MISSOULA — As the high school calendar winds to a close, as we do every year, it’s time for the annual KPAX-Scheels Sports Awards that honor local outstanding student-athletes.
Every year, the honors court nominates a male and female student-athlete from the five high schools in Missoula, and on May 20 at the sports awards banquet, we'll announce the winners, which includes a $1,000 scholarship.
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Over the next several days, we'll highlight these nominees, and we begin over at Valley Christian, with the nominees of Carys Walker and Nick Karvandi.
Walker is a three-sport athlete for the Eagles in volleyball, basketball and tennis.
She was a captain in both volleyball and basketball, and off the court is a high honor roll student, a member of the national honor society, along with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, and she served on a mission trip to the Dominican Republic back in 2024.
After high school, she'll head to Phoenix and attend Grand Canyon University, where she plans to study business.
"I think it's really cool. My faith is a big aspect in my life," Walker said. "I think just playing at Valley, people just look at you differently just because we are a Christian school. And so I just think it's a really cool way to (be) witness to people. I know we've gotten a lot of comments especially in basketball just how hard we work, people notice it. Just things like that really stand out to people so it's meant a lot for me to play at Valley."
Karvandi is also a three-sport athlete at Valley Christian where he competed in football, basketball and tennis.
He was a captain in both football and basketball, and also is a national honor society and FCA member, was just named a valedictorian at the school, and also has participated in community service.
After high school, he plans to attend the University of Montana with an eye on walking on with the Grizzlies as a grayshirt after the fall semester.
"There's something about the grind," Karvandi said. "Just putting in the time and the hours and the work just to get better as an athlete but also grow together with your teammates. There's something about that that it draws you closer with your teammates and makes you a stronger and better person."
On Thursday, we'll hear from our next group of nominees in the finalists from Loyola.
