The 2012 Notre Dame High School female athlete of the year is no more than halfway through her athletic career.
While Molli Li will graduate from high school this month, she’s got a big adventure awaiting her at Williston State College in North Dakota, where she will study and play fastball and basketball on a full-ride scholarship starting in September.
Li was the most valuable player on the Cougars senior girls basketball team during the 2011-12 school year and won a bronze medal in shot put at last weekend’s high school provincial track and field championship.
She was also a standout player with the Raiders rugby squad this spring.
And yet, she had no idea she was the favourite to win her school’s female athlete award.
“I’m surprised. I was really nervous. There were some amazing nominees, so it’s exciting,” said Li, a runner-up for the award last year.
The Grade 12 student admitted the joy she felt Wednesday was tempered by the reality that her time at Notre Dame was over.
“I’m really said that it’s ending. It’s been amazing here. All of my teammates have been amazing to me, they’re like my family,” she said. “I’ve had so many teammates on mutiple teams over the years. It’s just been crazy busy, but it’s been so worth it.”
Kieran Pruden was another surprise winner Wednesday.
“I didn’t expect to win it at all,” said Pruden, after accepting the Notre Dame male athlete of the year award.
The Grade 11 student displayed a strong arm as the quarterback of the Cougars football team and also suited up with the senior basketball squad.
“I excelled mostly at football and it was a fun season. But then, the basketball season was also a lot of fun. We got to provincials and almost knocked off the thrid-ranked team (Notre Dame of Calgary),” said Pruden. The man of the hour thanked his teammates and coaches for helping him garner the school’s top male athletics award.
“Coach (Gino) Castellan has been guiding me for two years now. He’s a great football coach and knows so much about the game,” said Pruden, who also credited his basketball coaches.
“They walked me through everything,” he said.
The Notre Dame athletics award winners for 2011-12:
Golf — Brett Pasula, most outstanding male performance.
Cross-country running — Alana Skocdopole, coaches award (CA); Mitch Dore, most promising runner.
Football — Steven Lagrange, most improved player (MIP); Dario Viveros, most valuable player (MVP); Myles Corsiato, Ross McClenaghan Award; Brandon Lee, Curtis Acheson Memorial Award; Luc Laplante, rookie of the year; Brady Podloski, Paul Martins Memorial Award.
Junior girls volleyball: Nicole Dube, most promising player (MPP); Kelsie Caine (CA).
Junior boys volleyball: Bennett Bolden (MPP); Colton Bodwell (CA).
Senior girls volleyball: Emily Elkins (MIP); Megan Schmidt (CA); Maddi Quinn (MVP).
Senior boys volleyball: Alex Friedl (MIP); Josh Kowalski (CA); Anthony Finnigan (MVP).
Curling: Patricia Slipp (CA).
Junior girls basketball: Angela Menjivar (MPP); Courtney Dach (CA).
Junior boys basketball: Maurice Evangelista (MPP); Jake Hahl (CA).
Senior girls basketball: Maddi Quinn (MIP); Brooke Harty (CA); Molly Li (MVP).
Senior boys basketball: Amet Akhon (MIP); Jordan Handel (CA); Dario Viveros (MVP).
Badminton: Trenton Driedger (MPP); Tatyana Henderson (MPP); Theoren Gill (CA); Madison Schmidt (CA).
Girls rugby: Maddi Quinn (MIP); Haley Khatib (CA); Kendra Sorensen (MVP).
Boys rugby: Daniel Stryker (MIP); Brandon Lee (CA); Ivan Allier (MVP).
Girls soccer: Celine Jensen (CA); Cori Van der Voort (MVP).
Boys soccer: Adrian Ramirez (CA); Theoren Gill (MVP).
Track and field: Kendra Sorensen, most outstanding performance, female; Mitch Dore, most outstanding performance, male.
Tennis: Riley Bolen (CA); Dominik Kropacek (CA); Sydney Stan (CA).
North Star Leadership Award: Alana Skocdopole, Kieran Pruden.
Spirit Award: Myles Corsiatto.
gmeachem@www.reddeeradvocate.com