The "Mounties" Fall Sports Awards

While I don't have the budget to host my own awards ceremony or

hire Jamie Foxx to do it (or Kanye West to talk about his

feelings), it feels fitting at the end of the fall sport season to

hand out some accolades to the local athletes who put it on the

line evening after evening for their schools.

While I don't have the budget to host my own awards ceremony or hire Jamie Foxx to do it (or Kanye West to talk about his feelings), it feels fitting at the end of the fall sport season to hand out some accolades to the local athletes who put it on the line evening after evening for their schools.

Ripping off our fine neighbors to the north, who make incredible bacon by the way, here is the first annual Lake County Leader fall sports awards or "The Mounties."

Best Football Name - Dakota Gun Hammer, Mission - If I were a young, spry sixteen year old playing football and was told by my coach that I would have to go up against a kid named Dakota Gun Hammer in my assignment, I probably would have quit football and taken up some other constructive activity. Like play Monopoly or Scrabble. Gun Hammer is by far, the most intimidating name since William "The Refrigerator" Perry.

Tough as Nails Award - Riley Kenney for Polson volleyball and Melissa Ivanoff for Arlee volleyball - Remember the scene from Lethal Weapon 2 when Mel Gibson (Good God, referencing this movie makes me feel old) separates his shoulder to get out of a straight jacket? Looked like it hurt, didn't it? These two girls continued to play volleyball with similar shoulder separation injuries (sans the straight jacket, although I'm sure other teams would have preferred it) in an unbelievable showcase of grittiness.

Best Race by a Cross County Runner - Claudia Hewston, Polson - She had plenty of great races this year as the freshman finished as the third best runner in the state. However, perhaps the most inspiring race was her 10:25 winning time during the Doughnut Mile. One doughnut, one lap was the rules for this fun run to finish the Polson cross country season and Hewston was the first girl to win the race in its history.

Best Uniforms - Ronan Chiefs during homecoming - Anytime you can relive 1974, you just have to, right? Ronan sported throwback uniforms from their state championship team during homecoming this year and boy did they look classy. Perhaps they could teach the Seattle Seahawks a thing or two and get them to dump their Blue Man Group duds for the Dave Kreig-era silver throwbacks that are still Seattle's best uniforms.

Best Home Field Performance - The home crowd at Charlo - A few weeks ago, authorities received a complaint from someone in Charlo that the noise from the football game was making their house shake. Perhaps the people of Charlo should take it to the next level and copy the University of Wisconsin's in-game tradition of playing "Jump Around" between the third and fourth quarter during a Vikings game and make those stands and neighboring houses really shake.

Best Coach in the Elements - Scott Palmer, Arlee - So the weather might be flirting with the 30s, there might be a nice breeze blowing through bringing the wind chill factor even further down. Do you think football head coach Scott Palmer goes the sweatshirt route a la Brian Belichick? Or even a long-sleeved T-shirt? Nope, the man toughs it out with a short-sleeved polo shirt while the working media bundles up like they're on an expedition to the South Pole. No wonder the Warriors play such a tough brand of foot-ball.