Seniors Madison Hicks and Joseph Merkel were honored, along with the other Lehigh Valley school’s girls and boys nominees, at the Lehigh Valley Soccer Scholar Athlete Annual Awards Banquet that was held at the Northampton Memorial Community Center recently. Gabrielle Oudin of Moravian Academy was the recipient of the overall girls soccer scholar athlete award and Zachary Appel of Saucon Valley was the overall boys soccer scholar athlete award winner.

Madison Hicks is the daughter of Dennis Hicks and Erica Hicks and was a four-year letter winner in girls soccer and was named a captain during her senior season. She was also a three-year letter winner in girls basketball and track and field and a two-year letter winner in football cheerleading. She is the vice president of the Varsity “C” Club, the secretary of the class of 2020 and the secretary of student council. Madison has also been named a student of the semester. Madison plans on attending college to major in elementary education.

Joseph Merkel is the son of Keith Merkel and Lena Azar and was a four-year letter winner in boys soccer and was named a captain during his junior and senior seasons. He also was a three-year letter winner in track and field and a letter winner in boys basketball. He is the President of the Varsity “C” Club and is the Borough of Catasauqua student representative. Joseph has volunteered through his church to provide dinners to the homeless and has also been named a student of the semester. Joseph plans on attending college to major in biochemistry with plans to become a radiologist.