Escalon High School senior Soleil Gouzenne is in some pretty outstanding company.
The CIF Sac-Joaquin Section has announced its A. Dale Lacky Scholar-Athlete Award winners for outstanding athletic performance, community service and academic success during their four years of high school. Gouzenne is among the winners.
The award, named after former Section and State CIF President, A. Dale Lacky, recognizes the top male and female student-athletes within the Section. Each league is able to send two winners, one male and one female, to be honored. The scholarship committee has selected four male and four female students as the recipients of a $1,000 scholarship. The remaining nominees are awarded a $500 scholarship from the Section.
In addition, the Clarke Coover Award has been given to two of the top honorees. This award is named in honor of former Section Commissioner Clarke Coover. The 2022 winners of the Clarke Coover Award are Verlis Smith of Ceres and Gregori’s Fallon Wolfley. They received $1,500 each.
All schools were allowed to play one extra boys and girls volleyball match and an extra boys and girls basketball game with 50 percent of the gate going directly to the foundation for the scholarships. More than $29,000 was generated through the foundation games.
All of the winners were to be recognized at the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Breakfast Awards Ceremony on Tuesday, April 26 at Hutchins Street Square in Lodi.
Gouzenne was selected as a $500 scholarship winner. At EHS, she played basketball and softball for four years each. In basketball, she was team captain twice and won top defensive player honors twice. In softball, she was team captain twice. She’s a member of Peer Interaction Team and ASB Leadership. She volunteers with local runs, the Fire Department pancake breakfast, at school fundraisers and making meals for the homeless. Gouzenne has a 3.76 GPA and is undecided on her college choice. She plans on majoring in kinesiology with the future goal of becoming a physical therapist or orthodontist.
The CIF Sac-Joaquin Section oversees high school athletics for 198 schools and 225,000 students. Its geographic boundaries stretch from Merced in the south, Grass Valley in the North, Napa to the west and the Nevada state line to the east. The Section is the second largest of California’s 10 athletic sections.
