District of Champions
Choctaw High School Athletic Director Todd Dilbeck and Principal David Reid celebrate the nine team state titles secured by the Yellowjackets during the 2015-16 school year. (Photo by Ryan Horton)
CHS celebrates 2015-16 accolades, looks toward 2016-17
By Ryan Horton
Managing Editor
Choctaw High School secured an unprecedented nine team State Championships during the 2015-16 school year.
Proving to produce champions in and out of the classroom, Choctaw finished the year with five state team titles and four academic state team titles.
The Yellowjackets claimed State Championships in Softball, One-Act Play, Wrestling, Wrestling Dual State and Powerlifting.
CHS won Academic State Championships in Football (3.038 GPA), Cheerleading (3.95 GPA), Wrestling (3.564 GPA) and Baseball (3.753 GPA).
“As a principal it is exciting to see our student athletes and performers not only have success on the playing field or stage but also in the classroom,” said CHS Principal David Reid. “It validates the emphasis our coaches have not only in their sport or activity but also the emphasis they place on their players and actors to perform at high levels in the classroom. This has been demonstrated by winning four state academic titles last year and five in 2014-15.”
Not only has unity increased throughout the high school campus, but also the entire district with middle school and high school competitors regularly encouraging and working to support each other.
“As an athletic director, I am very proud of the belief our coaches and athletes have placed i our motto: Strong Alone; Unstoppable Together. It is very rewarding to see our student athletes from all sports supporting each other during their competitions and summer pride. This includes middle school and high school athletes supporting each other,” said CHS Athletic Director Todd Dilbeck.
CHS had 17 senior competitors of the Class of 2016 earn the prestigious designation of All-State.
All-State honors went to Haley Pomplun for softball, Lonell Burris and Sean Thompson for football, Madyson Frownfelter, Dylan Herrin and Katlyn Skaggs for one-act play, Shandonm Overstreet for powerlifting, Zahria White for girls basketball, Holli Steele and Michaela Stevens for cheer, Abigail Grathwol, Cynthia Cherry and Jonathan Gilbert for soccer, Amy Latimer, Delaney Schneider, Destiny Williams and Dakota Huffman for honor choir, Lauren Barnes for golf, and Emily McAfee was named Academic All-State.
The CHS Class of 2016 set a new record with 67 valedictorians and also continued the running tradition of bringing in more scholarship money each year. In total, Choctaw’s 2016 graduates earned over $7.2 million in scholarships and awards.
