Clark High’s Christian Ong and Spring Valley High’s Guadalupe Gomez-Navarro stand with Marsha Gilford, vice president of public affairs at Smith’s Food & Drug, and Smith’s district manager Jake Cannon during the inaugural Las Vegas Sun Standout Awards on Thursday, May 19, 2016, at South Point. Smith’s presented each of the scholar athletes of the year with a $2,500 scholarship.
Friday, May 20, 2016 | 2 a.m.
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Athletes should always believe in themselves.
Those were the parting words of retiring Eldorado High soccer coach Gerald Pentsil Thursday night at the South Point Showroom and a fitting final message of the 2016 Las Vegas Sun Standout Awards. Greenspun Media Group, publisher of the Las Vegas Sun, and Smith’s Food and Drug presented the awards show that recognized 13 winners in a variety of categories related to high school athletics.
Pentsil took home the Hank Greenspun Lifetime Achievement Award.
“I’m truly honored to have been able to teach and coach the people I’ve come across,” Pentsil said in his acceptance speech.
Brian Greenspun, the Sun’s owner, editor and publisher, presented the award after Pentsil received special recognition from Javier Rivera-Rojas, a representative from Sen. Harry Reid’s office.
Pentsil’s moment concluded the inaugural Sun Standout Awards, which will become an annual event acknowledging the year’s top players, performances, moments and more.
“My father, Hank Greenspun, established the Sun Youth Forum 60 years ago to bring together the best and brightest high school students,” Brian Greenspun said. “Tonight, we began a new tradition that we expect to carry the same longevity in the realm of high school athletics.”
Although Pentsil’s award was announced beforehand, the night produced a number of surprises. The Scholar Athletes of the Year, Guadalupe Gomez-Navarro from Spring Valley High and Christian Ong from Clark High, were stunned when Smith’s Vice President of Public Affairs Marsha Gilford and District Manager Jake Cannon presented them with $2,500 scholarships.
“I was never expecting that,” Gomez-Navarro said. “I know it’s going to help me in college, and be very useful.”
Ty Smith, a sophomore wrestler at Virgin Valley who went 54-0 this season, expressed complete shock at winning the Rising Star Award, which drew the most nominations out of every category. Arbor View senior baseball star Nick Quintana, who hit 15 home runs in 89 at-bats this season, was equally taken aback by earning the trophy for Male Athlete of the Year.
“All the hard work has paid off,” Quintana said. “Since my freshman year, I was on varsity and never took a day off. To get this award just means everything.”
Jeanne Carmell, quarterback of the Boulder City flag football team, won Female Athlete of the Year, the first award of the night. Other special presenters included Las Vegas Bowl Executive Director John Saccenti, who recognized the Chaparral High football team.
The Cowboys earned Game of the Year for their dramatic 21-20 upset victory over Faith Lutheran in the Division 1A quarterfinals.
Teressa Conley, president and CEO of Dignity Health — St. Rose Dominican Hospitals, gave out Support Staff of the Year honors, which went to Clark County School District Transportation Coordinator Tony Betka.
Check below for the full list of winners from the 2016 Las Vegas Sun Standout Awards and pick up this week’s edition of The Sunday magazine, which hits newsstands everywhere this weekend, for expanded coverage.
Female Athlete of the Year: Jeanne Carmell, Boulder City flag football
Finalists: Katherine Ballou, Foothill soccer; Taylor Kornieck, Coronado soccer; Sam Thomas, Centennial basketball; Cali Thompson. Coronado volleyball
Male Athlete of the Year: Nick Quintana, Arbor View baseball
Finalists: Nathaniel Garcia, Cimarron-Memorial wrestling; Dylan Levitt, Palo Verde tennis; Ivan Lopez, Clark soccer; Biaggio Ali-Walsh, Bishop Gorman football
Female Scholar Athlete of the Year: Guadalupe Gomez-Navarro, Spring Valley tennis and track
Male Scholar Athlete of the Year: Christian Ong, Clark tennis
Citizen of the Year: Alisa Blevins, Rancho softball
Finalists: Gabrielle Costa, Shadow Ridge track and field; Madison Macove, Spring Valley golf
Game of the Year: Chaparral 21, Faith Lutheran 20 in Division 1A football state quarterfinals
Rising Star Award: Ty Smith, Virgin Valley wrestling
Finalists: Annick Haczkiewicz, Palo Verde golf; Michael Pasimo, Clark tennis; Kenyon Oblad, Liberty football; Whittnee Nihipali, Shadow Ridge volleyball
Coach of the Year: Chad Beeten, Clark basketball
Finalists: Jon Ferry, Green Valley wrestling; Reggie Ingram, Eldorado basketball; Paul Nihipali, Chaparral football; Karen Weitz; Centennial girl’s basketball
Support Staff of the Year: Tony Betka, Clark County School District transportation coordinator
Moment of the Year: Ron Chan, Desert Oasis basketball
Team of the Year: Centennial girl’s basketball
Finalists: Boulder City flag football; Green Valley wrestling; Arbor View girl’s soccer
Sun Standout Award: Bishop Gorman football
Hank Greenspun Lifetime Achievement Award: Gerald Pentsil, Eldorado soccer
Case Keefer can be reached at 702-948-2790 or [email protected]. Follow Case on Twitter at twitter.com/casekeefer.
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