Hilltoppers Head Coach Garrett Williams addresses the audience at the 2017 Sports Awards Banquet. Photo By John McHale

Hilltopper MVP Jack Stewart with Head Coach Garrett Williams. Photo by John McHale

Hilltopper athletes were honored at the end of the season awards banquet Nov. 17 at Crossroads Bible Church, where the coaching staff handed out team awards, as well as district honors.

Two players had their names called multiple times. One name you might recognize, Jack Stewart, was a top performer and offensive stat collector. The other name, Arturo Rodriguez, you might not be as familiar with on the field. If you heard Rodriguez’s name much at Sullivan Field, it was because he caused or recovered a fumble, or created a running lane for the Hilltoppers dominate run game.

Stewart was named to the First Team All District for both offense and defense, and team MVP.

Rodriguez also was First Team All District for offense and defense, lineman of the year, and named as the Black Lion Award winner. The Black Lion Award goes to the player who best exemplifies leadership, courage, devotion to duty, self-sacrifice, and above all an unselfish concern for the team ahead of himself. The award was named after Major Don Holleder who died in combat while serving in Vietnam while saving troops under his command who were trapped by enemy forces.

The coaching staff also gave out the Program Award to who they described as “two guys who have given a lot to the team, one of them has been around the program for a while, the other is fairly new to the team,” as they named Los Alamos Daily Post Sports Editor RJ Montaño and Sports Photographer John McHale with the awards.

All-District Awards

1st Team Offense

• Jack Stewart – RB
• Ryan McNiel – FB
• Arturo Rodriguez – OL
• Wyatt Saeger – WR
• Ethan Hunt – Kicker

1^st Team Defense

• Kayden Rivera – FS
• Jack Stewart – LB
• Arturo Rodriguez – DE
• Ryan McNiel – OLB
• Wyatt Saeger – CB
• Dylan Irish – Punter

2^nd Team Offense

• Dylan Irish – QB

2^nd Team Defense

• Lawrence Armenta – LB
• Walker Eaton – DB

HONORABLE MENTION

• Jacob Torrez – OL
• Carson Schramm – OLB

Team Awards

• Offensive MVP – Jack Stewart
• Defensive MVP – Kayden Rivera
• Mean Green – Ryan McNiel, Lawrence Armenta
• Lineman of the Year – Arturo Rodriguez
• Topper Award – Wyatt Saeger
• Program Award – RJ Montaño, John McHale
• Black Lion Award – Arturo Rodriguez

Defensive MVP Kayden Rivera. Photo by John McHale

Mean Green Award winners John McNeil and Lawrence Armenta. Photo By John McHale

Arturo Rodriguez with one of his many awards of the night including being named the Black Lion Award winner. Photo by John McHale. Photo by John McHale

Wyatt Seager was given the ‘Topper Award. Photo by John McHale

Los Alamos Daily Post Sports Editor RJ Montaño and Sports Photographer John McHale were given the Program Award. Courtesy Photo