This is a special class of seniors, a diverse ensemble of record breakers and champions. We will miss them, but at least they leave us with their legacy – in record books, in newspaper clippings, in school hallway photos, in state championship banners and in stories.
For many, their athletic careers are far from over. College awaits them. Some will leave Montana behind, at least for now, while others are sticking close to home. Several are going to Division-I schools and others are headed to smaller colleges.
They are Flathead Valley’s 2009 graduating class of athletes: Congratulations and good luck.
Here’s a sampling of the athletes who will play in college, though there are many more than this list has space to offer:
Brock Osweiler, a football and basketball star at Flathead High School, finished classes early to head down to Arizona and get a jumpstart on spring football. Osweiler earned a scholarship to play quarterback at Arizona State University and is already battling for the starting position as a true freshman. The 6-foot-8 flamethrower broke numerous school records and was named Montana Gatorade Football Player of the Year as a senior. He has been called the greatest quarterback to ever come out of Montana.
Emilee Hashley never had a problem excelling at athletics. Perhaps her biggest difficulty was deciding which sport to play in college: volleyball, basketball or track. She was an all-state performer in each sport at Glacier High School, ranking as one of the state’s top shot put throwers in track and using her 6-foot frame to shine on the basketball and volleyball courts. She will play volleyball at Montana Tech in Butte.
Larry Iverson III is one of the best prep golfers the state of Montana has ever seen. The Glacier High School graduate won consecutive Class AA titles his junior and senior years by a combined 13 strokes. He is also the two-time defending champion at Kalispell’s International Labor Day Golf Tournament and won the Don Barnett Memorial Golf Tournament in Missoula last month. Iverson, who once shot a 27 over nine holes, will golf at the University of Washington.
Colt Idol is Whitefish High School’s all-time leading scorer for boys basketball. In leading the Bulldogs to the state tournament his junior and senior seasons, Idol averaged a conference-best 22.1 and 20.3 points per game, respectively. Alternating between the shooting guard and small forward positions, the 6-foot-3 Idol was a three-time all-state selection. He will play basketball at Montana State University.
Kate Klundt led the Northwestern A conference in scoring and rebounding in her senior season on the Whitefish girls basketball team. Klundt, who played guard and forward, averaged 19.4 points and 11.1 rebounds per game. In a come-from-behind divisional win over Polson, she scored a career-high 32 points. She was named Class A all-state. Klundt will play at Whitworth University in Washington.
Tyler Thomas dominated on both the offensive and defensive lines throughout his high school football career at Flathead High School. He was also the runner-up twice at the Class AA state wrestling meet in the heavyweight division. At 6-feet-3 and 265 pounds, Thomas is an athletic lineman who doesn’t know yet if he’ll play offense or defense in college. He has a scholarship to play at Oregon State University.
Kelsey Hildal, a star point guard for Flathead High School, averaged 18.8 points per game in her only season for the Bravettes. After transferring from Ohio, the 5-foot-4 Hildal established herself as one of the top scoring guards in the state. She is quick, with superb ball-handling skills and a good pull-up jumper. She’s an excellent three-point shooter as well. Hildal has been invited to walk on to the University of Montana women’s basketball team.
Ben Cutler was the top scorer in Class AA as a senior, averaging 23.3 points per game, one of the highest AA scoring averages in the past decade. The 5-foot-11 guard led Glacier High School’s basketball team to the state tournament in only the program’s second year. Cutler, who also won state title in the 400-meter dash in track, has committed to play basketball at Carroll College in Helena.
Roxy Thurman finished her high school sports career as one of the top volleyball and basketball players in Bigfork High School’s history. She broke school records her senior year in scoring and steals in basketball, earning Class A all-state honors. Also an all-state volleyball performer, Thurman has elected to play basketball at the University of Montana-Western in Dillon.
Mackey Nolan was a tremendous all-around talent for the Columbia Falls football team and was also an all-state basketball player. In football, Nolan was named all-conference at four different positions: fullback, inside linebacker, place kicker and punter. He was named all-state at punter. At 6 feet and 200 pounds, Nolan has accepted a scholarship to be a punter at Montana State University.
Drew Coco was the best long-distance runner in the state this year at any level. The Whitefish senior won the Class A cross country title in the fall, was named the Montana Gatorade Cross Country Runner of the Year and then won three titles at the state track meet, sweeping the 800, 1,600 and 3,200 meters. He will run cross country, indoor track and outdoor track at the Naval Academy Preparatory School in Rhode Island for a year and then he’ll run at the Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md.
Lindsea Vaudt, like her classmate Hashley, was a top performer in each of the three sports seasons: tennis in the spring, basketball in the winter and volleyball in the fall. She has opted to play volleyball in college. As a senior, Vaudt finished among the state leaders in volleyball in assists and was named all-state. She will play at Concordia University in Nebraska.