Shiner St. Paul awarded Henderson Cup

This season, the Cardinals met just about every goal they set to accomplish, ending the year with six state championships which lead to St. Paul winning the TAPPS 2A Henderson Cup, and awarded given to schools for overall success in extracurricular activities. Each team wins points at the end of their respective season with state champions getting 10 points.

This year, the football team were district and state champions (11 points), the volleyball team were regional finalists (four points), both the boys’ and girls’ cross-country teams were state champions (20 points), the boys’ basketball team were district champs and regional finalists (five points), the girls’ basketball team were regional finalists (four points), the girls’ golf team took fifth at state (two points), both the boys’ and girls’ track teams won state (20 points), the baseball team were area finalists (two points), the softball team were state champions (10 points) and the band took home two points at state.

The Cardinals also racked up individual awards as Jake Wachsmuth was named the TAPPS 2A Male Coach of the Year and Dana Beal-Sestak was named the TAPPS 2A Female Coach of the Year.

Wachsmuth was the head coach of the state champion football team as well as the boys’ track team. He has coached three football state champion teams overall and two track state champion teams overall.

Beal-Sestak was the head coach for boys’ and girls’ cross-country and girls’ track, all state champions. She has coached eight cross-country state champion teams and four track state champion teams overall.

Natalie Jackson, a recent graduate of St. Paul, was named the 2015-16 TAPPS 2A Female Athlete of the Year. Jackson has been a four-sport athlete each of her years in high school, taking on cross-country, volleyball, basketball and track.

The Lady Cardinal played a big role on six state championship teams, three in cross-country and three track and field.

This season, Jackson was a first-team all-district, all-state selection as well as academic all-state for basketball. She was the district and regional champion in the 800-meter. Jackson won a silver medal in the pole vault, 800-meter and 1600-meter relay on the 2016 TAPPS State Championship Track and Field team. She was also a part of the academic all-state team in track and field.