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Palmer High graduate Katey Houser has been named a 2022 Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman/Mat-Su Seahawkers Student-Athlete of the Year.
Palmer High graduate Katey Houser has been named a 2022 Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman/Mat-Su Seahawkers Student-Athlete of the Year.
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After historic high school athletic careers, a pair of recent Mat-Su Borough School District graduates have another honor to add to their long list of accolades.
Palmer High graduate Katey Houser and Redington graduate Wayde Bowman have been named the 2022 Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman/Mat-Su Seahawkers Student-Athletes of the Year. With the award, Houser and Bowman both receive $1,000 scholarships to assist with their education, courtesy of the Mat-Su Seahawkers. Both will be recognized Tuesday morning at the Menard during the Seahawkers’ annual Play 60 event
Houser and Bowman were among 10 finalists, nominated by local schools, who met the criteria for the award, which includes a minimum grade point average and participation in at least one varsity sport. Colony High’s Colton Hasse and Katie Adams, Houston High’s Emily Bitler and Hunter Jefferson, Wasilla High’s Bella Hays and Jadon Sheveland, Palmer High’s Jesse Hushower, and Redington’s Lexi Seymore were also finalists.
Houser capped her illustrious athletic career at PHS with stellar seasons in cross-country running, cross-country skiing and track. Houser graduated as the best girls skier in school history.
Houser made school history for the second time as a senior. She is the first Palmer skier to finish second overall at state. She also matched her school record with her second-place finish in the freestyle. Houser also finished second in that event in 2021. Houser also has the highest overall state championships finish of any Valley skier in the girls class.
Houser is entering her freshman year at Montana State and is a member of the women’s Nordic skiing team.
“I’ve worked super hard for this. It’s been a goal of mine since I started racing in the sixth grade,” Houser said after she signed her National Letter of Intent.
Houser said there were other options, but MSU proved to be the best fit.
In track, Houser raced to four titles at the Region III Championships. She also won a state title in the 400 meters and was a state runner-up in the 3,200. She was also fifth in the girls race of the state cross-country meet.
In the classroom, Houser maintained a 4.049 grade point average. Houser said she followed her mom’s advice, that school is her job. She also said the Palmer High staff were key to her success.
“I had really, really good teachers who always worked with me,” Houser said. “I had a really good time at Palmer High. They have a really good staff there. They love their student-athletes and are very supportive.”
Even in courses that were not necessarily her favorite, like math, there were teachers such as Tommy Pettit who were always there to help. Houser also noted English teacher Nichelle Henry, and said her IB environmental science class was among her favorite courses.
Bowman, a standout quarterback, helped Redington make school history by leading the Huskies to their first football state championship in school history. He was named first-team Mid-Alaska Conference, first-team all-state, and was named an academic All-American.
Bowman was also a standout in basketball, and held a 4.1 GPA.
“From a student and athlete’s standpoint, just growing with everybody,” Bowman said of his time at Redington. “A lot of those people who graduated (with me), we were together since elementary school. Overall we all grew up and saw each other develop. I reminisce on it all of the time and it really brings a smile to my face.”
Bowman said he appreciated the family atmosphere the school offered.
“We had such a tight little family. Even the teachers were so close,” Bowman said.
The teachers were also a big part of his success, he said.
“The teachers really helped support me throughout this whole process,” Bowman said.
Bowman said art was his favorite course and his art teacher, Christel Mozalevskiy, was a big influence.
Bowman is now preparing to enter his freshman year at Simpson College, where he will play quarterback for the Indianola, Iowa, football program.
“They saw my stuff and reached out,” Bowman said. “Ultimately that was my favorite place.”
Bowman’s high school teammates, Logan Seymore and Mason Broullet, will also be joining him at Simpson to play football.
“It helps that a couple of my teammates have committed to go there,” Bowman said.
Contact Frontiersman managing editor Jeremiah Bartz at editor@frontiersman.com.
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