Jacob Guse and Chloe Krueger are this year’s recipients of the Judson S. Erne Award as Columbus East’s top senior male and female athletes.
Ted Schultz | The Republic
Jacob Guse and Chloe Krueger have had so much fun playing two sports in high school, they’re going to continue to be multisport athletes in college.
The Columbus East seniors were recognized Friday as this year’s recipients of the Judson S. Erne Award at the school’s awards program. The Erne Award honors a senior male and female multisport athlete who also exceled in academics and citizenship.
“This is a Mental Attitude Award, a leadership award,” said East athletics director Pete Huse, who is retiring at the end of the school sports season. “They’re both well over a 4.0 GPA. They’re both team captains, team leaders. Both of them were four-year letterwinners and have received several awards throughout their four years in high school.”
Guse played football all four years and competed in track and field the past three years after his freshman track season was canceled because of the COVID pandemic. He also played basketball as a freshman.
Columbus East’s Jacob Guse competes in the discus during the sectional at Columbus North, Thursday, May 18, 2023. Paige Grider for The Republic
The Republic file photo
During his junior track season, Guse was the Hoosier Hills Conference champion in both the shot put and discus. He was an All-HHC offensive lineman as a senior and has qualified for Thursday’s boys track Greenfield-Central Regional in the discus.
“Time management is always a really important skill to have,” Guse said. “So having sports to learn it this early is going to be a great help for later on in life. My parents have always made that a pretty big example and have made that pretty clear to me.”
Mike Wolanin | The Republic Columbus East’s Chloe Krueger competes in the girls cross country sectional at Brown County’s Eagle Park in in Nashville, Ind., Saturday, Oct. 8, 2022.
The Republic file photo
Krueger was the Olympians’ No. 1 runner in cross-country all four years and their top distance runner in track the past three seasons. An All-HHC cross-country runner, she has qualified for Tuesday’s girls track Franklin Regional as part of East’s 4×800-meter relay team.
“It’s definitely been a learning experience having to juggle academics and athletics,” Krueger said. “It’s definitely been a skill that I’ve had to develop over the years. But having run since fifth grade, it’s help me kind of learn as the years have gone on.”
Krueger plans to continue running cross-country and track at DePauw. She will major in biology and is thinking of going to medical school or becoming a physician’s assistant.
Guse plans to play football and throw for the track team at Wabash. He will major in biochemistry.
“It’s definitely going to be a challenge,” Guse said. “I’m also trying to get into med school, so I’m definitely going to have to manage my time.”
Both Guse and Krueger were surprised to win the Erne Awards.
“Quite honestly, I didn’t know this existed,” Guse said. “So I’m happy to receive something. It’s a surprise.”
“It definitely is a surprise,” Krueger added. “I wasn’t expecting this at all, so I’m really grateful.”
