Athlete dominated on the court and track for GHS

Senior Sammie Jensen of Grantsville High School showed her prowess as an all-star athlete this year, making huge contributions in both basketball and track to earn the Tooele Transcript-Bulletin’s Female Prep Athlete of the Year award.

Whether it was averaging a double-double for the basketball season, being named all-tournament MVP at the state playoffs or claiming three first place finishes in three different track events at the region championship and two other top three finishes at state, Jensen contributed greatly this season to GHS athletics.

Although Jensen has had a number of impressive finishes and games in the last four years, she ranks her recent state second-place finish in the 100 meter hurdles her biggest achievement in her athletic career.

“A lot of athletes focus on one sport, but because I’m a multi-sport athlete, I couldn’t work on track year-round,” Jensen said. “So it was exciting for me to do so well.”

The head coaches who worked with Jensen praised her natural ability, competitiveness and team leadership.

“Sammie is an all around great player,” said Kenzie Newton, girls head basketball coach at GHS. “She averaged 17 points a game and 11 rebounds. Having a double-double is a huge thing for a high school player.”

Jensen was a captain on the basketball team both her junior and senior years — and led by example.

“Sammie wasn’t so much a vocal leader, but she got the girls fired up and ready to play,” Newton said. “Even on the court, it wasn’t all about getting herself points. She was a team player.”

This year alone, Jensen was listed on the 3A all-tournament team, 3A first team all-state and earned Academic All-State. If that wasn’t enough, Jensen was also named Region 11 MVP for the 2008-09 season.

She also had a stellar season in track, placing first in the 100-meter dash, 100 hurdles and 300 hurdles at the region championship, while also racking up points for the Cowboys at state with her second-place finish in the 100 hurdles, a third-place in the 100 meters and a fourth-place finish in the 300 hurdles.

“She’s definitely grown as an athlete in the last couple of years, where instead of just showing up happy-go-lucky to run, she stepped up with the dedicated and competitive attitude of ‘I’m going to win,’” said Steve Allen, head track coach for the Cowboys.

Allen attributes a lot of the change in Jensen to her work with GHS sprinter coach Rick Harrison.

“She’s got a natural athletic ability, and she really stepped it up this year, combining that talent and ability to perform on a whole new level,” Allen said.

Besides working on her own individual events, Jensen also sacrificed competing in a fourth individual event to help more of her teammates make it to state by running with the 1600 medley, which placed third at the region competition.

She also garnered Academic All-State honors in track this year.

Jensen plans to attend Snow College on a basketball scholarship this fall, and hopes to prepare for a career in medicine. The graduating senior, who carried an honor role GPA throughout her four years in high school, said she learned to discipline herself through athletic training. But it’s competition, not training, that drives her.

“I just love competing,” Jensen said. “I could be anywhere on the court, on the track, and I’d love it.”

ntripp@tooeletranscript.com