Wednesday, December 18, 2002
|
Wednesday, December 18, 2002 |
McIntosh's Huefner wins High School HeismanBy MICHAEL
BOYLAN
While the nation's sports reporters debated the merits of the five finalists for the Heisman Trophy last week, McIntosh High School's Robert Huefner won the Wendy's High School Heisman Award, beating out 13,500 students nominated in October. He was named as one of the 1,020 state finalists and 102 state winners before being selected as one of the 12 national finalists. In a ceremony televised on ESPN2 last Friday night, Huefner won it all. Huefner is a well-rounded individual, in the community and the classroom as well as on the playing field. He is class president and editor of the school newspaper as well as co-captain of the varsity soccer team. Huefner has earned varsity letters in football and cross-country as well as soccer. Huefner has also made valuable contributions to the community. He was an officer on the Youth Advisory Board and has volunteered in a local nursing home and soup kitchen. Each year, principals, athletic directors, teachers and counselors can nominate a male and female student from their school for the award. Nominated students are required to be seniors with a "B" average or better and must take part in one of 32 sports sanctioned by the National Federation of State High Schools. As 2002's winner, Huefner got to take home a crystal trophy and McIntosh High School received $2,500. While in New York City, Huefner also attended the college-level Heisman award ceremony Saturday evening. Wendy's founder Dave Thomas created an award in 1994 that recognized today's top scholars, athletes and citizens among America's high school students. To date, more than 77,600 high school students have been nominated for the award. Of them, 97 have progressed to the national finalist level, with 16 having earned the designation of a Wendy's High School Heisman National Award Winner. Huefner is the first winner from the Southeast in the history of the award.
|
||