The Salem-Keizer High School Sports Booster Club held its fifth annual Beacon Awards on Thursday and celebrated community members past and present who have had a lasting impact on local prep athletics.
Held at the Elsinore Theater, the Beacon Awards are intended to "shine a light" on former and current standout athletes who have shown excellence and leadership, while also helping remove financial barriers to athletic participation. Earlier this year, the Sports Booster Club announced payouts of $2,500 to each of the six Salem-Keizer high schools in order to increase the opportunities for local prep athletes.
Throughout the course of the ceremony, SKHSSBC president Bryan Sutherland and vice president Scott Whipple recognized three nominees and one athlete of the year for each OSAA-sponsored sport offered in the district — as well as overall athletes of the year.
Additionally, the organization honored four community Beacons, six school Beacons — one from each Salem-Keizer school — and a 2023-24 coach of the year.
“Some have actually participated in S-K athletics, some have coached and/or administered. And some have just made sure high school athletics in Salem-Keizer actually happen," Whipple said in a press release prior to the event. "Many have fulfilled all those roles. But each of our Beacons are people who have been role models for the rest of us, shining a light on the importance of high school athletics."
The following individuals were honored as school and community Beacons:
School Beacons
Kent Brewer, McKay
Larry Gahr, McNary
John McArdle, North Salem
Terry Haugen, South Salem
Kary Hadden, Sprague
Dan Evans, West Salem
Community Beacons
Mike Allegre
Pete Hoffert
Don Kerzel
Fred Martin
South Salem baseball head coach Max Price was honored as the 2023-24 coach of the year. Price led the Saxons to a 25-4 record that culminated with a trip to the 6A state semifinals. In total, six South Salem players earned all-state accolades. Five of those players are slated to return for the Saxons next season. University of Oregon baseball commit Carter Nelson was the program's lone senior this season.
West Salem distance runner Jack Meier was honored as the male athlete of the year. Meier captured the 6A state cross-country title at 5,000 meters with a winning time of 15 minutes, 23.7 seconds. He also notched a fifth-place finish in the 1,500 and an 11th-place finish in the 3,000 at the 6A state track and field championships this spring. Earlier this week, Meier capped off his high school career with a seventh-place 5,000 finish at Nike Outdoor Nationals. Meier will run both cross country and track and field at the University of Oregon next season.
McNary multi-sport standout Ali Martinez was honored as the female athlete of the year. Martinez captured back-to-back state wrestling titles during her junior and senior seasons. She ended her prep career with a 76-4 record. Martinez also earned first-team all-state honors as an infielder for McNary's softball team this spring, and she played quarterback for the school's flag football team. She plans to attend Oregon State University next fall to study kinesiology in order to become a physical therapist.
The Beacon Athlete of the Year nominees and winners for each sport are listed below. Winners are denoted in bold.
Football
Hatimu Letisi – South Salem
Athan Palmateer – South Salem
Jamahl Wilson – North Salem
Volleyball
Brooke Friesen – Sprague
Sidney Friesen – Sprague
Malena Mathis – South Salem
Boys Cross Country
Justin Bell – West Salem
Garrett Fenske – West Salem
Jack Meier – West Salem
Girls Cross Country
Nelida Dalgas – North Salem
Gitte Lonigan – West Salem
Avery Meier – West Salem
Boys Soccer
Anthony Flores - North Salem
Andrew O'Dell – West Salem
Jonathan Ruiz – McNary
Girls Soccer
Maya Alston – McNary
Morgan Duke – West Salem
Amity Rogers - Sprague
Boys Basketball
Steven Adams - McNary
Jackson Leach - West Salem
Jarod Stanley - Sprague
Girls Basketball
Avery Buss - McNary
Sadie Paterson - South Salem
Emma Zuniga - West Salem
Boys Swimming
Jackson Brown - Sprague
Jarrod Coy - West Salem
Licos Navarro - South Salem
Girls Swimming
Sophia Buswell - South Salem
Abby Evans - West Salem
Odelya Laroya - West Salem
Boys Wrestling
Cougar Bailey - West Salem
Andrey Cernev - Sprague
Kenya Johnson - Sprague
Girls Wrestling
Reese Lawson - West Salem
Ali Martinez - McNary
Mariko Sonis - North Salem
Boys Golf
Elijah Clendening - McNary
Riley Quillin - West Salem
Clayton Watters - Sprague
Girls Golf
Emily Keel - Sprague
Isabella Morrow - Sprague
Riley Sparkman - West Salem
Boys Track and Field
Mihaly Akpamgbo - West Salem
Logan Hilty - West Salem
Abdoulie Jallow - McKay
Baseball
Carter Nelson - South Salem
Gavin Price - South Salem
Teagan Scott - South Salem
Softball
Braeli Martin- West Salem
Callie Stubbs - Sprague
Rowan Thompson - South Salem
Girls Track and Field
Jackie Bier - North Salem
Avery Meier - West Salem
Isabel Zamora Mercado - McKay
Boys Tennis
Jabin Barkes - Sprague
Lincoln Basl and Jacob Hoda (doubles) - Sprague
Noah Leichty - South Salem
Girls Tennis
Anna Ainsworth - Sprague
Sadie Paterson - South Salem
Tirzah Tarbox - Sprague
Jarrid Denney covers high school sports and Oregon State for the Statesman Journal. He can be reached at JDenney@salem.gannett.com or on X @jarrid_denney
This article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: Salem-Keizer athletes, leaders honored at 2024 Beacon Awards
