Former WHS star honored again

WASILLA — It’s been nearly two months since Morgan Dampier capped a magnificent prep career, but the work of the Wasilla High 2012 graduate continues to be recognized.

Dampier was recently named the Gatorade Alaska Girls Track and Field Athlete of the Year for the second straight year.

“She’s a once-in-a-career athlete,” former Wasilla high track and field head coach Gary Howell said during Dampier’s senior season. “Not just her ability, but her coachability, her personality, her academics.”

Dampier also won the award following her junior year.

Dampier starred in both track and field and cross-country running at Wasilla High, while holding a 3.98 grade point average. While she helped Wasilla win back-to-back state titles in cross-country, Dampier made her mark on the track.

During her final three seasons with the Warriors, Dampier won six individual track and field titles. The Division I Sacramento State recruit won the 800-meter state title in three straight years, the 400 as a junior and a senior, and also added a 200-meter title as a senior.

Dampier still holds the state record in the 800, a mark of 2 minutes and 10 seconds she set as a junior. She also helped the Warriors win the 4A state title in 2011 and 2012, and Region III titles in 2010, 2011 and 2012.

At the 2012 Region III meet, Dampier finished first in the 100, 200, 400 and 800.

She was named Most Outstanding Athlete at the state meet as a junior and senior.

Dampier is the fifth Alaska athlete to win the Gatorade award for girls track and field twice. She is only the second Valley athlete in any sport to be honored by Gatorade twice, joining former Colony High girls basketball star Jessica Moore, who won the award in 1999 and 2000. Seventeen different Valley athletes have won a Gatorade award, seven of those hailing from Wasilla High.

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com, follow him at twitter.com/matsu_sports and find him by searching Valley Sports Huddle on Facebook.

Gatorade Alaska

Players of Year from

the Mat-Su Valley

Girls track and field

Jenny Luer, Palmer 1997

Morgan Dampier, Wasilla 2011

Morgan Dampier, Wasilla 2012

Boys track and field

Corey Moore, Wasilla 1988

Eric Strabel, Colony 1999

Ryan Collins, Colony 2002

Aaron Dickson, Palmer 2003

Girls basketball

Jessica Moore, Colony 1999

Jessica Moore, Colony 2000

Chandice Cronk, Wasilla 2004

Jenna Johnson, Wasilla 2009

Boys basketball

Eli Wilson, Colony 1997

Ray Schafer, Wasilla 2003

Jesse Bean, Wasilla 2007

Connor Devine, Wasilla 2012

Football

Jeremiah Richards, Palmer 1997

Chuck Lincoln, Wasilla 2000

Cole Magner, Colony 2001

George Percak-Dennett 2007

Volleyball

Maren Witzel, Colony 1997