A.J. Hill Elks Senior Athlete of the Year

</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[ The Du Quoin Elks Lodge #884, in a vote by its Sports Banquet Committee, selected A.J. Hill as the 2008-2009 Outstanding Senior Athlete of Du Quoin High School during its 62nd Annual All-Sports Banquet Wednesday night.

Hill, an all-state quarterback in football, was also a three-year varsity basketball starting forward and is lettering for a third spring in track. He was named special mention all-state in basketball.

The son of Cha and Debbie Hill, A.J. will attend Northern Illinois University on a football scholarship this fall.

"I would like to thank God, my family, friend and my teammates," Hill said in accepting the long-standing honor. "This is an individual award but its also an honor I share with all of my teammates."

Hill also tendered special thanks to Du Quoin's offensive lines the past three seasons, who helped the 6-foot-2 lefty break most of DHS' passing records.

A.J. Hill is one of 24 seniors who have earned varsity athletic letters during the current school year.

The group has been part of a continued statewide prominence in football and track, while also helping produce another regional championship in boys basketball. Du Quoin's football team was Class 3A state runner-up with the baseball team again zeroing in on another 20-win spring. Cross Country and golf squads were also solid.

"This has been another very successful year for Du Quoin athletics," banquet emcee and committee member Steve Marek said. "This senior class has been a mega-successful group of athletes.

Northern Illinois University football coach Jerry Kill was the principal speaker for the evening.

Fred Huff-the banquet's 54-year committee member and retired emcee-introduced Kill. The two have been close friends since Kill first arrived at SIU nearly a decade ago.

"Jerry's kind of the pied piper for all of Southern Illinois," Huff said. "I've never seen someone make such an immediate impact and impression on so many people. It's like nothing I've ever seen and continues even today with Jerry working in DeKalb."

Kill urged the athletes in attendance to work hard, respect your elders and make the right choices.

"Life is all about preparation," he said. "And preparing for opportunities. Do the right things. Give something back. Its not really what you do or accomplish in life, its what you give back."

Du Quoin Middle School's State Baseball championship team from this fall were special guests of the banquet committee. Many of the baseball players were in uniform during the winter with the DMS basketball team, which finished third at state.

Seven prestigious awards were handed out Wednesday.

Dalton Morgan was the sixth winner of the Darrell Keith Anders Memorial Award.

Named in honor of the storied DHS athlete-who passed away as a senior in 1983-this award remembers the spirit, class, enthusiasm and talent Darrell Anders displayed on the basketball floor. His presence and impact is still felt today as Du Quoin teams play and practice in Anders Memorial Gymnasium.

Former DHS coach Roger Craft presented the award, which is given each year to a senior member of Du Quoin's varsity basketball team.

Morgan led the Tribe hoopsters in scoring and rebounding this past season, earning all-tournament honors three times while also being named to all-conference and all-area teams. Morgan earned all-state honorable mention honors in Class 2A.

Nick Baskin - a baseball and football letter winner-received the 25th Annual William G. Theobald Academic Award.

It is named in memory of the longtime educator, coach and local sports legend who was instrumental in the establishment of the Elks Banquet. Chairman of the sports committee for nearly 25 years, Theobald is a first-ballot member of Du Quoin's Athletic Hall of Fame. He passed away in 1984.

Garrett Hopkins, who anchored a stout offensive line as a two-year starter at center, received the 19th Whitey Miller Spirit award.

The Miller award is named in special memory of the late Indians assistant football and head baseball coach.

Each year, members of the Du Quoin football coaching staff select a senior lineman to receive the award. With the Indians top-ranked in the state and preparing for a battle with arch-rival Murphysboro, Miller died tragically in a 1989 traffic accident near Vergennes.

Colin Jones won the Carroll L. Doerner Memorial Scholarship award. A member of Du Quoin's coaching staff for 23 years, Doerner passed away suddenly after retiring from District #300 in 1994. Varsity football coach Al Martin presented the award. Doerner coached Du Quoin's sophomore gridders for 21 years.

Jones was a two-way starter for the Indians, seeing time at linebacker and along the offensive line.

Gene Huelsman was the 39th winner of the Joe E. Webber Fan of the Year Award. A loyal and longtime supporter and follower of DHS athletics, Mr. Huelsman received a long standing ovation from those in attendance.

2009 marked the fourth presentation of the Justin Willi, Sr. Memorial Scholarship Award. Named in honor of the longtime banquet committee member and star Du Quoin Township High School athlete, Mr. Willi served the committee for 21 years and until just prior to his death in 2005.

Hill received the award from Willi's widow, Arline.

A new scholarship award, named in memory of Seth Milam, was established by the Milam family last year.

Honoring a senior football player, the scholarship is presented to remember Seth Milam, who died tragically at age 19 in 2007.

This year's winner was Jones, who gave an emotional thank you in memory of Milam, who he called "one of my best friends."

In all, 87 varsity lettermen were honored as special guests during the 97-minute affair.

The entire '09 class receiving special medallions from the Elks were:

Nick Baskin, Cale Bastien, Ethan Beasley, Ben Conner, Josh Cushman, Jordan Day, Seth Flint, Seth Heape, Blake Hester, A.J. Hill, Trevor Hoffman, Garrett Hopkins, Nathan Jackson, Colin Jones, Chris Maddox, Cory Mifflin, Luke Montgomery, Dalton Morgan, Kyle Paxton, Jacob Rainwater, Brandon Spain, Caleb Swayne, Kaleb Tyner and Cody Youngman.