PENDLETON — Pendleton Heights Rugby celebrated a successful 2021 season with an awards banquet last week.
The Arabians fielded their first high school varsity team this spring and finished second in the state.
The program’s middle school team were state runners-up, too.

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Award winners from the banquet were: Lorri Jacobs, 16th Man Award; Kathee Cherry, 16th Man Award; Taylor Branham, 16th Man Award; Sam Rhea, Junior Varsity MVP; Eli Libler, Junior Varsity MVP; Will Kaster, Captain Star; Sam Mossoney, Rookie of the Year; Sidiki Traore, Rookie of the Year; Chaston Green, Best Back; Derek Lowder, Best Forward; Nick Trout, MVP; Hayden Edmundson, Coaches Award.
All of the awards were voted on by the players with the exception of the 16th Man Award (for outstanding service/volunteer) and the Coaches Award (mental attitude).
Dresden Roberts, Kaster, Lowder and Trout are the team’s representatives recognized as Rugby Indiana all-state selections.
Named to the state’s Rising Star team were Reese Reddington, Peyton Pollock, Clifton Van Duyn, Will Logan, Schyler Altherr and Justin Beeler.
Academic All-State nominees from Pendleton Heights are Corbin Alexander, Ethan Childers, Riley Simons, Altherr, Kaster and Logan. The academic all-state team will be announced at a later date.
The varsity team’s lone loss was a 24-23 overtime setback at the hands of Carmel in the May 29 state championship game, played in Elkhart.
The team finished with a 10-1 record and was nationally ranked earlier in its inaugural varsity season.