Each year, Boosters recognizes four senior athletes with the Outstanding Senior Athlete Award. These students have demonstrated excellence through their athletic performance, leadership, spirit and sportsmanship as an athlete at LFHS. Four $1,000 awards are given to two outstanding female and two outstanding male athletes. These award winners will also be prominently displayed on the “Images of Excellence Mural” at West Campus.

*Seniors who will be collegiate athletes receiving full Division 1 scholarships may not be eligible to accept the money award portion of the OSAA in order to adhere to NCAA guidelines.  These seniors are still encouraged to apply for the OSAA.

OSAA Winner Bios 2022

Katie Gildersleeve has been a standout Varsity Cheerleader the past 4 years. She was captain of the Varsity Sideline and Winter Competitive cheerleading team for the past 3 years. She was the only freshman to make the Competitive Cheer team initially her freshman year. Katie was selected as MVP for 3 years. She was named All Conference her junior and senior years. Additionally, she was awarded the NSC Sportsmanship Award her senior year. Katie received the NSC All Academic award her junior and senior year. She represented LFHS at the Illinois High School Cheerleading Coaches Organization Conference for 2 years. While a member of LFHS Varsity Cheer, Katie helped the team place the highest in LFHS history at both Conference her freshman year and Sectionals her junior year. Coach Vargas stated, "Katie was instrumental in leading the cheer team to IHSA State for the 1st time in school history this past year." Additionally, Katie played JV soccer the past 4 years. With changes to the sports seasons due to COVID, she played on the JV golf team as a 4th sport her junior year. Next year you can watch Katie in the SEC as she continues her academic and cheerleading career cheering for Vanderbilt University.

Cade Nowik has been a stellar three sport varsity athlete. He was a Varsity Football player his junior and senior years, earning All Conference Honorable Mention and All Conference respectively. He was also the recipient of the Tommy Meyers Award his senior year. In the winter, Cade used his athletic ability on the basketball court. He was a three year Varsity Basketball athlete earning the Hustle Award his sophomore and junior years. He was also captain his junior and senior years. In the spring, Cade was an outstanding LFHS Varsity baseball player where he earned MVP honors his junior and senior year, as well as the Scout Award his junior year. Cade was All Conference and captain his senior year for the baseball team. Cade also received the NSC All Academic Award his junior and senior year. Cade fought through a season ending ACL injury toward the end of football season his senior year that kept him off the basketball court in the winter. He proved hard work and perseverance pay off having a successful senior baseball season. Cade will continue his academic studies as well as his football and baseball career at Denison next year.

Taylor Cekay has been a dedicated and passionate three sport athlete competing in 10 Varsity seasons at Lake Forest High School. She competed on Varsity Swimming & Diving for four years where she earned MVP honors all four years diving for the Scouts and broke the 6 dive school record. She qualified for the State meet her junior and senior year and finished her Senior year in 6th place at the State Finals. She also served as Captain her junior and senior year. In the winter she competed on the Varsity Gymnastics team for four years, she is on the LFHS record board for beam, bars and all-around. She qualified for the state meet her freshman and sophomore year, won all-conference her freshman and senior year, won the Coaches Award her sophomore year, the NSC Sportsmanship award her sophomore and senior year, was selected as MVP her senior year and served as captain her junior and senior year. In the spring she played on the freshman soccer team winning the Unsung Hero Award, JV soccer team, and played on the Varsity soccer team her junior and senior year. Senior year she perfected her flip throw-in, the team finished their season in the Sectional Final. She also received the NSC All Academic award her junior and senior year and will continue her academic studies at Tulane University next year.

Jahari Scott was a star running back for the last 3 years on the LFHS Varsity Football team. He was the offensive MVP for the last 2 years, as well as making All Conference both years. His senior year he was a captain and recipient of the Turelli Award. Jahari was also a four year Varsity Track and Field athlete. His freshman year he placed 2nd in long jump, 2nd in the 4X200 relay, and 4th in the 4x100 relay at Conference; he was a state qualifier in the 4X200 relay freshman year. Junior year, Jahari placed 1st in the 4x100 relay, 2nd in the 100M dash, 2nd in the 4x200 relay, and 3rd in long jump at Conference; junior year he was a State qualifier for long jump and the 100M dash. Senior year, he placed 6th in the long jump and 9th in the 100M dash at the State Finals; additionally, he was a state qualifier in the 4X200 relay. Jahari was MVP the last two years in Track and Field, as well as captain his senior year. Jahari will continue his passion for football next year at Illinois Wesleyan

The 2021-2022 Boosters Outstanding Senior Athlete Award recipients:

Katie Gildersleeve
Cade Nowik
Taylor Cekay
Jahari Scott

These seniors have displayed exceptional athletic performance, leadership, spirit and sportsmanship while representing LFHS Athletics. Each award winner will receive a $1,000 scholarship and will appear on the 2022-2023 installation of The Wall of Excellence at West Campus. Bios for each can be found on the Grants/OSAA page of the Boosters website.

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OSAA WINNERS, OSAA FINALISTS AND 2022-2023 WALL OF EXCELLENCE HONOREES!

Boosters applauds this year's many impressive OSAA applicants. You have accomplished so much on and in courts, gyms, fields, mats, pools, tracks… We were proud to have you represent our school and community, and we wish all of you the very best as you begin the next leg of your journey.

The Wall of Excellence will be unveiled at the first home football game of the season scheduled for August 26, 2022 - don’t miss it! In addition to Boosters OSAA winners and OSAA finalists, a number of department award winners, memorial award winners, student leaders, and any individual state champions, will also be featured on The Wall. 


The full list of the individuals to be depicted on the 2022-2023 Wall of Excellence is below:

Charlotte Andress
Michael Cassidy
Taylor Cekay
Lindsay Fontana
Katie Gildersleeve
Mimi Gordon
Tricia Gray
Charlie Heydorn
Jack Marshall
Naomi Miles
Joseph Nassar
Cade Nowik
Sidd Ojha
Leo Scheidler
Jahari Scott
Nick Slover
Emersen Waddle

GO SCOUTS!