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Crimson Bears boys soccer seniors honored
- Klas Stolpe
- 3 hours ago
- 10 min read
Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé seniors approach final games
By Klas Stolpe
Juneau Independent
Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé Crimson Bears boys soccer seniors were honored at the Adair-Kennedy Memorial Park pitch on Friday, May 22, before their match against South Anchorage.
The following are questions the Juneau Independent asked of the seniors, and the answers they shared.
NOAH AULT, No. 6, right back
Q: What does it take to be a JDHS player and wear the uniform?
A: It takes a lot of pride to put something so special on our chest and rise to the top.
Q: What are you proudest about doing (outside of sports) while attending JDHS?
A: Working hard finding new friends and always have in fun.
Q: Advice to your freshman self (and young student/athletes)?
A: Work hard, play hard, and most of all have fun.
Q: What do you bring to the game?
A: Good energy, physicality and hard working ethic.
Q: Plans after high school and goals?
A: My plans after high school is I plan on attending Valley City State University in North Dakota and becoming a elementary school teacher and play football.
Q: Favorites?
A: Food: Anything that is yummy. Movie/show: “All American.” Music: Hawaiian music. Book: Don’t have one. Hobbies: Football, basketball, soccer. Quote: “Work hard in all the things you do.”
Q: What would be the perfect graduation gift to receive?
A: To have friends and family all together.
Q: If anywhere, where would you take your parents and/or siblings?
A: My whole family!
Q: Something most people don’t know about you?
A: I have seven siblings.
Q: How long can you go without using a cell phone?
A: ’Till whenever I need it.
JESPER BENNETSEN, “Jes,” No. 8, defender
Q: What does it take to be a JDHS player and wear the uniform?
A: It takes commitment, hard work, and being there for your teammates no matter what.
Q: What are you proudest about doing (outside of sports) while attending JDHS?
A: Building friendships and becoming more confident in myself.
Q: Advice to your freshman self (and young student/athletes)?
A: Don’t stress so much about fitting in. Just enjoy the experience more.
Q: What do you bring to the game?
A: Energy, consistency, and a positive mindset.
Q: Plans after high school and goals?
A: I am passionate about studying medicine and helping people after high school. Attending Rice University for a biology/neuroscience major.
Q: Favorites?
A: Food: Steak. Movie/show: “Interstellar.” Music: Pop, upbeat. Book: “Project Hail Mary.” Hobbies: Running, photography, Frolf, hiking. Quote: “Trust the process.”
Q: What would be the perfect graduation gift to receive?
A: An iPad for college.
Q: If anywhere, where would you take your parents and/or siblings?
A: A trip somewhere new with friends or family.
Q: Something most people don’t know about you?
A: Most people don’t know I really enjoy photography and editing videos.
Q: How long can you go without using a cell phone?
A: Probably a month or so.
KEVIN FLORES-LOPEZ, “Kevin beans,” No. 9, striker
Q: What does it take to be a JDHS player and wear the uniform?
A: Being positive and relentless.
Q: What are you proudest about doing (outside of sports) while attending JDHS?
A: I am proud of the friendships and memories I have made.
Q: Advice to your freshman self (and young student/athletes)?
A: Work hard and have fun.
Q: What do you bring to the game?
A: Positivity and work ethic.
Q: Plans after high school and goals?
A: I plan to go to AVTEC to become an electrician.
Q: Favorites?
A: Food: Pizza. Movie/show: N/A. Music: N/A. Book: N/A. Hobbies: Hiking, fishing and camping. Quote: N/A.
Q: What would be the perfect graduation gift to receive?
A: Brand new truck.
Q: If anywhere, where would you take your parents and/or siblings:
A: I would take my family to Greece.
Q: Something most people don’t know about you?
A: I am left-handed.
Q: How long can you go without using a cell phone?
A: Eight hours.
CLIVE MATEO, midfielder
Q: What does it take to be a JDHS player and wear the uniform?
A: Good work ethic and communication skills.
Q: What are you proudest about doing (outside of sports) while attending JDHS?
A: I am proudest of my family.
Q: Advice to your freshman self (and young student/athletes)?
A: Keep it simple, stupid. Do not overcomplicate stuff you do not need to overcomplicate.
Q: What do you bring to the game?
A: Motivation and work readiness.
Q: Plans after high school and goals?
A: I am going to Sitka to join a dive program in the spring and plan to major in outdoor studies.
Q: Favorites?
A: Food: Crab cakes. Movie/show: “Kung Fu Panda.” Music: D’angelo. Book: “Hatchet.” Hobbies: Drawing, swimming and hiking. Quote: Philippians 1:6
Q: What would be the perfect graduation gift to receive?
A: The lottery and free healthcare.
Q: If anywhere, where would you take your parents and/or siblings:
A: Japan or Belize.
Q: Something most people don’t know about you?
A: I dance and sing often at home.
Q: How long can you go without using a cell phone?
A: Six or seven hours.
JOHN MELANCON, No. 38, defender
Q: What does it take to be a JDHS player and wear the uniform?
A: It takes a lot of time, effort and patience.
Q: What are you proudest about doing (outside of sports) while attending JDHS?
A: I am proudest of doing robotics.
Q: Advice to your freshman self (and young student/athletes)?
A: My advice to myself is to keep it rolling.
Q: What do you bring to the game?
A: Nothing of note.
Q: Plans after high school and goals?
A: I am still figuring out my career path.
Q: Favorites?
A: Food: Tacos. Movie/show: None. Music: No preference. Book: “The Way Things Work.” Hobbies: Cooking. Quote: "What I fear is not the enemy’s strategy but our own mistakes."
Q: What would be the perfect graduation gift to receive?
A: Best gift would be OREOS.
Q: If anywhere, where would you take your parents and/or siblings:
A: Nowhere until I do research.
Q: Something most people don’t know about you?
A: I mess around in Blender and Unreal Engine occasionally (animation software and game development, respectively).
Q: How long can you go without using a cell phone?
A: Four microseconds.
EMMETT MESDAG, “Em,” No. 11, left back
Q: What does it take to be a JDHS player and wear the uniform?
A: I would say it comes naturally to some players more than others, but at the end of the day it is about showing up, repeating good habits and working hard, everything else will come to you.
Q: What are you proudest about doing (outside of sports) while attending JDHS?
A: I am proud not about one thing, but my willingness to try and learn everything I can.
Q: Advice to your freshman self (and young student/athletes)?
A: Relax and enjoy, it comes at you faster than you would think.
Q: What do you bring to the game?
A: I think I bring chemistry especially to the back line and at this point I am usually pretty reliable. I also hope to do some more attacking and setting up plays with the rest of my season.
Q: Plans after high school and goals?
A: I love biology and hope to pursue a pre-med/bio degree at Montana State University. I am excited to go to Montana and pursue new territory while still enjoying similar activities that I have in Juneau.
Q: Favorites?
A: Food: Fish tacos. Movie/show: “Good Will Hunting.” Music: Folk. Book: “The Martian.” Hobbies: Fly fishing, guitar, boating, woodworking, camping, hiking, skiing, hunting, and sailing. Quote: N/A.
Q: What would be the perfect graduation gift to receive?
A: Gasoline.
Q: If anywhere, where would you take your parents and/or siblings:
A: Back to Split, Croatia, a trip we took this past fall.
Q: Something most people don’t know about you?
A: A lot of people know that my family owns an oyster farm, but I don’t really think they have any idea about anything past that.
Q: How long can you go without using a cell phone?
A: Not long enough.
KAIDEN ODENHEIMER, “Unc,” No. 7, center back
Q: What does it take to be a JDHS player and wear the uniform?
A: It takes motivation and hard work. You have to show up and prove yourself every day.
Q: What are you proudest about doing (outside of sports) while attending JDHS?
A: I am an avid outdoorsman, and I am proud that I am able to provide food for my family.
Q: Advice to your freshman self (and young student/athletes)?
A: Injuries heal.
Q: What do you bring to the game?
A: Energy and drive.
Q: Plans after high school and goals?
A: I plan on going to Oregon Tech to study civil engineering or environmental science.
Q: Favorites?
A: Food: Pizza. Movie/show: “Waterboy.” Music: Old rock. Book: N/A. Hobbies: Hunting and fishing. Quote: “If you are young, physically fit, hungry to learn and want to be better, I urge you to travel as far and widely as possible.” - Anthony Bourdain.
Q: What would be the perfect graduation gift to receive?
A: Terignota shorts.
Q: If anywhere, where would you take your parents and/or siblings:
A: Australia.
Q: Something most people don’t know about you?
A: I was a Canadian champion for jujitsu/judo.
Q: How long can you go without using a cell phone?
A: Days, a few weeks probably.
TULLITSIAQ REIMER (exchange student - Greenland), “T,” No. 41, midfielder
Q: What does it take to be a JDHS player and wear the uniform?
A: It takes hard work, respect, and teamwork. It is a really good experience, and I am thankful to be part of JDHS and wear the uniform.
Q: What are you proudest about doing (outside of sports) while attending JDHS?
A: I am proud to get minutes on varsity and improve as a player and person. I also made good friendships and learned a lot during my time at JDHS.
Q: Advice to your freshman self (and young student/athletes)?
A: Keep working hard for soccer and never give up, stay focused on school, trust the process, and enjoy every moment because time flies.
Q: What do you bring to the game?
A: I try to help the team in every way I can. I bring effort, teamwork, positive energy, and I always try my best on the field.
Q: Plans after high school and goals?
A: After high school, I will go back to my country, Greenland. I will attend high school in the capital of Greenland for three years and continue working toward my future goals.
Q: Favorites?
A: Food: Steak. Movie/show: Funny or scary movies. Music: Music my band and myself make. Book: N/A. Hobbies: Playing soccer and snowboarding. Quote: “Keep working hard and never give up.”
Q: What would be the perfect graduation gift to receive?
A: Spending time and hangout with my host family and friends, and going to really good restaurant together for dinner to celebrate graduation.
Q: If anywhere, where would you take your parents and/or siblings:
A: I would take my family to the World Cup games because me and my family love to watch soccer together and sharing these moments.
Q: Something most people don’t know about you?
A: N/A.
Q: How long can you go without using a cell phone?
A: N/A.
GABRIELE SCODINO (exchange student - Italy), “Gabe,” No. 39, wing
Q: What does it take to be a JDHS player and wear the uniform?
A: It takes effort and braveness.
Q: What are you proudest about doing (outside of sports) while attending JDHS?
A: I am proud of being an exchange student.
Q: Advice to your freshman self (and young student/athletes)?
A: Go easy on yourself.
Q: What do you bring to the game?
A: Communication, friendship and support.
Q: Plans after high school and goals?
A: I plan to go to college to study psychology or engineering.
Q: Favorites?
A: Food: Steak. Movie/show: “Interstellar.” Music: Rap, Italian music. Book: “Project Hail Mary.” Hobbies: Video games. Quote: “Forgive but don’t forget.”
Q: What would be the perfect graduation gift to receive?
A: A Crimson Bears uniform.
Q: If anywhere, where would you take your parents and/or siblings:
A: Juneau.
Q: Something most people don’t know about you?
A: I listen to a lot of music.
Q: How long can you go without using a cell phone?
A: A day.
ELIAS SCHANE, No. 24
Q: What does it take to be a JDHS player and wear the uniform?
A: It takes hard work, a drive to compete, and still being respectful to your opponents.
Q: What are you proudest about doing (outside of sports) while attending JDHS?
A: I am most proud of the friends I have made throughout high school.
Q: Advice to your freshman self (and young student/athletes)?
A: Do not procrastinate on homework, especially on sports trips.
Q: What do you bring to the game?
A: I bring endurance to the soccer field. Running cross country in the fall gives me stamina to last for the whole soccer game.
Q: Plans after high school and goals?
A: I am excited to attend Worcester Polytechnic Institute next year to study robotics engineering.
Q: Favorites?
A: Food: Spaghetti. Movie/show: “Memento.” Music: N/A. Book: N/A. Hobbies: FTC robotics. Quote: N/A.
Q: What would be the perfect graduation gift to receive?
A: Money — college is not cheap.
Q: If anywhere, where would you take your parents and/or siblings:
A: I would take my family to Iceland. We lived in Iceland for four months when I was in fourth grade and it would be awesome to go back again.
Q: Something most people don’t know about you?
A: I kept a beehive for four years before I entered high school.
Q: How long can you go without using a cell phone?
A: I bet I could last several days without my cell phone.
ELLIOT WELCH, “Welchy,” No. 36, midfielder
Q: What does it take to be a JDHS player and wear the uniform?
A: Hard work, good grades, coachability.
Q: What are you proudest about doing (outside of sports) while attending JDHS?
A: Finishing two years worth of college credits in high school.
Q: Advice to your freshman self (and young student/athletes)?
A: Do your homework so you can have free time.
Q: What do you bring to the game?
A: The balls (literally)!
Q: Plans after high school and goals?
A: I am passionate about landscaping.
Q: Favorites?
A: Food: Homemade pizza on the grill. Movie/show: N/A. Music: N/A. Book: N/A. Hobbies: Landscaping and drones. Quote: “All in.”
Q: What would be the perfect graduation gift to receive?
A: A new laptop.
Q: If anywhere, where would you take your parents and/or siblings:
A: As many disc golf courses as I can.
Q: Something most people don’t know about you?
A: I know how to drive a 1931 Ford Model A.
Q: How long can you go without using a cell phone?
A: Eight hours when I sleep.
• Contact Klas Stolpe at sports@juneauindependent.com
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