More than 20 football players, representing 13 high schools in the region, have been nominated for the scholar-athlete awards.Â
Some of Clark County’s top scholar-athletes from high school football are set to be recognized by the local chapter of the National Football Foundation.
The nominees for this year’s scholarship rewards have been released, and winners are expected to be announced soon. In all, 22 football players, representing 13 schools from Southwest Washington, were nominated for their excellence on the field, in the classroom, and in the community.
The National Football Foundation Clark County Chapter (which also includes some schools just outside the county) has been awarding scholarships since 1993, totalling more than $360,000. There was no banquet last year as the 2020 fall football season was pushed back into an abbreviated season during the pandemic. There is no banquet again this year — in-person meetings of this size were not possible during the planning stages — but the board of directors still wanted to recognize the seniors who played in the fall of 2021.
The winners will be notified by the chapter’s board of directors. Scott Evenson is the president of the board. Each nominee will be given a plaque.
There will be two scholarship winners of $1,500 each, $1,000 each, and $500 each. The board will also name a coach of the year for the region.
Fundraising has slowed significantly during the pandemic. Evenson said the goal is to raise enough funds in order to hold a banquet in the winter of 2023. The banquet features all nominees wearing tuxedos, sharing an evening with their parents and friends, all in celebration of football.
Nominations came from school coaches and/or athletic directors. The NFF asks for a lineman and a back. The athlete must have a grade-point average of 3.0 or better, have had a significant impact on the field, and is a leader off the field in the community.
This year’s nominees are:
Backs
Thomas Brown, Washougal
Connor Delamarter, Ridgefield
Jace Greenwood, Columbia White Salmon
Jaydon Jones, Union
Dylan Kier, Columbia River
Andre Northrup, Hockinson
Kyle Norton, Evergreen
Jairus Phillips, Camas
Kyle Simmons, Battle Ground
Lance Stuck, Seton Catholic
Valike Tamakloe, Mountain View
Linemen
Conlan Albertson, Hockinson
Noah Christensen, Camas
Dax Clifton, Seton Catholic
Nic Hutchinson, Columbia River
David Kailea, Evergreen
Joel Lee, Union
Vinny Lenzi, Ridgefield
Jurell McDade, Mountain View
Daniel Trice, Woodland
Owen Wann, Battle Ground
Jack Warren, Heritage
Editor’s note: Reporter Paul Valencia is on the board of directors of the National Football Foundation Clark County Chapter.
