WCHS seniors Tennie Worrell and Andrew Scheidt are shown with members of the Morrey Hester family. Worrell and Scheidt received the Morrey Hester Spirit Award prior to the NLC Track Meet at WCHS Tuesday night. Pictured above (left to right) are Worrell, Pamela Hester, Jill O’Sullivan, Sean O’Sullivan, Jim Hester and Scheidt. 

WARSAW – Morrey Hester and Roger Haeck meant a lot to the WCHS athletic community.

The pair of well-respected men, both of whom passed away last year, were honored Tuesday night prior to the Northern Lakes Conference Boys and Girls Track Meet.

Hester and Haeck were recognized with a moment of silence prior to the start of the meet at the Tiger Athletic Complex.

Hester was an avid track and field enthusiast and track official for several years.  He volunteered for many years at Warsaw heading up the timers and also a part of the chain crew for several years in the fall with the football team.

Haeck was a science teacher at Lakeview Middle School and also a track, basketball and volleyball official.  He clerked several meets at Warsaw and officiated across the state for many years.

WCHS, prior to the meet, also presented four outstanding senior members of its track and field programs with a pair of awards to honor Hester and Haeck.

The Morrey Hester Spirit Award was given to Tennie Worrell from the Warsaw girls track team and Andrew Scheidt from the boys squad. The award is for a senior  from each team that embodies the “spirit” that Morrey brought with him every day in life.  The athlete must have participated in track and field for all four years in order to be considered. Morrey was a tremendous community member who displayed a smile and a never quit attitude every day.  He worked several years volunteering at track meets for both the boys and girls teams and provided encouragement or shared a life lesson as often as he could.  This award is to symbolize his memory to continue to display his “spirit” in our athletes for many years.

The Roger Haeck Memorial Award was presented to Mariah Harter from the girls team and Caleb Klusman from the boys team. The senior recipients must have displayed four years of service to the track team and also demonstrated a servant leadership role outside of track and field.  Haeck was involved in several ways in the lives of the student-athletes of the Warsaw Community as a teacher, coach and official in several sports.  The student-athlete must also rank among the top 20 percent of his or her class.

Two special awards for two special men.

WCHS seniors Caleb Klusman and Mariah Harter are shown with members of the Roger Haeck family. Klusman and Harter received the Roger Haeck Memorial Award at the NLC Track Meet Tuesday night. Pictured above (left to right) are Klusman, Katie Haeck, Mary Haeck and Harter.