Yerington Lions Club Presents Scholarships & Awards at YHS Senior Ceremony

The Yerington Lions Club presented several awards and scholarships at the Yerington High School Senior Awards Night held in the theatre at the Jeanne Dini Cultural Center.

The Lions Club Scholarship Recipients were:

• Riley Aldridge ~ $4,000
• Caitlynn Cummings ~ $4,000
• Viola Soukup ~ $3,000
• Michael Alvarez ~ $3,000
• Janet Fuentes-Padilla ~ $3,000
• Rylee Santos ~ $3,000

The Lions Club Athletic Award Recipients were:

• Michael Alvarez  ~ Mt.Rose Outstanding Male and John Polish Award for Basketball
• Eliyana Berumen ~ Mt. Rose Outstanding Female
• Aiden Pope ~ John Polish Award for Football
• Mason Alacron ~ John Polish Award for Track
• Eric Pineda ~ Mike Lommori Award for Wrestling Citizenship
• Anette Penaloza ~ Golden Girl Award
• Armando Cota ~ Jamie Domenici Award

The John Polish Awards are given to the most outstanding athletes in football, basketball and track. John Polish was orphaned at age 13 but continued to live in Yerington working on ranches. John was known for his intelligence, work ethic and athletic prowess. John won state titles in shot put, discus, broad jump, and javelin. He led the 1936 football team to the state championship considered the greatest upsets in state history known as the David who beat Goliath game. John went to UNR (University of Nevada, Reno) and was named one of the 20th Century’s top 25 athletes in Northern Nevada. He is in the NIAA hall of fame, Wolf Pack hall of fame, YHS Hall of Fame.

Jamie Domenici Award is given to an outstanding senior who has earned varsity letters in at least 2 sports, strong GPA, leadership qualities, pleasing personality with good sportsmanship.  Jamie Domenici was an outstanding student athlete and Valedictorian of his 1954 class. He had a strong work ethic and was known for his kind heart and selflessness. He attended UNR to become a lawyer but became ill and found he had contracted Polio. Jamie passed away in 1955 at the age of 19.

Golden Girl Award was established in 1978 as the first award of its kind at YHS to honor female athletes. The recipient must achieve well academically, be involved in leadership and have participated in at least 2 sports. 46 women have earned the honor of being YHS Golden Girl.