Kade Kobel continued his domination during the Montgomery County’s Best Senior Bracket Challenge, defeating Southmont’s Lexi Nelson in the championship round.
The North Montgomery senior has separated himself as an athlete by contributing in four sports throughout his athletic career. With letters in track and field and baseball this spring, Kobel will have earned 16 varsity letters.
He was the Journal Review Football Player of the Year last fall, helping the Chargers to a winning season for the first time since 2015, and helped North Montgomery to a winning season on the hardwood this winter for the first time since 2016.
He accumulated over 600 yards of offense on the gridiron, and added 46 tackles.
“Throughout my career at North Montgomery, the support from my family, coaches, friends, and fans has been phenomenal,” Kobel said. “With being involved in multiple sports, I get the chance to experience this outstanding support on a weekly and sometimes daily basis.”
Kobel hopes to return to the diamond and track this spring. He already owns school records in both the 110 and 300 hurdles, and was a state qualifier and Journal Review Track and Field Athlete of the Year in the long jump as a sophomore in 2018.
Kobel now has his sights on the state track meet in all three of his events.
“Obviously the current situation isn’t something I was prepared for, no was I hoping for,” he said. “I can only hope that I get the chance to play on the diamond and run on track one more time as a Charger. Thank you North Montgomery, but hopefully for I, and my senior teammates, get the chance to compete one more time wearing a Charger uniform.”
The runner-up was no slouch.
Nelson became the all-time kills leader not just for Southmont, but in the entire county with a career mark of 1,433. Her 630 kills as a senior this last fall was the third most in the state, and helped the Mounties to their first sectional title since 1993. And is second in the county behind North Montgomery’s Kelly Kyle, who finished with 679 as a senior in 2010. Kelly had a career mark of 1,247.
Nelson is also the two-time defending Journal Review Volleyball Player of the Year, and is headed to Division II Urbana University to play volleyball next fall.
“Each of my teammates and coaches helped me develop into the player I am today,” she said. “I received so much support through volleyball and I’m so thankful for all of them. Even in the stands, family and friends would come to support me and it meant so much.”
Nelson doesn’t play a spring sport, but also understands that COVID-19 is serious and hopes that we can all do our part to help things return to normal.
“I think that if we all stick in this together, and conquer this illness, we can continue on with our athletic and academic careers,” she said. “The important thing right now is to just stay healthy.”
Thank you all so much for your support of these senior athletes.
There is more to come ...
