Mountlake Terrace’s athletes of the year both excelled in their favorite sports in high school and will continue their athletic careers in college.
But Billy Lechtenberg and Kori Seidlitz were far from one-sport athletes. The two were involved in different sports throughout their high school careers.
Lechtenberg is headed to Eastern Washington on a full-ride football scholarship, but at Mountlake Terrace he also played basketball, baseball and ran track.
His senior year included an appearance at the Class 4A state basketball tournament and the heartbreak of a serious injury that sidelined him for much of the 2008 season. Lechtenberg suffered a broken right fibula during the third game of the football season against Meadowdale. The injury knocked him out for five games but Lechtenberg’s determination to finish out his senior season enabled him to return for the final two games.
“Just being a captain of the team, I owed it to my team,” Lechtenberg said of his motivation to return to the gridiron. “My responsibility was to be a leader out there.”
The injury cost Lechtenberg more than several games. As a result of being sidelines, many of the Division I schools lost interest in recruiting him. But as a result of some hard work by his coaches, Eastern Washington eventually expressed interest in Lechtenberg. He visited the campus and met some of his future teammates.
“It’s a winning program,” Lechtenberg said. “It fits me well. I’m going into computer science. The 2009 recruiting class is just a bunch of good football players and good character guys. Those are the kind of guys I want to be with for the next four years.”
Eastern Washington plans to use Lechtenberg as a free safety, a position he feels plays to his strengths.
“I love the defensive side of the ball,” Lechtenberg said. “That’s definitely my strong point. It requires a lot of football knowledge and the ability to react. That’s the kind of player I’d like to be.”
With the goal in mind of becoming a better football player, Lechtenberg decided to turn out for track this spring instead of baseball. He quickly became one of the Hawks’ top sprinters. A foot injury in the middle of the season slowed some of his progress, but Lechtenberg still ended up as the school’s fastest sprinter in the last six years.
“He’s a good hard worker,” Mountlake Terrace track and field coach Russ Vincent said. “He has a great work ethic and great attitude. He was willing to do just about anything you asked of him.”
A highlight for Lechtenberg this year was cutting more than half a second off his time in the 100-meter dash in only a few months.
“Track was very much a challenge,” Lechtenberg said. “It was fun progressing through the season.”
Lechtenberg also was doing well in the jumps and had he not injured his foot, he likely would have ended up as one of the team’s top jumpers.
“I wish I would have had him for four years (in track),” Vincent said.
Lechtenberg also was one of Vincent’s teaching assistants in class.
“It was a pleasure to have him there,” Vincent said. “He was outstanding in class.”
Kori Seidlitz knows what’s best for her: staying busy. Throughout most of her high school career, Seidlitz played softball, basketball and volleyball.
The hectic schedule helped “to keep me out of trouble,” Seidlitz said. “I’m a really competitive person.”
That competitiveness helped lead the Mountlake Terrace softball team to a district championship and a second-place finish at the Class 4A state tournament this spring.
“Our senior year was really our time to shine,” said Seidlitz, who is headed to South Dakota State University on a full-ride scholarship.
Seidlitz’s senior season of basketball was in a sharp contrast to what happened on the softball diamond. Mountlake Terrace won only two out 20 games. But Seidlitz still enjoyed the experience, especially the positive atmosphere.
The Hawks stayed together as a team despite the tough season, Seidlitz said. She also appreciated meeting different people, especially some seniors who returned to play basketball their senior years.
Mountlake Terrace girls basketball coach David Brophy said he appreciated Seidlitz’s talent and work ethic. She listened well and put her coach’s words into action.
“I think Kori just scratched her basketball potential,” Brophy said. “… I knew that her emphasis was on being a fastpitch pitcher. She really clogged down the middle at times with her rebounding and defense. But she also had a soft shooting touch and was a good passer.”
Seidlitz also played volleyball through her junior year.
“Volleyball is really fun and in general it’s completely different to basketball and softball,” she said. “It’s definitely one of my favorite sports.”
Seidlitz starting pitching when she was eight years old and hasn’t given up the ball since then, though she has also played first base.
“I like to be involved in the game,” she said. “When you’re little the ball is not hit to the outfield that much. I had the ball in my hand each time at bat.”
Seidlitz said she recognizes that college recruiting is pretty much a business these days and she appreciates the forthrightness of South Dakota State University. She’s considering entering the pre-med program.
“I like working with people,” she said. “I’m a people person. I think that I want to help people out. That’s a good way to do it.”
Sports has made a huge impact on Seidlitz’s life.
“Sports gives you confidence,” she said. “It helps you network. You meet so many new people. It’s the perfect scenario for meeting new people and having friends that support you.”
Yet Seidlitz was careful not to neglect her studies. In fact, they always took priority.
“School determines your job and your career,” Seidlitz said. “I always have that in the back of my mind. I like to do well in school. I don’t want to be a jock who just plays sports and doesn’t know anything about school.”
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