TORRINGTON – On Tuesday, local athletes were recognized at the February Goshen County School Board Meeting for receiving a Good Sportsmanship Award from the Wyoming High School Activities Association.

The WHSAA focuses on four main attributes when presenting the award: Respect, Integrity, Dedication, and Encouragement. By joining the RIDE, these local athletes have demonstrated the hallmarks of the sportsmanship awards presented, according to the group’s website.
As per the recommendations of match officials, athletes from Torrington, Lingle-Ft. Laramie, and Southeast high schools have showed exemplary conduct throughout the season, according to the nominations.
Taylor Walsh and Jordan Malm received their sportsmanship awards for the THS varsity basketball game against Riverton on Dec. 21 of last year.
On Jan. 11, Walsh received another award for the basketball game vs. Mitchell, Neb. Jared Lemmon also represented Torrington well the same day.
Hayden Hill, a member of the L-FL boys’ basketball team, also was feted as a sportsmanship award recipient for his exemplary conduct during the game against Southeast on Jan. 13.
In his nomination, the officials said: “Hayden Hill started his acts of good sportsmanship by approaching a member of the officiating crew during warm ups and told the official he ‘was glad to see him again.’ Hayden was also a representative at the captain’s meeting. He initiated the handshake and a smile with the opposing captain and the officiating crew. Hayden played hard and very clean. He was very polite with the officiating crew whether the call went his way or not. The officiating crew felt that Hayden was a great representative of the Lingle team during an in-district rivalry game that was well-behaved.”
Also, during the Dogger vs. Cyclone boys basketball game, Sterling Johnson, of SHS, demonstrated good sportsmanship, according to the officials who nominated him: “The officiating crew felt that Sterling Johnson played a county rivalry game with the attitude and demeanor the game was meant to be played with. He played hard and hustled, his reactions were smiles that embody the love of the sport, whether the particular call or outcome of the play was in his favor or not. This could not have been more evident toward the end of the game. The opponent that he was guarding hit a 3 pointer over him. As they were heading back down the court, Sterling reached out and gave the opposing player a ‘low 5.’ The officiating crew felt that Sterling’s actions were a great representation of the Southeast team during a well-behaved in-district rivalry game.”
During the Torrington Blazer Wrestling Duals on Jan. 13, Nycholas Melchor earned a sportsmanship award, along with Logan Murphy and Nathan Stitt, who were awarded for their exemplary conduct during the THS Varsity Basketball games vs. Gering, Neb., on Jan. 23. On Jan. 26, Lemmon received another award for the basketball game vs. Douglas, with Adia Sherbeyn representing the Lady Blazer’s as well during the match against the Bearcats.