By Chris Beatty
Herald Writer
EVERETT – Wednesday’s banquet held by the Snohomish County Football Hall of Fame honored high school student athletes with better grade point averages than 40-yard dash times.
The students being honored, while starters on their respective high school teams were nominated for their great citizenship and scholastic achievements.
The players that most aptly fit this criteria were Lake Stevens’ Patrick McCarty, Zachary Schumpert of Monroe, Cascade’s Michael Skoor and James Hayton of Jackson High School.
McCarty, a linebacker, and Schumpert, a lineman, were given the Football Scholar-Athlete Award and with it a $1,000 college scholarship. Hayton and Skoor, who both played receiver, were honored by the Snohomish County Officials’ Association and given $500 scholarships.
The committee that selected this year’s scholarship winners looked to see whether the applicant was a member of Big Brothers instead of just a big hitter.
“All the nominees are well-rounded individuals,” committee member Jay Wilson said. “They are all great athletes, but it’s rare you get to honor them for being good all-around kids.”
Two members each football team from 21 high schools in Snohomish County were nominated by their coaches in one of two categories. The lineman category included all positions on the offensive or defensive line, as well as wide receivers and tight ends. The back category was for quarterbacks, running backs, linebackers and defensive backs.
Prior to the award ceremony, all the nominees, their parents and coaches, were treated to a fine steak dinner and tickets to a Seahawks game. The audience was also privy to a patriotic and inspiring speech from speaker Mike Colbrese, executive director of the WIAA and Washington Officials Association.
The players nominated were clearly a cut above your typical high school student. Schumpert, for example, currently has a 3.77 cumulative GPA, plays in the school jazz band and is an eagle scout, the highest rank given in the Boy Scouts.
For some of the winners, it was a complete surprise that they were selected. Skoor, a captain of Cascade’s football, basketball and soccer teams, as well as student body vice-president was shocked when they said his name.
“I was so surprised, I couldn’t believe it,” Skoor said. “When I recognized that they were talking about me, my legs just went numb.”
McCarty’s achievements include creating a CD-rom containing all of the stats and photos of players on recent Lake Stevens football teams, a 4.0 GPA to make him first in his class, and scoring a 1250 out of a possible 1600 on the SAT.
Hayton is currently learning to fly, while building his own Cessna airplane on his father’s property. Hayton has also built houses in Mount Vernon for Habitat for Humanity and fed homeless people in Seattle, all while maintaining a 3.9 GPA.
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