1. Madeline Hutt, Scottsbluff
2. Darren Chew, Mount Michael Benedictine
3. Lindsay McCoy, Millard West
4. Kaylea Kult, Yutan
5.
6. Natasha Ybay,
Lindsay McCoy Millard West #3 Playing basketball, baseball, and football, sophomore Ryan Rouse overcame great odds as a freshman. He hit the gym every morning before school, was involved as a volunteer at the local YMCA as a youth coach, and was still able to maintain his 3.5 grade average. However, the largest struggle for Rouse was yet to come. ÒNothing hits you harder than sitting in the doctorÕs office and hearing you have a life threatening disease,Ó Rouse said. ÒI donÕt know how I was supposed to react.Ó As summer came to an end and he was preparing for sophomore year, Rouse was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer. The doctors informed Rouse and his family that the cancer was attacking his immune system but was in its early stage, so the common survival rate was a high 60 percent. ÒMan, what do you say to your son when this happens?Ó RyanÕs mother Jennifer Rouse said. ÒThere simply was nothing we wouldnÕt do to beat this or to help him beat this.Ó Taking eight months away from football and basketball, Rouse underwent chemotherapy for six months and radiation for two. Though he couldnÕt play for the team, football coach Jerry Yowell appointed Rouse the assistant coaching position to keep him involved during the season. ÒBeing able to give Ryan a chance to stay involved with the team helped everyone,Ó Yowell said. ÒIÕm sure it was hard for him to sit this one out, but his team members drew strength from him, and he drew strength from the team.Ó RouseÕs family believed his continued involvement on the team was what kept him going. Through treatment, Rouse was unable to participate not only in sports, but in school as well. ÒMy parents hired a tutor to help me keep up with my core classes, so I didnÕt fall too far behind,Ó Rouse said. ÒI also worked with Mrs. (Barb) Shaw, so I didnÕt lose what I learned in Spanish.Ó Though the chemotherapy pulled him out of sports and school, slowed him down, and made it tough to keep active, Rouse had the support of his family and teammates. The football team sold t-shirts saying ÔWinning for Ryan,Õ giving to proceeds to his family, in hopes that Rouse would be rejoining them in short time. ÒThe worst was the few days he wasnÕt there with us,Ó Coach Yowell said. ÒWe always worried about where he was, if he was okay. Once we got word he was just having a down day, we had our moment of silence to offer him strength.Ó After missing the football and basketball seasons of his sophomore year, Rouse April tests showed the cancer was in the process of remission. He hoped to regain his strength in time for baseball season in May and football training in the summer. ÒI didnÕt like standing on the sidelines and not being out there to help the team,Ó Rouse said. ÒBut my chance is coming: IÕll be back. I know IÕll be back.Ó
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