Forest Park honors athletes for awards, leadership and dedication

Forest Park High School’s 2026 sports awards spread across softball, cheerleading and both basketball programs, showing how much of the school year in Crystal Falls rested on the same small pool of multi-sport athletes, leaders and high achievers. The honors ranged from MVPs and all-state recognition to awards for hustle, growth, dedication and spirit.

Softball produced one of the clearest snapshots of that depth. Maykayli Carlson earned the Utility Award, Jonnie Ketola was named Most Improved and also received the Trojan Award, Jessie Loehr and Tessa Bartoszek shared Golden Glove honors, Lauren Hobson was selected Rookie of the Year, and Bartoszek was also named MVP. Carlson’s recognition mattered beyond the diamond as well, since she was one of Forest Park’s top 10 seniors in the Class of 2026 and had made the honor roll all four years while competing in softball, basketball and both marching and concert band.

The cheerleading honors pointed to a program built around many different kinds of contribution rather than one star performer. Saima Santi received the Legacy of Dedication award, Jonnie Ketola earned Senior Spirit and Leadership, Lily Sarder was recognized with Heart and Hustle, Anna Bandola took Leadership Action, Amirah Gorman was named Dual Threat and Gracelynn Weems received Growth and Grit. The list also included specialized awards such as Elite Flyer, Rising Star and Dedication in the Making, reinforcing that Forest Park values roles that keep a small-school team steady from one season to the next. Sarder’s profile extended beyond cheer, too. She graduated in 2026 and later won first place at the Business Professionals of America National Leadership Conference in Nashville, Tennessee.

Girls basketball carried the strongest competitive resume. Forest Park went 9-0 in Skyline Central Conference play, finished with the best overall and best large-school record in the league, and was recognized as a 2026 Academic All State Division 4 team with a 3.9167 team GPA. Kim Bjork was named Coach of the Year, and Elsie Williams collected Defensive MVP and Free Throw Award honors in conference play. Williams also piled up postseason recognition, along with Audrey Williams, Vienna Price, Tessa Bartoszek, Lily Sarder and Aubrey Waara Shamion. The season ended with a 50-40 loss to North Dickinson in the MHSAA Division 4 District 99 game at Norway on March 4, 2026.

The boys team matched that standard in its own way. Forest Park went 8-0 in Skyline Central Conference play, won its third straight district crown and had the league’s best overall and best large-school record. Vic Giuliani was named Player of the Year, took Division 4 second-team All-State honors from a panel of 13 Michigan sports writers and added Dream Team and Malcolm McNeil Award recognition. Jason Price was named Coach of the Year, while Lyle Price, Dax Huuki and Izaiah Tarter also drew all-conference and all-UP honors. At Eddie Chambers Memorial Gymnasium in Crystal Falls, the awards read like a roster of a program that keeps producing winners without losing its identity.