CEDAR RAPIDS – At the finish, the contest for the The Gazette’s Male Athlete of the Year award was a close, two-horse race.
Marcus Morgan, a four-sport standout at Iowa City West, edged Montezuma’s Trey Shearer, 43 votes to 37, for the prestigious honor.
Morgan had three first place votes from The Gazette’s voting panel. Shearer had five.
The awards were announced on Sunday, July 11.
Rounding out the top five: Justin Recker, Montecello (17), Jared Voss, West Delaware (15), and Max White, Cedar Rapids Kennedy (10).
Montezuma’s Cole Watts also drew a nomination for the honor.
This award by the Cedar Rapids media company is in its 39th year, for both boys and girls.
In it’s July 4 edition, which told about the athletes nominated, The Gazette said about Shearer:
“A dominant performer in basketball. Led the Braves to three state basketball tournaments, highlighted by a Class 1A state championship in March. They were fourth in 2019, third in 2020.”
“A four-year starter and a three-time first team all-stater, he closed with 2,299 career points, 456 assists and 254 steals. Braves were 91-12 in his four years.”
“A four-year starter in football, earning Class 8 first-team honors as a senior. Caught 52 career touchdowns, compiled 1,636 receiving yards in his senior season, including 389 in one game.”
“A state track participant in 2018, turned his spring focus to golf as a senior.”
“Will play basketball at Truman State University.”