Hengstler-Ranweiler Award: BOLD Warriors 3-sport star is the first

Since the honor started including the female and male senior athlete of the year in 1979, no girl from BOLD’s area — Bird Island, Olivia, Lake Lillian district — had won the West Central Tribune’s Hengstler-Ranweiler Award.

After a career where she led the Warriors to two Class A championships in three years on the golf course, along with a Class A state berth in girls basketball as a junior, Makayla Snow marks a first for BOLD as the 2020 recipient of the H-R Award.

Through her prep career, Snow was a 14-time letterwinner and — between volleyball, basketball and golf — was named All-West Central Conference 11 times.

“I didn’t know that,” Snow said about being the Warriors’ first female H-R winner. “BOLD has had so many other awards. It’s cool to hear my name will stay with the BOLD school.”

She added, “I loved my senior season. I couldn’t ask for a better one. Maybe we could have done a little more in the playoffs in volleyball and basketball but I wouldn’t take back anything.”

Snow would start each school year with her sport of choice: volleyball. While she saw time as a middle blocker, outside hitter and right-side hitter, her premier spot was at setter, where she holds the career assists record for the Warriors at 2,289.

“Makayla truly is a rarity,” said head volleyball coach Brittany Keltgen. “She is a kind, passionate, respectful and humble individual. She has the ability to play any position on the floor and excel. She can score through her offense, shut down opposing teams with her defense, but also put her hitters in a position to be successful. She is an athletic and versatile athlete with a strong volleyball IQ. She is a leader on and off the court. Makayla works hard and has high expectations for herself and those around her.”

Twice named the West Central’s most valuable setter, Snow was named the conference MVP after pushing BOLD to a 17-10 record, accumulating 675 set assists, 292 digs, 197 kills, 42 blocks and 37 aces. Along with winning all-conference and all-state academic awards, Snow was named the volleyball player of the year from KNUJ out of New Ulm.

“Each year, I wanted to get better at one thing,” Snow said. “That’s what I focused on every year and I guess it worked.”

Over Snow’s final two years, the Warriors went 41-13. And her volleyball journey won’t end there as she’ll play collegiately at Northern State University in Aberdeen, South Dakota.

Come winter time, Snow shined again on the hardwood as the Warriors went 91-50 during her tenure. Since joining the varsity as an eighth-grader, Snow ended up with 1,358 career points, 756 rebounds, 342 assists, 274 steals and 92 blocks.

As a junior, Snow was the No. 2 option for state-bound BOLD with 14.4 points and 7.9 rebounds per game. In the opening round against Menahga, Snow finished with 12 points, eight rebounds, three steals and two assists. She followed that up in the consolation semifinals against Mountain Iron-Buhl with 12 points, eight boards and two steals.

“That’s for sure my favorite basketball memory,” Snow said about the state trip. “We did so many fun things. After the tournament, I remember eating afterwards as a team, going to the mall and going to Hamline University to practice before state.”

Taking over as the top option in 2019-20, Snow accounted for 15.0 points, 10.0 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 2.5 steals per game while leading the team to an 18-10 record.

“Makayla has been a great player for the Warriors these past five years,” said girls basketball coach Brian Kingery. “Makayla was a complete player; she could score, play the point, guard the other team’s top player and has a very high basketball IQ.”

This spring, Snow and the rest of the BOLD girls golf team had their sights set on a third Class A team state championship in four years before the COVID-19 pandemic canceled the season. But Snow had a strong resume regardless.

As a ninth-grader, Snow carded a two-day score of 178 to finish in a tie for 21st place, helping to lift the Warriors to their first state title with a score of 693, four strokes better than Fillmore Central. BOLD made state again her sophomore year as she was 15th overall with 180 as the team placed fourth. Her junior year, Snow put together her best performance at Pebble Creek Golf Club in Becker with a total of 172, good for sixth place individually. The Warriors once again clinched the team title by a stroke, beating Park Christian with a combined score of 704.

“Makayla has been a great asset for the Warriors for the past four years,” said head girls golf coach Dave Altmann. “She is a natural player from the tee to (the) green. Her scores have been improving each year that she has played for the Warriors.”

While this past spring season was wiped out, Snow had one more chance to represent BOLD in the Minnesota High School Girls Senior Showcase on June 10 at Bunker Hills Golf Club in Coon Rapids, Snow shot a round of 100.

“It was cool to walk to that last hole and we’re all thinking ‘This is the last hole we’ll play,’” Snow said about the Senior Showcase. “Even though I played terrible, I felt no pressure. I wanted to have fun.”

Female recipients

Year Recipient, School

1979 Linda Richards, Buffalo Lake

1980 Kris Hanson, Granite Falls

1981 Bonnie Henrickson, Willmar

1982 Kay Konerza, Lester Prairie

1983 Ann Meyer, Sauk Centre

1984 Diane DeRoo, Brooten

1985 Corinne Anderson, Willmar

1986 Michele Marthaler, Brooten

1987 Kristin Peterman, New London-Spicer

1988 Wendy Adams, Cosmos

1989 Kelly Mahlum, DRSH

1990 Jill Knisley, Litchfield

1991 Darci DeHoux, MACCRAY

1992 Kelli Geurtz, MACCRAY

1993 Kristina Ervin, MACCRAY

and Tonia Nelson, New London-Spicer

1994 Susan Semmler, New London-Spicer

1995 Carrie Tollefson, Dawson-Boyd

1996 Carrie Jacobson, Willmar

1997 Chelsea Stiel, Benson

1998 Jessica Ackerman, New London-Spicer

1999 Becky Moen, Morris

2000 Carin Rambow, Litchfield

2001 Heather Hyatt, Morris

2002 Krista Rambow, Litchfield

2003 Greta Peterson, Yellow Medicine East

2004 Kara Karlsgodt, Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City

and Beth Zimmer, Willmar

2005 Alyssa Dahl, Willmar

2006 Laura Nielsen, Willmar

2007 Nikki Swenson, Dawson-Boyd

2008 Megan Groen, Renville County West

2009 Heidi Lensing, Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa

and Emily Roelike, Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa

2010 Abby Fragodt, Benson

2011 Dani Schultz, Morris Area

2012 Kendra Schmidgall, Hancock

2013 Emma Peterson, Benson

2014 Taylor Thunstedt, New London-Spicer

and Ashley Hoehne, Montevideo

2015 Lauren Reimers, Morris/Chokio-Alberta

2016 Espi Austvold, New London-Spicer

2017 Samantha Gjerde, Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg

2018 Cayle Hovland, Willmar

2019 Erica Schramm, Willmar

2020 Makayla Snow, BOLD

Wednesday: Girls nominees

Thursday: Boys nominees

Friday: 2020 H-R Girls winner

Saturday: 2020 H-R Boys winner