Fountain, Lange named MCSHF high school athletes of the year.

Fountain, Lange named MCSHF high school athletes of the year.

The Mason County Sports Hall of Fame has announced it 2019 female and male high school athletes of the year, Emma Fountain and Nathan Lange, both of Ludington High School. This is the 15th year of the award. The high school athletes of the year are selected by the MCSHF Board of Directors based on the individual’s athletic accomplishment, citizenship, character, community service, and academic achievement.   Emma Fountain is the daughter of Tricia and Randy Fountain. She earned seven varsity letters in her high school career — four in track and field, two in cross country and one in basketball. She excelled in track and field, where she was the Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA) Division 2 state champion in the 400-meter dash in 2018, and an all-state runner in 2019 in the same event. She was a part of two all-state 3,200-meter relay teams in 2016 and 2017.

Emma Fountain

Fountain set the county record in the 200- and 400-meter dashes and is the Ludington High School record holder in both events. She is also a part of the 3,200-meter relay record at LHS. She won regional titles in the 200 and 400 in 2018 and the 400 in 2019 and a member of the regional championship 1,600-meter relay team in 2017. She won Lakes 8 Activities Conference championships in the 100 (twice), 200 (twice), 400 (three times) and was a part of title winning relays in the 1,600 (three times) and 3,200 (three times).

Fountain was a captain of the track team all four seasons and earned a 4.105 grade point average, serving also in National Honor Society. She was an Alpha Graduate and was named Academic All-State all four years. She received the Academic Excellence award and received other local scholarships. She was the president of her class during her sophomore year. Fountain will be attending Central Michigan University on an athletic scholarship in the fall and will run on the Chippewas’ cross country and track teams.

Nathan Lange is the son of Kristin and Jason Lange. He earned nine varsity letters in his high school career, with four in baseball, three in tennis and two in basketball.

Nathan Lange

Lange reached the MHSAA tennis state semifinals twice in doubles play. In his junior year, he reached that point at No. 2 doubles and earned all-state honorable mention honors. The Orioles also finished sixth in the state’s rankings. In his senior year, in No. 1 doubles, he was named first-team all-state, and Ludington was ranked fourth. He was also All-Coastal Conference second team his junior year and All-Coastal Conference first team his senior year.

In the winter, Lange played basketball and he was a member of two of the most recent state tournament teams for the Orioles. He was on the 2017 MHSAA Class B state runner-up team, and he started on the 2019 MHSAA Division 2 state semifinalist team. He earned second team All-Lakes 8 in basketball in his senior year.

In the spring, Lange excelled. He was a second-team All-Lakes 8 selection his freshman year, and he was a first-team All-Lakes 8 selection his sophomore, junior and senior years. He was also the co-captain of the Orioles the past two seasons. He played travel baseball with the West Michigan Riptide previously, and he is a member of the Manistee Saints for the second season.

In the classroom, Lange was a Ludington High School Alpha Graduate with a 4.196 grade point average and a member of the National Honor Society. He earned the Steve Killips Memorial Scholarship, the U.S. Marine Corps Distinguished Athlete Award and was a nominee for the Rich Tompkins Michigan High School Coaches Association Multi-Sport Athlete Award.

Lange will be attending Goshen College in Goshen, Ind., in the fall on an athletic scholarship, and will play on the Leafs’ baseball team.

Fountain and Lange will be honored and recognized for their achievements during the Mason County Sports Hall of Fame Annual unveiling event at Historic White Pine Village in Pere Marquette Township at noon, and the MCSHF Induction Banquet at 6 p.m., at Lincoln Hills Golf Club in Hamlin Township, on Saturday, June 29, 2019.

Tickets for the MCSHF Class of 2019 banquet may be purchased from the Ludington & Scottville Area Chamber of Commerce at 231-845-0324.