Emily Moody, Dylan Soulek, Jagger Tyler earn Mitchell Republic MVP awards

MITCHELL — Emily Moody, Dylan Soulek and Jagger Tyler received the Mitchell Republic’s Most Valuable Player awards during the Mitchell High School athletic awards banquet Wednesday night at the Corn Palace.

The newspaper annually awards MVP honors to one male and female athlete at Mitchell High School, selected by the sports staff based on athletic performance. This year, Soulek and Tyler both earned honors on the boys side.

Moody led the way for the Kernels in the all-around scoring at state gymnastics with 37.400, placing third in the all-around competition. She was top-eight in all four events, finishing fourth on floor, fifth on vault and seventh on beam and bars to earn all-tournament honors from the South Dakota Gymnastics Coaches Association. Moody also was a key contributor on the state championship squad and factored heavily into the Kernels breaking the school scoring record (150.918).

Additionally, Moody was recognized as a competitive cheer all-state selection by the South Dakota Cheer Coaches Association. Also a regular contributor on the MHS track and field team in the distance jumping disciplines, Moody has set her personal bests in the long jump and triple jump this season. She will continue her cheer career at Mount Marty.

Soulek was a leader on the Mitchell basketball and baseball teams that has made runs to the state championship games. On the diamond in 2022, Soulek was a second-team all-state selection in the spring and a first-team honoree in the summer, owning a batting average upward of .400 in both seasons and scoring a total of 80 runs. Mitchell finished as state runner-up in the spring high school season and in fourth place at the state American Legion tournament in the summer, combining for a 45-25 record.

As the Kernels’ boys basketball team churned out a 19-5 record and finished as Class AA runners-up, Soulek earned his way onto the all-state second team. The 6-foot-3 guard led the Kernels in scoring at 13.2 points per game as well as assists with 4.4 per game and was third on the team at 4.8 rebounds per game. Soulek is signed to play baseball at Northern State.

Tyler won his second-straight Class A wrestling state championship, doing so at 152 pounds this season. As the No. 1 seed defending his title, Tyler amassed a 42-3 record on the season, culminating with two technical falls and two decisions on the way to the title.

Also a standout on the football field, Tyler was among the Kernels’ leaders on both sides of the ball. A Class 11AA all-state defensive back, Tyler paced Mitchell with 78 total tackles and two forced fumbles. Offensively, Tyler accounted for 603 yards and six touchdowns, with 315 yards and five touchdowns coming on the ground. He is also a regular contributor on the MHS track and field team, where he’s set personal records in the 100, 200 and 400 meters this season in addition to being on several relays. Tyler is set to wrestle collegiately at the University of Sioux Falls.

The Mitchell Republic MVP awards were a pair of several honors handed out at the banquet.

A list of the Mitchell athletic banquet award winners:

Kernel Awards: Sara Mauszycki (competitive cheer), Tessa Allen (competitive dance), Hunter Patton (boys cross country), Londyn Schroeder (girls cross country), Cruze Allhiser (football), Jurzee Gregg (football sideline cheer, Marshall Widstrom (boys golf), Kaileb Hubbard (boys soccer), Adelyn Prunty (girls soccer), Amber Moller (girls tennis), Sawyer Stoebner (volleyball), Lizzie Tyler (girls strength and conditioning), AJ Siemsen (boys strength and conditioning), Gavyn Erickson (boys basketball), Carsyn Weich (girls basketball), Chloe Kirchhevel (basketball sideline cheer), Emily Moody (gymnastics), Cruze Allhiser (boys wrestling), Danny Borja (girls wrestling), Allison Meyerink (girls golf), Alyssa Magee (softball), Jager Juracek (boys tennis), Treyson Schulz (boys track and field), August Anderson (boys track and field), Brooke Bartscher (girls track and field), Taylor DeJong (girls track and field), Dylan Soulek (baseball), MaKenna Tronnes (Marlins girls hockey), Nathan McCormick (Marlins boys hockey), Xander Fergen (powerlifting) and Keatyn Wede (Riptide swimming).

CorTrust Bank/MHS Athletic Booster Club Scholarships: Sarah Mauszycki, Bryce Palmer, Camen Max, Alyssa Magee, Claire Hegg, Tabitha Sadler, Jackson Childs, Lukas Bennett, Lara Widstrom, Emily Moody, Kyra Gropper and Tessa Allen

Leon Feilmeier Athletic Scholarship: Taylor Giblin

Dave Brewer Award: AJ Siemsen

Corn Palace Golf Scholarship: Jackson Childs

Jill McCormick Scholarship: Kyra Gropper

Adam Aslesen Memorial Leadership Award/Scholarship: Lara Widstrom and Jagger Tyler

Keith “Doc” Fitzpatrick Student Athletic Trainer Awards: Dakota Becker, Kyra Gropper, Maddi Lord, Camen Max and Amber Moller

South Dakota Army National Guard “Warrior of the Month” Awards: Lizzie Tyler (girls strength and conditioning), Jagger Tyler (boys strength and conditioning), Amber Moller (girls tennis), Drake Jerke (boys tennis), Mia Mullenmeister (girls soccer), Erwin Garcia (boys soccer), Londyn Schroeder (girls cross country), Elijah Schroeder (boys cross country), Jackson Childs (boys golf), Allison Meyerink (girls golf), Sara Mauszycki (competitive cheer), Tabitha Sadler (competitive dance), Jagger Tyler (football), Lizzie Tyler (volleyball), Kyra Gropper (gymnastics), Cruze Allhiser (wrestling), Taylor Giblin (girls basketball), Dylan Soulek (boys basketball), Delana Henkel (girls track and field), Nathan McCormick (boys track and field), Alyssa Magee (softball)

Golden M Awards: Freshmen: Kyanna Gropper (cheer, gymnastics, track) and Addie Siemsen (volleyball, basketball, track); Sophomores: Aubrey Gelderman (cheer, gymnastics, track), Kellan Odell (football, wrestling, track), Mackenzie Peterson (soccer, basketball, track), Lauren Van Overschelde (volleyball, basketball and softball) and Carsyn Weich (tennis, basketball, track); Juniors: Delaney Degen (tennis, basketball and softball), Bre Kirsch (volleyball, basketball, track) and Harley Goldammer (cheer, dance, gymnastics); Seniors: Trevon Austell (football, wrestling, track), Kyra Gropper (cheer, gymnastics, track), Emily Moody (cheer, gymnastics, track), Carson Podhradsky (football, wrestling, track), Brenen Rose (soccer, football, track), AJ Siemsen (football, basketball, track), Jagger Tyler (football, wrestling, track) and Lara Widstrom (cheer, dance, gymnastics, golf).

MHS Assistant Coach of the Year Award: Zack Clement, football

Tom Maxwell/KORN Radio Coach of the Year Award: Ryker Kreutzfeldt, boys basketball and boys golf

KMIT Student-Athlete Award: Kyra Gropper

Mitchell Quarterback Club Scholarships: Delana Henkel and Jagger Tyler

MHS Class of 2023 Hall of Fame inductees: Dan Ackman, Mark Graham, Larry Larson, Ryan Miller and Sarah (Hoffman) Van Laecken