PIERRE, S.D. – The January Warrior of the Month at Riggs High School is Pierre Governor Wrestler James Lees.
James Lees (Wrestling): James Lees a true Warrior in every sense of the word. He has had many battles in his life and none that he has ever shied away from. He can only be characterized as Gentle Giant. Through many obstacles in his life, he has become a model of character, hard work and determination. Academically, you will find no one like James. He places academics above all and strives to reach his goals. He is in the top of his class even while taking college credits and AP courses & having dyslexia. He is always willing to go the extra mile when it comes to his education and has goals of pursuing both college and the military upon graduating. His overall score of a 28 on his ACTs and a 35 in Reading, an area of weakness, exemplifies this. In addition to his 3.6 GPA. In wrestling, James showed up to practice his freshman year weighing 120 lbs. and knowing nothing of the sport. He had never wrestled a day in his life. James went out for the sport to gain confidence, challenge himself, and take care of a few bullying problems. Over the past three years with wrestling, hard work, and power lifting James has transformed himself into a 220 lb. wrestler. Now his Senior year and on Varsity, he is excelling on the mat like he has been wrestling his whole life. James has taken on all opponents and amassed a 16-11 record. During the month of January he has really caught stride. James has beaten multiple wrestlers that are highly ranked and former State Place winners. He has gotten to play the role of hero in a few duals either sealing the victory or beating opponents to swing the dual in our favor. One cannot say enough good things about James Lees.
Others nominated for the award were Meg Erwin (gymnastics): Emily Mikkelsen (Basketball): Mesa Winder (One Act Play) and Morgan Oedekoven (Gov-to-Gov)
The “Warrior of the Month” award was created as a way to recognize students involved in athletics, fine arts, and other extracurricular activities at T.F. Riggs High School. This award is presented to our students in partnership with the South Dakota National Guard.
