Hines, Jackson receive Athlete of the Year honors at Oak Harbor High School

By Jim Waller • June 14, 2018 1:30 am

A pair of three-sport athletes, senior honor students Samantha Hines and Ozell Jackson, were selected as Oak Harbor High School’s Athletes of the Year for 2017-18.

Samantha Hines

While Hines did not collect any all-conference awards, she did earn 11 varsity letters in her career and was a consistent high-character contributor to her teams through effort and leadership.

Volleyball coach Kerri Molitor said Hines “exemplifies a Wildcats athlete.”

Girls basketball coach Jon Atkins sums up how most teammates and coaches view Hines: “(She) is extremely hard working and always puts her team above her own goals.”

Hines earned four varsity letters in volleyball and track and three in basketball.

This spring she was tabbed as the Athlete of the Year on the track team, and she picked up the GLUE Award in girls basketball.

Hines owns a 3.69 grade point average and has signed to play volleyball for Whatcom Community College.

Coaches Comments

Molitor: “(Hines) represents qualities of what a student athlete at Oak Harbor High School should have. She shows commitment to her teams, (and) she does well in school and in competitions.

“She is a quiet player, never drawing attention to herself. Her unselfish attitude is an asset to any team; she accepts any role put to her. She has a strong work ethic and is honest and supportive.”

Atkins: “She is the definition of a great leader while participating in three varsity sports.”

Track coach Jay Turner: “(Hines) has excelled in multiple events for us in track. She works hard in the classroom and on the track. Three-sport athletes who can excel in all three sports and in the classroom are very rare.”

Track coach Eric Peterson: “(She) has a positive attitude and work ethic. She was always working hard to get better with the mindset that if she wanted to be successful she had to earn it.

“She embodied the ideas that success or starting positions weren’t granted or given — they were earned.”

Ozell Jackson

Jackson earned first-team, all-Wesco track honors in the high jump and 4×400 relay in 2017 and second team in both events this spring. He was honorable mention in the triple jump and the Wildcats’ Jumper of the Year in 2018.

Jackson qualified for the state track meet the past two years.

As a tackle in football, he was on the honorable mention list his junior and senior seasons.

Jackson, a 3.92 student, received 10 varsity letters during his four years at Oak Harbor High School: four in track and three each in football and basketball.

Coach’s Comments

Football and track coach Turner saidJackson combined his intelligence with his athleticism to be successful.

“He was a two-way starter for us in football and was a leader on both sides of the ball. In track he was one of the top athletes in our district in multiple events, including the high jump, triple jump and the 400 meters.”