Class of 2014: An Exceptional Year
May 5, 2014
It is hard to argue that the 2013-2014 Manitou Springs High School athletic seasons have not earned the title of “One of Manitou’s best”. Since the Justin Armour era, Manitou Springs High School has not received this much attention for their athletic performance, let alone for each and every sport. Justin Armour lead all four years in a dominant reign, becoming a 3-sport scholarship athlete and eventually winning a Super-Bowl in the NFL. The era also boasts a track state title and a volleyball state title.
However, this year from Golf to Football, Basketball to Wrestling, and Soccer to Track and Field, Manitou Springs has proved themselves dominant.
The senior class of 2014 has provided Manitou with many great athletes and leaders. With each senior athlete competing in their last seasons of high school sports, never to return again, records are broken, history was made, and motivation is at an all time high.
The season starter early for the football team. Over the summer of 2013, Seniors Morgan Burnell and Dustin Bohnert were gearing up for what turned out to be an unforgettable football season. Burnell finished the season with a total of over 900 rushing yards averaging 74 per game. Burnell also had 13 touchdowns. From a career standpoint, Burnell finished with a total of over 1400 yards through three years of varsity play contributing to 21 total touchdowns and the award of Tri-Peaks Running Back of the year as well as All-state First Team. Burnell was not the only senior performer. Bohnert finished his senior season with over 400 receiving yards with an average of 34 yards per game going towards 6 touchdowns. Bohnert was also a three year varsity football player earning over 700 career receiving yards. Bohnert also earned an outstanding title of Tri-Peaks Receiver of the year. Both Burnell and Bohnert are going to CSU Pueblo to continue their athletic careers.
“The change in motivation from freshman year to senior year was huge. All I want to do is be the best I possibly can be.” -Morgan Burnell
“Whenever I get down on myself or think that I can’t do it, I think of my Dad.” -Dustin Bohnert
As the football team continued their success, the soccer team was busy creating a legacy of their own. The Manitou soccer team finished their season 12-4. Among the top soccer players in the state of Colorado, came senior Sawyer Lincoln. In a four year varsity career, Lincoln managed to break the school scoring record in his freshman year, instantly establishing a career of dominance. In his senior year, Lincoln netted 28 goals and 7 assists. From freshman year to senior year, Lincoln described a metamorphosis, “As a freshman, I had a cocky attitude. After a couple of years, I changed and grew as a player where my cocky attitude changed into a level of confidence and motivation. More so in my senior year.” Lincoln was the team captain this year, expected to show leadership in every aspect of his game. “The class of 2014 is the best senior class Manitou has ever had” Lincoln said. “The great group of kids I am going to graduate with has been a huge factor the the success every senior athlete has experienced this year. Growing up around most of these seniors and watching them become top level athletes is an incredible feeling.” Lincoln has committed to Regis Jesuit to continue his soccer career.
”A lot of kids aren’t as fortunate as I am and cannot do the things I do. I feel obligated to do the best I can at all times, because a lot of kids would kill to be in my position.” -Sawyer Lincoln
Despite the loss of various players to the Mustang basketball team, Chase Megyeri kept optimistic about his last season as a Mustang. Megyeri has always been a devoted athlete, remaining serious about his training from freshmen year to present, saying, “I have always pushed my hardest in practice and in games, but these last few playoff games I made sure to give even more than I thought I could because I knew those games would be the last few games of my basketball career.” Megyeri had an outstanding senior season knowing that it would be his last, averaging 26 points and totaling 423 points for the season. Megyeri scored almost half of his career points his senior season, 929 being his total career amount. Megyeri is very pleased with the season, but is more happy for his entire senior class of athletic elites. “I’m happy to see all of the success around me, especially because I have grown up with most of them and they are like brothers to me.” Megyeri plans to attend Metro State, his major is undeclared.
“I can do all things through christ who strengthens me” Phil. 4:13 -Chase Megyeri
Along with the winter sports teams success stories, comes one on an individual level. A four year varsity athlete Ryan Carpenter, disappointed with his junior season without making state, put in an incredible amount of hard work into his senior wrestling season. “I was doing two a days at least five days a week in the off season at the Olympic Training Center,” Carpenter describes. The hard off-season work contributed to Carpenter’s State appearance in the 2013-2014 season. “I’m proud to graduate around all of the talent within our senior class” says Carpenter. Throughout all of the tough workouts and the days Carpenter didn’t feel like training, he never gave up. Carpenter is committed to wrestling for the School of Mines and becoming an mechanical engineer.
“When I don’t feel like doing one more set or going on, I know that down the line it all will come down to the one moment I felt like giving up and chose not to. So I push on.” – Ryan Carpenter
Girls Volleyball and Girls Basketball made strong impressions to every 3A team in the state this season. Though the majority of each team consists mainly of underclassman, senior Kristi Longfield stands out amongst the seniors. “As a freshman, I admired and looked up to the senior class. I admired the drive and hunger of each senior to make it to state.” Longfield explains. “I saw what it did to each senior who didn’t make it happen, and that was my motivation for the rest of my high school career.” The amount of resilience and unwillingness to give up found within both the volleyball team and basketball team share a common trend in Longfield’s competitive and mature style of team leadership. “I saw the leadership the seniors portrayed when I was a freshman. I won’t get another chance.” Longfield received the Boettcher scholarship, which pays in full for the school of her choice in Colorado. Longfield plans to study pre-med as well as double major in physiology and spanish at CU-Boulder.
“I hated every minute of training, but I said “don’t quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life a champion”.-Mohammed Ali” -Kristi Longfield
Beginning in his freshman year, Marcus Rodholm proved to have lots of potential for Manitou track and cross country, however, “I was somewhat motivated as an underclassmen, but most of the motivation came from my parents,” stated Rodholm. After Rodholm’s Junior track season, he finally recognized his true potential, and he didn’t want to live with the fact that he had wasted it. “I became extremely dedicated and really clamped down for the last part of my high school career, I hope to stay as dedicated for the rest of my life,” said Rodholm. However sacrifices had to made, Rodholm was forced to quit basketball, being that he was one of the teams biggest contributors and he really enjoyed the sport it was a difficult decision. Rodholm’s decision proved to be the right one, training over the winter gave hia competitive advantage over numerous runners that had beaten him at the State Championship meet last year, ranking him as the second fastest miler in division 3A for the state of Colorado, which is very impessive considering the fact that he placed tenth the year prior to his senior season. Rodholm’s success has been a large contribution to the overall success of this years senior class of elite athletes. “Its really special to be apart of this group of athletes because many thought that our class wouldn’t amount to anything,” said Rodholm. Rodholm plans to run for ASU and major in business, after that he plans to serve for the army.
“Remember the guy who gave up? Neither does anybody else.” – Marcus Rodholm
Along with spring individual sports, comes girls golf. Manitou’s own Mattie Schwall is known around colorado as one of the top golfers. “As a freshman, everyone took girls golf as a joke. I realize now as a senior that in order to be a top athlete in the state, you have to have the motivation to better yourself.” Schwall made her way into state every year since freshman year and is looking to make her reappearance her senior year. “I know a lot of people thought that the class of 2013 was going to be the last real class of athletes for a while and its a good feeling to prove them wrong.” Says Schwall, “Its a great feeling to be around all of these kids I’ve grown up with since first grade turn into these successful athletes.” Schwall has been dedicated to her training since freshman year, being inspired by her swinging coach to compete at her best each meet. Schwall plans on attending Millsaps College in Jackson, Mississippi and playing golf at the next level.
“When I’m not into it mentally, I remember my swinging coach telling me to “Champ it up” so I go out and give it my best shot.”- Mattie Schwall
From 2010 to present, the class of 2014 has left behind a legacy of athletes and success stories are argumentatively unmatched by any Manitou class in history. The amount of class and sportsmanship portrayed by the seniors will be remembered for years and years to come and the names of the athletes of the class of 2014 will live on through records that have been broken. The stories of hard work, discipline, and dedication will inspire the future athletes of Manitou Springs High School to become something greater than they had ever imagined. The future of athletics at Manitou is looking very bright, and you can thank the class of 2014.
