PIERRE, S.D. – Senior Emily Mikkelsen of the Pierre Lady Governor basketball team is the February Riggs High School Warrior of the Month. Mikkelsen is a multiple-time three sport letter winner who has excelled on the state-wide stage in Soccer, Basketball, and Track. Emily has led the girls basketball team throughout this season and in many ways throughout her 4 years in the program. Because of her hard work and reputation as one of the top players in South Dakota, she garners the majority of opposing teams attention, and has still found ways to put up some of the most impressive numbers in our program’s history. Emily has a work-ethic that is rare and it has allowed her to be achieve some notable milestones. She will graduate as the career leader in 3 pt. made and assists. She is one of 2 Pierre graduates who has achieved selection to 3 All-State basketball teams, and will finish her career in the top 3 of points scored at over 1100 points and counting. 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. Others nominated for the Award and their nominations are
Adeline Abernathy (One Act Play): Emily displayed a tremendous amount of problem solving and poise at the State One Act Play Festival on February 2nd. Based on the information provided by Northern State University, we planned and prepared an intricate mix of six light plots to tell the documentary-style story of our one act play. Adeline analyzed the script and carefully executed over 50 scene transitions. Upon arrival at the festival in Aberdeen, we quickly realized that the light plan we’d been told would be in place was not. Because there were continuous plays during each day of the festival we could not practice with the light system to see how we needed to adjust our plan. Adeline was literally able to start troubleshooting just minutes before the play began. Despite the frustration with the setup and the anxiety of not knowing how our light cues would work, Adeline approached the situation with grace and focus—ultimately receiving specific praise from the judging panel during our post-play critique for her amazing work of bringing this show to life with her quick decision making and artistic eye.
Phil Adam (Newspaper): Phil has been one of the hardest working reporters and head editors that I have seen during my short tenure as newspaper advisor. Not only does he track down sports stories to cover, attend the events searching for the best news, and find unique angles to write the stories from, but he does so with an infectiously positive and hard-working zeal that is second to none on staff. As newspaper editor, he leads all meetings, helps decide what stories will be included, sets and enforces deadlines for reporters and columnists, edits submissions, and sets the design for publication. He truly works tirelessly to deliver a quality Governor to students and staff every single month. He also recently spearheaded a group interview for the paper with Governor Kristi Noem, representing Riggs as the ideal young professional.
Gage Gehring (Wrestling): Gage Gehring has been by my side since he was an 8th grader. Over the past 5 years I have had the pleasure of getting to know him like a son. We have spent more time together then apart over this stretch. From Football to Wrestling, even MS Throws and Summer Weights and Conditioning, Gage has been a part of them all. He has also been a leader at every activity. Not always out loud but instead by example. It has been said that the best example you can give someone is yourself. Gage has taken that to heart. You will not find a harder working kid that wants to do everything asked of him.
This past weekend Gage got 3rd at the State A Wrestling Tournament. This is the second year in a row that he done so. Both years he suffered a heartbreaking loss in the semifinals deterring him from his ultimate goal of a State Championship. He not only got back up but was able to lead his team by pinning multiple opponents on his way to 3rd and thus earning well needed bonus points for his team. Without Gages efforts winning a State Title by 1.5 points and a Runner Up finish by 1.5 points would not have been possible. His persevere attitude was evident on this years team as the entire team had to learn to deal with loss yet keep moving on.
In conclusion, Gage epitomizes what we as coaches teach. Work hard, have fun, and wrestle to win. You will never question that out of him. He also is the example of when you lose say little and when you win say less. Gage is a true role model for our young athletes today. He competes and excels at everything he does both on the playing surface and in the classroom.
Matthew Heilman (Gov-to-Gov): Matthew has been a great leader all year long. He is not your typical outgoing, hey notice me kind of leader, yet he is strong because he leads by example. He is a great role model for his peers. Over the past year I have pushed him out of his comfort zone several times and each and every time he graciously accepts any challenge I put out there. He has been a great mentor in the freshmen classrooms. Besides mentoring Matthew has helped tremendously with our Gov Store and has taken on several community service projects such as helping with renovations at Oahe Inc., visiting kids at Head Start, serving soup and socializing with the elderly residents at Edgewood and making tie blankets for Missouri Shores,. He also took on the challenge of tutoring for a rather reluctant student last semester and has stuck with it even though it challenges him. Matthew is committed to several other school activities and sports and would make an excellent candidate for Warrior of the Month.
Emily Hughes (Art): Emily Hughes was awarded the Silver Key Award for her acrylic painting, Koi Fish, by the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards – South Dakota Region of 2019. This is a remarkable achievement and milestone for Hughes. A panel of artists and creative professionals selected her work as exemplar of the three core criteria of The Scholastic Awards: originality, technical skill, and the emergence of a personal vision. Emily will receive a certificate and a prestigious silver pin for her achievement. Gold key recipients move on to the National level of The Scholastic Art Awards where they will be assessed once again, alongside the Gold Key works submitted by young artists from across the country. Hughes and her art teacher, Jill Kokesh will be celebrated at the South Dakota Regional Award Ceremony and Exhibition at the University of South Dakota’s Warren M. Lee Center for the Fine Arts in Vermillion in March. Emily will submit this painting into the SDHSAA State Art Completion during the State Basketball Tournament in Rapid City March 14-16.
