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Photos by Nicole Flowers
May 8, 2024
Cardenas, Lawlis named Athletes of the Year at Bandera Spring Sports Banquet
By Brady Keane
The Bandera Prophet
The Bandera athletics department hosted its annual spring banquet Monday night, honoring the district’s powerlifting, soccer, basketball, golf, tennis, softball, baseball and track teams while also naming superlative award winners for the 2023-2024 school year.
Senior Jesse Cardenas was named Male Athlete of the Year for the second consecutive year and junior Kinlee Lawlis took home Female Athlete of the Year honors for the second straight year as well.
The honors came as no surprise, as Cardenas was a three-sport varsity athlete for the Bulldogs and earned All-State honors for his play on the football field in the fall. Cardenas was one stroke away from advancing to the regional golf tournament for a third time in four years, and also was a key contributor at first base for the Bulldog baseball team.
Lawlis did a little bit of everything for the Lady Bulldogs this year, earning first team all-district honors in volleyball before standing out as an honorable mention all-district selection in basketball. She was a key outfielder in softball, and set four school records (100m dash, 200m dash, long jump and 4x200m relay) on her way to a trip to the regional meet in track.
“I was proud of everything I accomplished this year,” Lawlis said. “But I’m definitely motivated to continue to build on those accomplishments as I get ready for my senior year.”
Carlye Niccum, who is ranked 5th in her class of 173 and has a 100 grade point average, was awarded the Female Academic Achievement Award, honoring the highest ranking female athlete. Niccum participated in cross country and track and field, and earned Academic All-State honors in both sports.
On the boys’ side, Ben Adamietz earned the Academic Achievement Award. Adamietz is ranked 4th in his class and earned academic all-state honors in track and cross country as well.
The coaching staff also recognized a male and female Bulldog Heart Award Winner, honoring student-athletes who represent the athletic program with pride and exemplify the program’s core values. The male winner was junior Roman Rigelsky, who athletic director Joel Fontenot-Amedee said holds himself and his teammates to a high standard daily.
“It meant a lot to me,” Rigelsky said. “I was unsuspecting of it going into the night and I am proud and honored to be recognized by my coaches.”
Hamilton also expressed excitement with the recognition after battling through a knee injury as a junior this year. Assistant athletic director Brooke Ashcraft said Hamilton has continued to play a vital role in the volleyball and track programs and doesn’t look for excuses when it would be easy to find one.
“The award made it feel like all of the hardships I faced and had to overcome this year were noticed by our coaches,” Hamilton said. “It’s been tough fighting back through another knee injury but I’m so excited to get back on the court and finish my senior season with my teammates in the fall.”
Sophomore Taytum Moeller and Lawlis, who each lettered in five varsity sports, were honored with the Super Bulldog Award, which recognizes individuals who have participated and lettered in four or more sports.
In the team sport portion of the banquet, coaches recognized the boys’ basketball program’s third straight trip to the playoffs. Girls basketball and girls soccer both won double digit games, and boys soccer and baseball were both just a few plays away from being back in the playoffs.
The boys track team had regional qualifiers in the 110 hurdles and 400-meter run, and the girls track team competed at regionals in the 100 hurdles, 100 meter dash, 200 meter dash, long jump and 4x200 meter relay. Powerlifting had a regional qualifier as well, and the golf program was one stroke away from bringing home a regional qualifier.
“Overall, it was another great year in Bulldog athletics,” Fontenot-Amedee said.
Senior Jesse Cardenas was named Male Athlete of the Year for the second consecutive year and junior Kinlee Lawlis took home Female Athlete of the Year honors for the second straight year as well.
The honors came as no surprise, as Cardenas was a three-sport varsity athlete for the Bulldogs and earned All-State honors for his play on the football field in the fall. Cardenas was one stroke away from advancing to the regional golf tournament for a third time in four years, and also was a key contributor at first base for the Bulldog baseball team.
Lawlis did a little bit of everything for the Lady Bulldogs this year, earning first team all-district honors in volleyball before standing out as an honorable mention all-district selection in basketball. She was a key outfielder in softball, and set four school records (100m dash, 200m dash, long jump and 4x200m relay) on her way to a trip to the regional meet in track.
“I was proud of everything I accomplished this year,” Lawlis said. “But I’m definitely motivated to continue to build on those accomplishments as I get ready for my senior year.”
Carlye Niccum, who is ranked 5th in her class of 173 and has a 100 grade point average, was awarded the Female Academic Achievement Award, honoring the highest ranking female athlete. Niccum participated in cross country and track and field, and earned Academic All-State honors in both sports.
On the boys’ side, Ben Adamietz earned the Academic Achievement Award. Adamietz is ranked 4th in his class and earned academic all-state honors in track and cross country as well.
The coaching staff also recognized a male and female Bulldog Heart Award Winner, honoring student-athletes who represent the athletic program with pride and exemplify the program’s core values. The male winner was junior Roman Rigelsky, who athletic director Joel Fontenot-Amedee said holds himself and his teammates to a high standard daily.
“It meant a lot to me,” Rigelsky said. “I was unsuspecting of it going into the night and I am proud and honored to be recognized by my coaches.”
Hamilton also expressed excitement with the recognition after battling through a knee injury as a junior this year. Assistant athletic director Brooke Ashcraft said Hamilton has continued to play a vital role in the volleyball and track programs and doesn’t look for excuses when it would be easy to find one.
“The award made it feel like all of the hardships I faced and had to overcome this year were noticed by our coaches,” Hamilton said. “It’s been tough fighting back through another knee injury but I’m so excited to get back on the court and finish my senior season with my teammates in the fall.”
Sophomore Taytum Moeller and Lawlis, who each lettered in five varsity sports, were honored with the Super Bulldog Award, which recognizes individuals who have participated and lettered in four or more sports.
In the team sport portion of the banquet, coaches recognized the boys’ basketball program’s third straight trip to the playoffs. Girls basketball and girls soccer both won double digit games, and boys soccer and baseball were both just a few plays away from being back in the playoffs.
The boys track team had regional qualifiers in the 110 hurdles and 400-meter run, and the girls track team competed at regionals in the 100 hurdles, 100 meter dash, 200 meter dash, long jump and 4x200 meter relay. Powerlifting had a regional qualifier as well, and the golf program was one stroke away from bringing home a regional qualifier.
“Overall, it was another great year in Bulldog athletics,” Fontenot-Amedee said.