After years of incredible accomplishments both academically and athletically during their time in high school, Triton’s Tyler Godfrey and Beverly’s India Ingemi were named the Moynihan Lumber Student-Athletes of the Year Tuesday during ceremonies at their respective high schools.
Ingemi, who was Student-Athlete of the Month for February, became one of the most accomplished runners in program history during her time running cross country and track and field with the Panthers.
“I was really surprised,” Ingemi said of being one of Moynihan’s Student-Athletes of the year. “I just didn’t even think I would receive this, I didn’t even know that much about it. I really appreciate even being considered for it and being here. It means a lot.
“I feel like track sometimes isn’t the most hyped up sport like football and basketball,” Ingemi said. “It’s cool to reference it in track and see that people appreciate it.”
Her long list of achievements include 11 school and class records in indoor track. This past season Ingemi was the All-State 300-meter champion (39.49) and was a Division 2 state champion in the 300 (39.44) and 55-meter dash (7.37). Ingemi was also selected as the performer of the meet at the Coaches Invitational for indoor track.
In the classroom Ingemi was just as impressive in the classroom with a 4.74 GPA, finishing seventh in her class and already committing to study and run at Princeton University.
“I tried to put as much work as I could into academics as well as athletics,” Ingemi said. “I was so honored to even have the opportunity to be considered to go to Princeton. It’s a lot of hard work. It wasn’t always easy. It’s a lot of sleepless nights but I feel like that work really paid off and I definitely didn’t do it by myself.
“The entire coaching staff there is very welcoming,” Ingemi said. “I felt very accepted and going there I’ll get all the support I could need. I know it’s going to be hard, I just know I’ll be around people who will be there for me along the way.”
Beverly girls track coach Dave Jellerson also recognized that you don’t see many athletes like Ingemi come through any program.
“I’ve been coaching track and field for a long time,” Jellerson said. “I actually started in 1974 and oftentimes a lot of my friends say, ‘you’ve had a lot of great athletes over the years, who do you think has been the best?’ I can honestly say it’s India.”
Godfrey was named Student-Athlete of the Month for April and excelled on both the hockey team and baseball team during his time at Triton. Godfrey led the Vikings on the ice as a captain and defense, earning Cape Ann League All-Conference honors his junior and senior year. Godfrey joined elite company after being named to the Newburyport Daily News All-Decade boys hockey team.
“As a hockey player Tyler was a dominant force on the blue line for four years,” Triton coach Ryan Sheehan said. “He captained the team his junior and senior year and helped lead the program to its most successful season since 1990. I couldn’t be prouder of him.”
Godfrey was also slated to have another breakout year at catcher for Triton before the season was cancelled. Luckily he’ll continue his baseball career after committing to MIT where he’ll study engineering.
“Academically both my parents have pushed me to be the best I can be in the classroom as well as on the athletic field,” Godfrey said. “I value the education part and I’ve challenged myself. Triton has had some really good teachers that have helped me, especially my calculus teacher Kathy Norton and my chemistry and physics teacher Ian McBee.
“I’ve wanted to go into engineering and MIT ofcourse is one of the best engineering schools in the world,” Godfrey said. “And then the opportunity to play baseball there really made it enticing. The team is a bunch of guys like me. It’s good to be going into an environment that is competitive both academically and athletically.”