The Hengstler-Ranweiler Awards are presented annually to west central Minnesota’s outstanding senior male and female three-sport athletes.

The West Central Tribune presents the awards named for Herb Hengstler and Lefty Ranweiler, two long-time Tribune Sports Editors.

Nominees must have competed in three sports through their senior years and earned all-conference honors in at least two of their sports at some point in their careers.

Athletes who have had a Minnesota State High School League violation are not eligible for the award.

While spring sports were canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, an athlete’s career numbers were considered along with senior season accolades in the fall and winter seasons.

This year, eight female athletes were nominated for the 2020 H-R award

Rachel Wilner

VOLLEYBALL: The Falcons’ setter for three seasons, Wilner had 152 set assists to go with 67 kills, 31 digs, six ace serves and four solo blocks as a senior. An All-West Central Conference pick, Wilner had career totals of: 742 set assists; 243 digs; 97 kills; 26 solo blocks; and 18 ace serves. She was named Miss Hustle by her teammates as a senior.

BASKETBALL: In her final season on the court, Wilner averaged 7.0 points, 5.5 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game while also coming up with 25 steals and seven blocks through the year. For her career, Wilner scored 6.3 points per contest.

SOFTBALL: A three-year letterwinner, Wilner was also a two-time All-West Central Conference pick in 2018 and 2019, which saw the Falcons finish as conference runners-up in both seasons. Playing left field, shortstop and catcher through her career, Wilner had a career .421 average, .602 slugging percentage with nine doubles, three triples, three home runs, 38 RBI, 40 runs and 23 stolen bases.

Mariah Ahrndt

VOLLEYBALL: A three-year starter and letterwinner for the Braves, Ahrndt’s senior year was hampered with an injury in the second game that kept her out the majority of the season. Playing setter/right-side hitter and middle hitter through her career, Ahrndt had 489 set assists, 313 digs, 168 kills and 50 career aces while earning All-West Central Conference honors and Benson’s Team Player Award. Ahrndt will play college volleyball at Concordia-Moorhead.

GYMNASTICS: For the Benson/KMS gymnastics team, Ahrndt earned All-Conference honors six times while also lettering six times. She was a three-time state individual competitor and a four-time All-State gymnast, helping Benson/KMS to a runner-up finish in the Section 6A championship this winter. A five-time team MVP, her best showing at state was seventh in the balance beam. Ahrndt holds the West Central Conference record in the floor exercise (9.6) while holding career highs of 9.45 on the balance beam, 9.2 on the vault and 8.975 on the uneven bars.

TRACK: Competing in jumps and sprinting events, Ahrndt was a four-time section meet qualifier in the triple jump, 200-meter dash and 4x400 relay. Competing on the Benson/KMS team since eighth grade, she was a five-year letterwinner and a two-time All-West Central Conference selection.

Makayla Snow

VOLLEYBALL: A starter since eighth grade for the Warriors’ volleyball team, Snow was twice named the West Central Conference’s most valuable setter, was the 2019 conference MVP and KNUJ’s player of the year this fall. A four-time All-WCC pick, Snow had 675 set assists, 292 digs, 197 kills, 42 blocks and 37 aces while helping BOLD to a 17-10 record. Snow’s 2,289 career set assists is a school record to go with 1,152 digs, 736 kills, 178 blocks and 135 ace serves. She will play volleyball at Northern State University in Aberdeen, South Dakota.

BASKETBALL: A two-time WCT All-Area second-teamer, Snow averaged 15.0 points, 10.0 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 2.5 steals per game for the 18-10 Warriors. She was also named team co-MVP with fellow senior Brenna Weis.

Playing forward and guard during her career, Snow tallied 1,358 points, 756 rebounds, 342 assists, 272 steals and 92 blocks while BOLD racked up a 91-50 career over her five years, including a trip to the Class A state tournament in 2018-19.

GOLF: As a freshman and junior, Snow was a part of BOLD’s two Class A state champion teams, finishing in sixth place in 2019 with a two-day, team-leading score of 172. She finished tied for 15th with 180 as a sophomore while the Warriors finished fourth as a team. As BOLD won the state title during Snow’s freshman campaign, she finished tied for 21th with 178. Snow was an Academic All-State golfer from 2016-19 and was a West Central Conference medalist.

Ashley Trongard

VOLLEYBALL: Finding time at middle blocker and right-side hitter for the BOLD volleyball team, Trongard was a three-time All-West Central Conference selection. This past fall, she finished with 210 kills, 220 digs, 43 blocks, 43 set assists and 25 ace serves. Earning All-Conference and All-State academic nods through her prep career, Trongard capped things off with 554 career kills, 421 digs, 122 blocks, 91 ace serves and 61 set assists.

BASKETBALL: A two-year starter, Trongard was a double-double a night as a senior, averaging 11.3 points and 10 rebounds per game along with three assists and 1.5 steals in an All-Conference season. She concluded her prep career with 859 points, 696 rebounds, 228 assists, 141 steals, 61 blocks and 24 career double-doubles along with a trip to the Class A state tournament as a junior.

GOLF: Trongard was a part of two Class A state champion teams for BOLD in 2017 and 2019, finishing in the state’s top 10 twice. As a freshman, Trongard tied for sixth with a team-best score of 165 over the two days. After carding a 182 and finishing tied for 23rd as a sophomore, Trongard bounced back her junior year, placing seventh with a 173. Trongard will resume her golf career in college at Southwest Minnesota State University in Marshall.

Reegan Duininck

CROSS-COUNTRY: A six-year letterwinner for the Bluejays, Duininck was a five-time All-Camden Conference winner from 2015-19.

BASKETBALL: Taking All-Camden honors in 2019 and 2020, Duininck helped CMCS to the Camden North Division title as a senior. A guard for the 20-7 Bluejays, Duininck averaged 8.4 points, 3.4 assists, 3.1 rebounds and 2.4 steals per game. She finished her career with 479 points, 265 rebounds, 224 assists and 161 steals while lettering four times and starting for three years.

TRACK: Duininck qualified for the Section 3A meet in the 1,600-meter for four straight years. As an individual, she was also a section qualifier in the 3,200 her junior year. Duininck also took part in the 4x400 relay, reaching the section championship as a sophomore.

Madison Rohner

TENNIS: Rohner joined the Benson/KMS girls tennis team as a senior, earning a letter while playing mainly on the junior varsity.

BASKETBALL: A three-year starter and a two-time All-Camden Conference selection, Rohner saved the best for her final season. Averaging 17.3 points, 12.0 rebounds, 1.9 blocks, 1.4 steals and 1.4 assists per game, Rohner was named the Camden’s Co-MVP while pushing the Fighting Saints to a 14-13 record. She concluded her prep basketball career with 1,104 points, 937 rebounds, 97 blocks, 95 steals and 68 assists.

TRACK: Rohner was a two-year All-West Central Conference award winner while throwing shot put and discus for Benson/KMS. She qualified for the Section 6A championship in discus as a junior.

Neriah Lara

TENNIS: With a career record of 107-37 as a doubles player, Lara was a part of three Class A state tournament teams, helping the Dragons to a second-place finish as a junior and third place as a senior. Her final season, Lara was 34-9 and reached the state individual tournament for the first time, getting to the Class A consolation championship with teammate Vaida Behnke. She was a five-time letterwinner and a three-time All-Wright County Conference selection.

BASKETBALL: A two-year starter for the Dragons, Lara was an All-Wright County honorable mention and was named team MVP her senior year. A guard/forward, Lara had averages of 7.5 points, 3.9 rebounds and 1.5 assists as a senior. She had career numbers of 6.0 points, 3.1 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.0 steals per game, placing in Litchfield’s career top 10 in 3-pointers made, 3-pointers attempted, 3-point percentage and free-throw percentage.

SOFTBALL: Seeing time at second base and in the outfield, Lara’s junior year saw the Dragons win the Wright County West Conference championship with a 17-7 record. In 2019, she had a .284 average with three doubles, 10 RBI and eight runs. Lara had a career .265 average with eight doubles, a triple, a home run, 35 RBI and 33 runs.

Kirah Kessler-Gross

SOCCER: Joining the Cardinals’ girls soccer team as a junior, Kessler-Gross was the Cardinals’ leading scorer this fall with 11 goals and three assists. Set a school record with four goals in a game versus Fergus Falls on Sept. 19, 2019. Was named the team’s offensive player of the year while aiding Willmar to a 8-9-2 record and a run to the Section 6A semifinals.

GYMNASTICS: Kessler-Gross was a part of three individual and three team state tournaments for Cardinal gymnastics. She took All-Central Lakes Conference honors 12 times in total, including four as a senior in balance beam, floor exercise, vault and all-around. Was the Section 6A champion on the beam in 2020. Placed 17th in the all-around in the Class A state individual championship this winter.

TRACK: Over her track career, Kessler-Gross qualified for state four years in a row and was part of four True Team squads, finishing as runners-up in 2016-18 and as state champions in 2019. Making All-Central Lakes Conference in 2015 and getting honorable mentions in 2017 and 2019, Kessler-Gross is in the top 15 all time in 11 events at Willmar, including the school record 4x200-meter relay. She was voted Academic All-State from 2017-2020.