Preps earn top honors

JEREMIAH BARTZ

Frontiersman sports editor

Colony High School senior Justin Schwartzbauer and Wasilla High School senior Megan Stearman lead a list of Valley athletes on the 2005 Anchorage Daily News/Alaska Media All-State team.

Schwartzbauer and Stearman each received first-team honors on the list, compiled by the Daily News and voted on by sports writers from across the state.

Schwartzbauer, a 6-foot-1 wing, averaged 14.7 points per game during the state tournament and helped the Knights reach the 4A title game. He was among team and conference leaders in several statistical categories, including scoring.

"Schwartzbauer's just a fantastic guy - great kid, very athletic," Colony High School boys head coach Jeff Bowker said. "He's one of the best athletes in the state. He can do things athletically that not a lot of other kids can do."

Bowker said a key to Schwartzbauer's game is his positive attitude and resilience.

"He goes out there and has fun," Bowker said. "He's a great teammate and never carries baggage around. If he has a bad shooting half, it doesn't affect his next half. If he has a bad shooting game, it doesn't affect his next game."

Stearman, a 6-0 post, led the Warriors to a Northern Lights Conference championship and a spot in the consolation finals of the 4A state tournament. The 2004-05 Northern Lights Conference player of the year, Stearman ranked third in the state tourney field with 10.3 rebounds per game. She led her team in both scoring and rebounding during her senior season.

"She was a big inside presence for us. Very consistent both offensively and defensively," Wasilla girls head coach Jeannie Hebert-Truax said.

Colony senior Cade Dickey and Wasilla senior Matt Crane were named to the second team.

Wasilla senior Luke Schafer, Warrior sophomore Jesse Bean and Colony senior Rhett Magner were each named honorable mention.

Wasilla sophomores Hillarie Putnam and Anne Wesser and Colony junior Kelcy Joynt were named honorable mention for the girls team.

Jeff Bowker, of Colony, was named 4A boys coach-of-the-year.