Two Boulder City seniors earn NIAA’s top honors

Steve Silver / Photo Illustration

The Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association selected Boulder City High School seniors Jeremy Smith (left) and Caiti Forrester, both multi-sport stars for the Eagles, as two of the top-10 student-athletes in Southern Nevada. The NIAA chose five boys and five girls for the honor, which entailed a $1,500 scholarship prize.

By Ray Brewer (contact)

Wednesday, June 3, 2009 | 9 p.m.

A closer look at Jeremy Smith

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A closer look at Caiti Forrester

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Boulder City High has two of Southern Nevada's top student-athletes for class of 2009.

Seniors Caiti Forrester and Jeremy Smith were honored May 26 during a banquet at Sam's Town for being selected as two of Southern Nevada's top 10 student-athletes by the Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association, which governs preps sports in the Silver State.

The association picked five boys and five girls. Each received a $1,500 scholarship.

"Having two picked for a school of our size, I think that is amazing," Boulder City Athletic Director Regina Quintero said. "Both of those students managed to get the grades while participating in three sports. That stands for a lot."

Forrester lettered in six sports — basketball, volleyball, softball, track, soccer and swimming — all while maintaining a 4.777 weighted grade point average. She will play basketball at Colorado State University-Pueblo.

"I'm real competitive, probably a little too competitive, and I loved the challenge of learning a new sport," Forrester said.

Despite an inexperience in some sports, Forrester developed into a valuable member of each team. In track, for instance, she won state in the high jump last spring to help Boulder City win the team state title. It was her only year involved in the sport.

"She is just an outstanding athlete," Quintero said.

Smith lettered in football, basketball, track and swimming and also has a 4.7 GPA. He already has 32 college credits from attending College of Southern Nevada High School in Henderson, a program where students earn college credit for taking advanced high school classes.

"You have to get the grades before you can play a sport," Smith said. "My parents worked hard to help me and I didn't want to let them down."

Smith, a first-team All-Southern League running back, will play football at the Colorado School of the Mines. He was also a starter this winter on Boulder City's state championship basketball team.

Ray Brewer can be reached at 990-2662 or ray.brewer@lasvegassun.com.