Matanzas High Pirates award Captains of the Code

Matanzas High School held its first Captain of the Code banquet on May 16 at the Palm Coast Community Center.

The athletic department awarded 24 student athletes with Captain of the Code awards. 

The awards honored the athletes who most exemplify the Pirates’ code of five core values: discipline, positive attitude, commitment, responsibility and relentless effort.

The winners were: Cole Hash (football and boys weightlifting); Taylor Boone (girls basketball); Katie Polak (girls soccer); Kenzie Lippke (cheerleading); Morgan Naydich (boys bowling); Eric Lemmon (boys tennis); Olivia Rabat (girls bowling); Victoria Arce (girls tennis); Peter Austin (boys basketball): Maria Kelly (girls weightlifting); Cheyenee Hulsey (cross country); Ravenna Reed (girls lacrosse); Thomas Reilly (boys lacrosse); Zander Zaidel (baseball); Avery Gamble (flag football); Karolina Jaronis (swimming); Ashtin Arlaud (boys golf); Arianna Rodrigues; Landon Wright (boys wrestling); Chloe Baker (softball/volleyball); Ben Kopach (boys soccer); Brooklyn Watt (girls wrestling); Sierra Howard (track and field) and Mino Furuta (beach volleyball).

“True leadership is about being the best for your organization,” athletic director Jordan Butler said in the banquet’s opening remarks. “Leadership, at its core, is about serving others. True leaders are selfless. This what the Pirate Code is about.”

In addition, boys lacrosse coach Adam Frys and girls wrestling coach Mike Fries received Coaches Captain of the Code awards.

Fries was also honored for winning the Florida Dairy Farmers Girls Wrestling Coach of the Year award. The Pirates’ girls wrestling team won Matanzas’ first team state championship this year.