Derrick Lowe and Aubrey Hunt are named outstanding WHS Senior Athletes for 2023-24
Sumner Newscow report – Derrick Lowe and Aubrey Hunt were named the Wellington High School outstanding male and female senior athlete of the year at Thursday’s awards banquet held at the Wellington High School gymnasium.
The 90-minute ceremony recognized the various sports featured at WHS, including girls’ and boys’ basketball, wrestling, track, cross country, volleyball, girls’ tennis, football, baseball, golf, boys’ tennis, softball, cheer, dance, powerlifting, and swimming.
Lowe was also named the winner of the John Gifford Award by the football team. This award is given to the player who demonstrated being a good student, hard worker, and committing 100 percent to the football program.
WHS coaches voted on the Outstanding Male and Female Athlete Award.
Wellington’s Derrick Lowe in a game vs. Clearwater in 2022.
Lowe was a multi-year starting offensive lineman for the Crusaders, starting as a tackle, leading the team to an 8-3 season and a Class 4A state quarterfinal berth.
Lowe started both ways for Wellington in 2023 as an offensive/defensive lineman. The 6-2, 265-pound lineman, according to the HUDL website, can “run the 40-yard dash in 4.9 seconds, benchpress 275 pounds, squat 485, and clean 280.” He was an honorable mention lineman in Class 4A by the Wichita Eagle.
Lowe also wrestled for the Crusaders at 285 pounds and qualified for the Class 4A state tournament after placing fourth in the regional in Andale.
Derrick Lowe in a dual vs. Andale.
Unfortunately, he could not compete in baseball because of a knee injury.
Lowe has been named to the 51st Kansas Shrine Bowl, which will be held this summer on June 29 at Welch Stadium in Emporia.
He will be graduating this spring with a 3.4 GPA.
Aubrey Hunt at the Class 4-1A state wrestling tournament.
Hunt was the 190-pound state champion in the Class 4-1A State Wrestling Tournament held in Salina in February.
She defeated Anny Brenn of Winfield 6-2, capping an incredible season in which she went 37-3. It capped a three-year run in which she stepped up on the wrestling mat for the first time as a sophomore. She eventually became a state runner-up in her junior year.
Hunt recently wrestled in the Kansas Wrestling Coaches Association Shrine duals at Newman University in Wichita.
She has signed to wrestle at Siena Heights University in Michigan.
Aubrey Hunt is holding the trophy.
Hunt also played on the WHS girls’ golf team during the fall, helping the team finish third at the state tournament in Salina. She shot a 106 to finish 43rd during the day.
It was a very successful season at WHS with a state championship in girls’ powerlifting, state runner-up in girls’ basketball, state runner-up in boys’ powerlifting, third place in girls’ golf, and a semifinal performance in football, with spring sports still yet to be completed.
The Crusader Club helped furnish the meal.
