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Two area youths honored as outstanding athletes
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Two local youth, Darrian Schwenke and Rebekah Topham, were honored at the 44th Annual Lillian Whiting Outstanding Athlete Banquet held on Oct 28th at the Hyvee Hall in Des Moines.
This banquet is held annually in the fall to honor the oustanding amateur athletes in Iowa. All invited athletes were recognized by the AAU (Amateur Athletic Union) for their accomplishments and given personally engraved 12" Iowa state shaped plaques for their contributions at the national level.
Guest speaker was Al Lorenzen, better known as the "Vanilla Gorilla", gave a great speech to these young dedicated athletes about becoming tomarrows leaders.
Darrian Schwenke, of Atlantic, was recognized for his accomplishments in wrestling as an individual and as a member of the Iowa Black Elementary Duals Championship Team.
The wrestling team was awarded their AAU National Duals Champions jackets and plaques by Lee Pamulak, IA AAU Wrestling Chairman. Schwenke is a 2x member of the Iowa Black Wrestling Team which holds 4 consecutive AAU National Duals Titles fom 2003-2007. He's also earned an individual national silver medal (2 pins, 1 tech fall, 1 maj dec win, 2 dec wins and 1 decision loss) and an individual national copper medal (3 pins, 2 tech falls, and 3 decision losses) at the AAU Elementary Duals in Kingsport, TN.
Schwenke was also recognized as a 2x state champion from the AAU Kids State Wrestling Tournaments(2005 & 2006), and a 3rd placers in 2007. It was noted he had placed every year of competition beginning as a kindergartener at Super Pee Wee State (2002-2004; 3rd,7th,and 3rd).
Outside of the AAU organization, Schwenke was a 2006 champion in the Omaha Tournament of Champions, a 2006 champion at the Iowa Games , and placed fourth at the 2005 Cliff Keen Mid-America Classic. Schwenke was also recognized at last years banquet but the date conflicted with a sanctioned wrestling event, so most of Iowa's champion wrestling team were unable to attend.
Rebekah Topham, of Griswold, was recognized by Chairman Marv Allen of Track and Field for her long distrance running in track&field/cross country. At the 2006 Cross Country Championships in Orlando, FL, she earned 2nd place.
In Feb 2007, at the AAU South National Indoor Track & Field in Knoxville, TN, she had a clean sweep earning 1st in the 800, 1500, and 3000 meter (breaking the national record). At the AAU North National Indoor Track & Field at Merrilville, IL, she brought home 2nd in the 800, and 2nd in the 1500 meter. In April of 2007, Topham got another 1st place at the Kansas 5000 Relays in Lawrence,KS (18:42).
Later that summer in Orlando, at the AAU National Club Championships, she broke the national record in two events the 1500 and 3000 meter. She finished her season at the AAU National Junior Olympics in Knoxville, TN, where she earned 3rd in the 1500, and 1st in the 3000 meter.
Outside the AAU organization she competed last July, at the USA Youth Outdoor Track & Field at Lisle, IL, bring home 6th place in the 1500 (4:59) and 2nd place in the 3000 (10:51).
This banquet is held annually in the fall to honor the oustanding amateur athletes in Iowa. All invited athletes were recognized by the AAU (Amateur Athletic Union) for their accomplishments and given personally engraved 12" Iowa state shaped plaques for their contributions at the national level.
Guest speaker was Al Lorenzen, better known as the "Vanilla Gorilla", gave a great speech to these young dedicated athletes about becoming tomarrows leaders.
Darrian Schwenke, of Atlantic, was recognized for his accomplishments in wrestling as an individual and as a member of the Iowa Black Elementary Duals Championship Team.
The wrestling team was awarded their AAU National Duals Champions jackets and plaques by Lee Pamulak, IA AAU Wrestling Chairman. Schwenke is a 2x member of the Iowa Black Wrestling Team which holds 4 consecutive AAU National Duals Titles fom 2003-2007. He's also earned an individual national silver medal (2 pins, 1 tech fall, 1 maj dec win, 2 dec wins and 1 decision loss) and an individual national copper medal (3 pins, 2 tech falls, and 3 decision losses) at the AAU Elementary Duals in Kingsport, TN.
Schwenke was also recognized as a 2x state champion from the AAU Kids State Wrestling Tournaments(2005 & 2006), and a 3rd placers in 2007. It was noted he had placed every year of competition beginning as a kindergartener at Super Pee Wee State (2002-2004; 3rd,7th,and 3rd).
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Rebekah Topham, of Griswold, was recognized by Chairman Marv Allen of Track and Field for her long distrance running in track&field/cross country. At the 2006 Cross Country Championships in Orlando, FL, she earned 2nd place.
In Feb 2007, at the AAU South National Indoor Track & Field in Knoxville, TN, she had a clean sweep earning 1st in the 800, 1500, and 3000 meter (breaking the national record). At the AAU North National Indoor Track & Field at Merrilville, IL, she brought home 2nd in the 800, and 2nd in the 1500 meter. In April of 2007, Topham got another 1st place at the Kansas 5000 Relays in Lawrence,KS (18:42).
Later that summer in Orlando, at the AAU National Club Championships, she broke the national record in two events the 1500 and 3000 meter. She finished her season at the AAU National Junior Olympics in Knoxville, TN, where she earned 3rd in the 1500, and 1st in the 3000 meter.
Outside the AAU organization she competed last July, at the USA Youth Outdoor Track & Field at Lisle, IL, bring home 6th place in the 1500 (4:59) and 2nd place in the 3000 (10:51).
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