Riddle, Smith get top honors in Southeast Conference awards

FORT MADISON – The winter sports accolades keep pouring in and several Fort Madison athletes have received honors from Southeast Conference coaches.
Senior Nolan Riddle was named Wrestler of the Year in the conference after finishing 4th at the IHSAA Boy’s State Wrestling tournament at 157 lbs. Sophomore Mara Smith was named a co-Wrestler of the Year in the conference after qualifying for her second state wrestling tournament in the program's first two years.
Along with Smith, Hailey Kemper was also named to the first team for the Lady Hounds, who finished 5-0 winning the Southeast after both qualified for the IGHSAU girls' state tournament earlier this month. Other Lady Hounds on the conference champion Lady Hounds were Lucille Zimmerman, Briena Fenton, Chloe Sokolik, Kat DiPrima, Tatum Peters, and Sadie Brandon.
The Bloodhound boys landed a bevy of wrestlers on the first team including Ike Thacher, Luke Vanderpool, Cory Arnett, Teague Smith, and Riddle. Being named to the second team were Noah Swigart, Cade Goodrich, Joe Hartman, and Logan Pennock. Hartman and Arnett also qualified for this year’s boys' state meet.
In girls basketball, Fort Madison’s Dayonna Davis was named 1st Team all-conference for the Hounds. Aija Jenkins and Irelynd Sargent were selected for 2nd team honors. Keokuk’s Kendra Boatman was Player of the Year.  Fort Madison finished second in the conference by Keokuk with a 7-3 (14-8 overall) conference record. Two of the losses came against the Chiefs.
Honorable mention honors went to Fort Madison’s Halle Menke and Hadley Wolfe.
Earning Academic All-Conference for the girls were Jenkins, Taylor Johnson, Katelyn Sissel, and Sargent. On the boys wrestling team, Gavin Callahan, Calvin Johnson, Riddle, Smith, Thacher, Swigart, and Aaron Warner all earned academic honors.
Kemper and Sokolik were listed on the girls' wrestling academic all-conference list.
The Southeast Conference boys list was released but won’t be made public until all teams are done playing and 4th-seeded Keokuk defeated Solon Thursday night and will play Williamsburg Monday night for the right to go the boys' state tournament.