Tyler Cornwell named top Big Horn Basin high school athlete

In addition to the Hot Springs County High School boys track team winning the Regional Championships at Lander, one senior came away with some additional recognition.

Tyler Cornwell was presented the Winford Mower award during the regional track meet. The award is a high honor naming him as the top 1A/2A athlete in the Big Horn Basin, not just in track but overall in high school sports.

Cornwell said he was notified that he would receive the award beforehand, so he knew he would be walking out on the field; if he hadn't known, he might not have been there. Out of any award he's received, he said this is the best. He added it's right up there with getting the State Championship or being a Super 25 in football - one of the top 25 athletes in the state.

In his freshman year, Cornwell said, it was hard for him to decide what sports he wanted to play. He knew football was a sure thing, and during middle school he was big into wrestling and basketball. As for track, he had only competed in sixth grade, as injury kept him from it in seventh and eighth.

He noted Coach Ernie Mecca had coached his brother, and approached Cornwell to join the team. He tried out and loved it. So football, track and basketball became his sports of choice, and he excelled in all of them.

Mecca was also Cornwell's middle school track coach, and the varsity basketball coach his freshman year, when Cornwell did play varsity.

In addition to being named a Super 25 in football, in basketball he was also leading 2A scorer his sophomore and junior year and all-conference three years. He was also on the 2014 State Champion team for track.

If sports weren't enough, Cornwell is also the student body president, and the student body liaison for the Hot Springs County School Board. In this latter, responsibility, he said, he gives his opinion on the board and speaks for the school and students. Though a busy schedule - which also includes Band and Choir -kept him from all but a couple board meetings, he said he did his best and believes his voice had an impact.

Not letting academics fall by the wayside, Cornwell averaged a 3.5 grade point average, and pointed out he made school first and sports second, with sports being something of a reward for his studying. He has also consistently been on the Superintendent's Honor Roll.

With the Winford Mower award comes a $250 college scholarship. After graduation, Cornwell plans to go to the University of Wyoming at Laramie. He's currently undeclared, but pretty sure he wants to become a speech pathologist and earn his coaching certificate.

Though he expects to participate on intramural teams, Cornwell said he is not going to UW for sports and will focus on school. He said his career in high school has been everything he hoped for, and for this next chapter he wants to find out who he is without sports.

As for advice for the underclassmen, Cornwell said, "hard work pays off." He recommends when coaches tell them to get in the weight room and lift they take it seriously, and feels he would've been a better athlete if he took it more seriously.

This weekend marks the State Championships in Casper for track. Cornwell said the win at Regionals was a great accomplishment. This year, he said, is the first where it seems all eight students on the boys team have really stuck together, and he hopes to finish the season with a bang.