence.